By Dawn Kawamoto, 3 September 2003 08:23
NEWS Despite embracing the use of Linux on its computers, Dell will not be offering its customers indemnification against lawsuits in the SCO Group's campaign against the open-source operating system. That was the word from Michael Dell, company founder and chief executive, expressed in a keynote speech yesterday at an investor conference in New York. Dell said: "We have seen a change [in the Linux momentum] among really large customers." He added that some large customers have asked for indemnification from Dell, should SCO file a lawsuit against them for using a Dell computer loaded with a Linux product. But Dell said: "We don't offer it." Dell earlier this month expanded its relationship with Red Hat, the leading Linux provider. The computer seller bundles Red Hat's products with its servers and offers customer support in partnership with the software maker. Speaking on other subjects Dell also acknowledged that his earlier predictions - in which he said notebooks would account for a sizable share of the computer market - have yet to come true. "A long time ago, back in the mid-to-early '90s, we thought notebooks would be shipping in greater volume. But that didn't happen," Dell said. He noted the price difference between desktop and notebook machines did not narrow, but in fact widened, since the mid-1990s. Dell said he doubts the day will ever come when notebooks account for two-thirds of consumer PC shipments. Although notebook sales have steadily climbed since 1998, they represented only 27 per cent of shipments worldwide in the second quarter of this year. Dawn Kawamoto writes for News.com
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