Summary: Power struggles which sometimes involve bribes are still taking their toll on the computer industry, but Microsoft remains an outcast in the mobile space

Dell was the subject of long debates yesterday and a few days before that for two reasons. Reason one is the crimes it committed with Intel and reason two is the abolishment of GNU/Linux (Ubuntu to be more specific). The people at Linux Today debated the latter issue but also the former one, which probably makes a very compelling case against Dell. Like it or hate it, Dell engages in illegal (criminal) activities.

“Both Michael Dell and [whoever's in charge of Intel nowadays] need to be removed from their positions and thrown in prison.”
      --Tony O'BryanAs Tony O'Bryan put it in the Linux Today discussion: "Both Michael Dell and [whoever's in charge of Intel nowadays] need to be removed from their positions and thrown in prison. They are both economic criminals who have no business being in business.

"As someone pointed out on Slashdot, our justice system is hopelessly corrupt since the rich can buy their way out of prison sentences that the rest of us would have to serve for lack of ability to pay off prosecutors, judges, and Congress.

"It's despicable."

We tend to agree on that.

Dell is said to be recommending Internet Explorer in its Ubuntu pages (maybe this endorsement too is paid for) and there are screenshots to prove it over at Ghabuntu.

Following the recent brouhaha about Dell's public claims that Ubuntu is safer than Windows and its subsequent change of stance, I hopped onto the Dell Ubuntu site this morning just to see what has changed since and to my amusement, the site tells me it recommends IE8.

There's nothing wrong with that until you realize I am on the Ubuntu site, which invariably means I want to use Linux! Now you are recommending IE8 for me when I am shopping for a Linux machine? Oh and I visited the site via Google Chrome, is that not a good browser too?

Ghabuntu also recommends replacements for Dell.

Dell has all but bowed to pressure from Microsoft to torpedo its Ubuntu line of computers. Add that to the relative success of Windows 7 among Redmond's user base and you get a clearer picture of what is going on.

HP -- unlike Dell in this case -- seems to be increasing its use of Linux (in the form of webOS, which it very recently acquired). From this weekend's news:

● HP Turns Its Back on Windows Phone 7

● HP Windows Phone 7 Wont Happen

● HP not making Windows Phone 7 devices, focusing on webOS instead

No big surprise here, but HP Personal Systems Group VP Todd Bradley just flat-out confirmed to CNBC that HP will not be making any Windows Phone 7 devices, preferring instead to focus on the newly-acquired webOS for its line of smartphones.

We shall see if Linux proponents at HP can fight the enemy within. Dell seems to have surrendered to Microsoft (and to Intel) far too often, as we demonstrated in the past. ⬆

“The accomplice to the crime of corruption is frequently our own indifference”

--Bess Myerson