According to sources close to Dell, the Austin, Texas computer giant will be pre-installing Ubuntu 8.04 on its laptops and desktops starting in late June.

Ubuntu 7.10 arrives Oct. 18, and not long after that Dell will start shipping that version of the Ubuntu Linux desktop on its laptops and desktops.

When you, Joe or Mary user, buy a computer at Best Buy or Computer Village or order a computer from Dell or Gateway, you get a computer with a system already installed. Do you think they had any trouble installing that system on that computer?

Now Ubuntu 7.10 is making it's way to Dell's XPS 1330 laptop and Dell takes the Ubuntu initiative to Spain.

Starting today, customers in Germany, United Kingdom, France and now Spain can purchase Ubuntu Linux 7.10 with built-in DVD playback on the XPS 1330n (in addition to the previously-released Inspiron 530n desktop system. U.S. customer will have to hold on a week or so.)

Dell thanks the Linux community for the support and states that the purchases and the community's commitment is the driving force behind this expansion. Hope more OEM manufacturers join soon and offer true choice beyond Microsoft stranglehold to their business

Recently Dell did something amazing. The Austin, TX computer giant admitted on one of their Web pages that "Ubuntu [Linux] is safer than Microsoft Windows." (PDF Link) But, now Dell has backed off to the far more generic "Ubuntu is secure".

I spent June 26 at Dell's headquarters in Austin, Texas, meeting key members of Dell's Linux team. We spent an hour discussing the broad Linux market; Dell's current Ubuntu strategy; and the PC giant's early reaction to Moblin (Mobile Linux).

The latest panic in desktop-Linux-land was that Dell would no longer be selling Ubuntu pre-installed on laptops and netbooks. Alas, for those who love drama, it wasn't true. In fact, Dell is expanding its Ubuntu desktop offerings.

There's been no major improvements in Dell's Linux software support, but there have been small, but handy, improvements in Dell's support offerings. For Dell Ubuntu laptop users, an important addition is the availability of the Conexant modem driver for the Inspiron E1505n and 1420n.

Initially, I was skeptical about Dell's decision to sell selected consumer PCs with Ubuntu Linux pre-installed.

But after a few days of testing, I'm a skeptic no more. And I'm not alone. Dell insiders tell me that the Ubuntu PCs, introduced in late May, are selling well -- though they decline to share exact sales figures with me.