Linux support for Dell ??

[muckshifter]

So ... April 1st begins on March 27th ?? Sorry, not amused one iota ... actually I'm quite pissed off ... sucked in and ****ed up ... should have relied on my instincts. But I'm sure you will not miss me ... Bruno, I do hope my "private" information will be deleted ... good bye!

[Bruno]

Come on Mucks, your instinct already new, so it's not that bad is it ? BrunoPS: Sure all personal data was deleted the minute I wrote your name on the list.

[striker]

LOL ... If it would have been true I would become my very first laptop ! But let's be honest, it was a good laugh. And eh Mucks ... don't let us have a look into your cards, get over it and laugh with us.

[FXEF]

Just remember, If it seems too good to be true, it likely is! Nothing gained, nothing lost.......FXEF

[Urmas]

[SueD]

Oh geez, I came <--> this close to saying I wanted to participate but thought "Nah, you don't' get something for nothing", so I didn't email Bruno about it.April Fool's only comes one day a year around here. Good one.

[striker]

There are a couple of other ones around at tuxmachines ... for ex. Ballmer joins Linux Foundation board,

[Guest LilBambi]

LOL! That was one of the best April Fool's Joke's this year!!!! :hysterical:Great job ATL Mod Team!!You really had everyone going real good ... and that's the point, now isn't it?

[quint]

[ebrke]

I did not sign up to participate, but I still think I have to agree with former member Mucks--there was something a little cruel about this April Fool. Maybe I'm just very naive, but I don't think the volunteers were thinking about "getting something for nothing" as SueD said--they seemed eager to give up some of their time to try and help get linux a little badly-needed consumer exposure. I saw nothing to indicate that the laptops weren't to be returned to Dell after the loading experiment. I actually felt a little guilty when I decided that I just didn't have time enough to get involved in a project like this. Maybe the people who did volunteer really do think this was funny. Maybe they don't wonder why a forum that is so careful of the feelings of people who come looking for help doesn't seem as concerned about the feelings of it's contributing members. Mucks was angry--I just feel a little disillusioned.

[b2cm]

I understand the fun but hope something will be done to bring Muck back.

[Guest LilBambi]

Mucks, please come back.It was not intended to be a sad or mad time. April Fool's joke's are supposed to be just fun.Who would have known that so many would take it so seriously?! Why would Dell ever consider a forum outside their own Dell Community Forum for any kind of support? It didn't even make sense. Seemed it would be the perfect April Fool's joke since it's near to impossible that something like this could EVER happen.I guess Bruno and those that helped out did just too good a job at setting up the fun.In the future, I guess we will simply need to make sure we do not join in the fun again in the future for April Fool's Day in the future so we do not offend our members.Thanks to those who were able to see past it and enjoy the game.To those who could not, please forgive us.

[Gary]

Ya Mucks don't let a April fools joke keep you away. I was a tad PO'd myself but I got over it in about 30 seconds. If you really gave it any thought, why would a company that is having financial trouble be giving away laptops?? And one did not have to know much about Linux to participate in this experiment. It was all in fun...

[cybormoron]

well i didn't send bruno my name till after tommy reported that he received his computer. then i was mad at myself for not getting my name on the list at the first opportunity. after reading tommy's post i immediately sent bruno my name. i hesitated at first because it did sound a little far fetched so i went to my local dell computer outlet. i told the sales representative about this little experiment and he said "sure, dell does this all the time with some of their projects. they will send out machines to corporate environments or other types of groups for testing purposes." he said they send them out with a contractual agreement to return the machine with all of the hardware intact after the project is over. so maybe not so far fetched but i still hadn't sent bruno my info because i wasn't sure i wanted to be contracted with dell. but when i read tommy's post i was hooked, looooool. hook, line, and sinker, looooool. i even stayed up all night dancing around because i was gonna get me a shiny new puter, looooool. i hope the machine i get is as nice as tommy's.

Edited April 2, 2007 by cybormoron

[dontgotnoavitar]

Bruno;Just remove all my data from your files. I think your idea of humor is cruel and insensitive.This is the first forum I joined... because I thought I had a chance to learn something, help others and have TEMPORARY use of a laptop.Your joke sucks. :(Good bye.

[steel]

I did not sign up to participate, but I still think I have to agree with former member Mucks--there was something a little cruel about this April Fool.

Yeah sad to say i do have to agree with you Liz, I found it odd that there was no contract or that Dell didnt require alot of info from you they would just send you the laptop, so i kept thinking whats the catch here ... anyone could of said they were Donald Duck and lived on the yellow brick road and dell would send them a laptop without requiring more info?? NOT ... as far as the ones that sign up to participate, and were waiting for there laptops that part i thought it was cruel ...

He said "sure, dell does this all the time with some of their projects. they will send out machines to corporate environments or other types of groups for testing purposes." he said they send them out with a contractual agreement to return the machine with all of the hardware intact after the project is over.

Here is the part i had mixed feeling about.... It happens all the time i received $100's of dollars of free software just for attending some work related conventions, i even won visual basic studio once in a draw at these dumb conventions and i gave it to some friends kid.. i mean c'mon seriously visual basic is not a programming language its like access on steriods lol ... as far as companies sending laptops and desktops yeah it happens all the time usually you have a 6 month or year contract and you are expect to submit a report to them every week or bi weekly and then at the end of the contract you can send the laptop back or you can buy it a insane price like $100 or whatever .. so thats why i was nooo contract here ok whats the catch anyone could of said they were Donald Duck and lived on the Yellow brick road and Dell would send them a computer??? NOT ..also another thing that made me know this was some kind of prank was i was here yesterday answering some posts .... Urmas replied to a post that said hahaha april fools day joke ... and that post got deleted fast by Jan i thought that was odd i think it was orginally post #83 .... but i was like most here who believed it for a short while .. till things didnt add up .. but still thought it was cruel to some of the people that believed in it

[Guest LilBambi]

OK, this has gone far enough. Many of you have known Bruno for long time, some for years and have benefited from his help here in ATL.We all help each other here, but as many of you know, Bruno has spent unbegrudgingly MULTITUDINOUS hours of VOLUNTEERED TIME for most of us at one time or another.Think about that, please. Bruno is NEVER begrudging about helping. Never loses patience no matter what. He thought this would be fun. OK. For many it was. For some it was not.An apology was tendered on behalf of the Admins including Bruno who thought this might be fun.We were obviously wrong.But to get this way with Bruno, when he has never done anything to hurt anyone and has been long suffering with so many of us in ATL, is just just plain wrong.I take it no one else makes a mistake, right?The next posting of this nature will be removed and this topic closed.

[sloppyslacker]

Wow people. It was a joke that I myself fell for up until Tommys' post. Just a joke.It's called humor... get a sense of it.

[Gary]

Bruno is the person that got me started in Linux. He even sent me a CD . I owe Bruno and ATL/Scot's a great deal for introducing me to an alternative operating system. Like I said earlier I was upset for about 30 seconds and then laughed. Bruno may be one of the worlds foremost authority on Linux. I have the highest respect and admiration and thanks. Now this was a April fools joke, nothing more. No one got hurt so move on. Tomorrow is another day.Thanks for the laugh Bruno and for all of your help over the last two years or so.

[Jeber]

I've been victim to two other gags today online, what I get for forgetting the date. One was a pretty good one from ComputerGeeks. Hey, it's a tradition to pull spoofs on April 1st. The only person we should be getting frustrated with when we fall for them is ourselves.I've found the Highlanders have a well developed sense of humor. Otherwise about half my posts would have been pulled by now. This has always been a forum for PC/Linux/Mac help and fun. A place to relax and unwind, and maybe even learn something. We shouldn't have to apologize for doing something thousands of people are doing today. Bruno wouldn't have bothered if he didn't appreciate your interest and involvement. There were no sinister intentions in this gag. I for one thought it was clever, credible and a real "gotcha" in the end.Having mentioned credible, I happened across this article today;

Dell to install Linux on laptops, PCsMarch 28, 2007 (Computerworld) -- After floating the possibility last month that it might begin selling some of its laptops and desktop PCs preloaded with Linux, Dell Inc. today said that it will definitely offer Linux on select desktop and notebook computers due to consumer demand.In an announcement on the company's IdeaStorm Web site, Dell said it will provide specific models and details about the configurations and Linux versions offered in the next few weeks. Two weeks ago, Dell unveiled an online survey that asked prospective buyers what they would buy if Dell once again offered Linux-loaded machines for sale. The survey received more than 100,000 responses, according to the company. More than than 70% of the respondents said they would use a Linux-loaded Dell system for both home and office use and said that existing community-based forums would meet their technical support needs for a tested and validated Linux operating system, according to the company.The respondents also said that improved hardware support for Linux is as important as the distributions that will be offered.No time frame has been set for when the systems will go on sale.In a related post on the company's Direct2Dell blog site, Matt Domsch, a Linux software architect at Dell, said that the company will work to ensure that needed software drivers are available for Linux users as part of the new Linux on Dell initiative."At least half of the comments effectively said, 'We want Free Software, GPL-licensed drivers which are maintained in kernel.org, for all hardware in Dell systems,'" Domsch wrote in his blog. "This request is not new to us -- it's been our standard operating procedure for the last eight years on PowerEdge servers, which today have no closed-source drivers necessary. For new Linux desktops and notebooks, we'll use drivers already in the mainline kernel.org kernels for as many components as possible. In these cases, the drivers will be included in your distribution of choice. This includes storage, wired networking, power management, USB and more."Where no open-source drivers are available, such as for software-based modems, Dell would not be able to offer drivers, the blog said. In those cases, users would have to replace software-based modems in their new Dell Linux desktop machines with hardware-based modems that work under Linux, or use a PC Card or ExpressSlot modem in their new Dell Linux-based laptops.

ComputerWorldYou may not get one for free, but you may indeed be able to buy one soon.

[greengeek]

I thought it was a great April fool's day joke, there's been one here for the last couple of years. If I hadn't felt so utterly miserable after the death of my cat on the 15th I would have joined in the fun.

[Urmas]

Bruno wouldn't have bothered if he didn't appreciate your interest and involvement. There were no sinister intentions in this gag. I for one thought it was clever, credible and a real "gotcha" in the end.

Amen. [And, yes, I fell for it 'til I saw Tommy's post. ]

[Bruno]

. . Maybe they don't wonder why a forum that is so careful of the feelings of people who come looking for help doesn't seem as concerned about the feelings of it's contributing members. Mucks was angry--I just feel a little disillusioned.

I am sorry if people feel this way, we never intended to be careless with peoples feelings . . . . I deeply regret if we did. Sorry BrunoPS1: All posts previously made "invisible" are restored again.PS2: All personal data that was sent in a PM was deleted the minute I wrote the names on the list.

[b2cm]

Well, I would like to thank the moderating team for the effort to give us fun this April's Fool Day. I do hope those who were disappointed can find it in their hearts to accept the sincere apologies given by the moderating team. Having said that, I still want to know why the Windows- and Mac-only folks on SFNL were spared from this April Fool's joke.

Edited April 2, 2007 by b2cm

[sunrat]

It just couldn't have been real. How could anyone imagine running Linux on a Dell laptop!

[BarryB]

Ya know...I have known Bruno for a few years now, and cruel and insensitive are not words I would use to describe his character. Those of us and you that have benefited from his knowledge know that! I don't see that as even a debatable issue. I'm sorry there were some hurt feelings about this...That was never the intention. From our point of view there are some remarkable minds out there. We actually thought it would fall apart long before "April Fools Day" and it would get turned around ..(yeah you guys would...come on...you know it... .)..Anyway..Sorry and regret if your feelings were hurt in any way!!

[tommyj12]

Having said that, I still want to know why the Windows- and Mac-only folks on SFNL were spared from this April Fool's joke.

I figured the Win/Mac folks were to smart to get fooled with such non-sense. No, on a serious note, sorry some of the members were upset that badly. It was just a joke, no malice intended. Please try to see it that way, no one here would ever intentionally harm another member. Just be on guard from now on around the end of March. This was nothing compared to want I did to my parents while they were on vacation. I will let your imaginations take that one. Tommy

[striker]

To allI believe this Aprils Fools Joke was one of the best and imho very obvious to be a joke. And for those of you who got the 'gotcha' and got **** off or how some of you called it, have you never in your life made an Aprils Fools joke at another person ?About hurting feelings, we never had the intention to do so, it never came up in our minds, let that be assured to all of you.But what I won't tolerate - after reading over this whole thread a couple of times - is some of you attacking the crew for something simple as this.For more than 90% of you, you weren't even running linux if not for the help the crew provided you with in the first place. Think of that and get over it, get back to life and enjoy your linux.

[ozgeek]

As one of the moderators, I want to say that we all had the best of intentions - to joke around with you all.I also apologise for any hurt feelings and hope that this can now be put behind us.

[zlim]

You had me fooled. I thought it was a very good story and I didn't doubt for a minute that it was legitimate.No I wasn't upset because I know the staff here would never share any personal information sent via emails or PMs with others.The only reason I did not apply was that I figured I'd be more of a hinderance than a help to any new Dell linux user.