Dell's recent IdeaStorm experiment reveals increasing demand for Linux and open-source software on the desktop. Since that time, Dell has said that it is still not committed to selling laptops and desktops with Linux preinstalled for the general consumer and small business markets. At the present time, Dell offers select Dimension, Optiplex, and Precision desktop computers without operating systems. Dell also offers three precision workstation models with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4. But for a multitude of pragmatic, ideological, and economic reasons, it is unlikely that Dell will expand desktop Linux preinstallation support to a broader selection of the company's offerings in the near future.
Why Dell and other major hardware vendors won't do desktop Linux preinstallation.