Dell Offers More Ubuntu Linux Laptops

More laptop computers preloaded with Ubuntu Linux are coming from Dell Inc. in response to demand from potential customers around the world.

Starting Wednesday, Dell will offer Ubuntu Linux 7.10 on its XPS 1330 laptops in France, Germany, Spain and the U.K., the company said on its Direct2Dell blog. U.S. customers will be able to order the machines in "a week or so," the company said.

For customers in Spain, this will be the first time that Dell has offered a pre-loaded computer for sale with Ubuntu Linux. Pricing details for the U.S. machines were not available.

The move to add more Linux-loaded offerings in more countries came from consumer requests on the Direct2Dell Web site, according to the company. The new XPS 1330n laptops include built-in DVD playback.

Dell launched its first three Ubuntu-loaded computers in the U.S. last May, including two desktop machines and an Inspiron E1505n notebook.

Dell is targeting the Linux enthusiast market with the PCs, and began the program after receiving customer feedback collected at ideastorm.com, a Web site set up last year to solicit customer suggestions. More than 100,000 people participated in surveys about the systems and what kind of Linux to install in the machines.