Dell's Inspiron 530N desktop and 1420 notebook are shipping with Ubuntu version 7.10, which was released in October. Dell took a couple of months to offer the update in order to do "extensive testing on our systems to make sure that customers have as few issues as possible," Daniel Judd, strategist for Dell's Linux product group, said in the Direct2Dell blog.

Code-named Gutsy Gibbon, Ubuntu 7.10 bests its predecessor with a better user interface that includes 3-D screen effects and graphics. Other new features include the ability to manage multiple monitors, plug-and-play with more printers, and integrated desktop search.

"We think Ubuntu 7.10 is a solid step forward for both Linux enthusiasts as well as the mainstream consumer market," Judd said.

Dell chose Ubuntu as the OS for its consumer Linux PCs in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany. The company started shipping Ubuntu PCs in May. Dell also ships Precision workstations with Red Hat's Linux distribution and recently introduced Optiplex desktops with Novell's SUSE Linux in China.

A key enhancement for Dell's latest Ubuntu PCs is built-in DVD movie playback, which the company said was one of the major requests from customers interested in Linux. The computer is configured to play a movie as soon as a DVD is inserted in the drive.

By: DocMemory
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