Dell Expands Linux PCs to Europe, China

In a sign that its experiment with offering Linux as an installed operating system on certain notebook and desktop PCs may be working, Dell is expanding the option to the United Kingdom, France, Germany and China. The company includes Ubuntu Linux (Novell's SUSE in China) as opposed to Windows, saving customers some money.

For now, Dell says the majority of its Linux computer sales have come from open source enthusiasts, not general consumers. But because the manufacturer's systems are typically custom-tailored to a customer's preferences, it's not difficult to switch out the operating system. Dell likely won't see any additional revenue from the move, but it will score points with open source fans. And those individuals are frequently the ones making the buying decisions for companies' technology infrastructures - which could lead to additional enterprise sales for Dell.