OpenOffice.org Tries to Woo Dell

Rob writes "OpenOffice.org project members have written to Dell (pdf), hoping to persuade the company to adopt OpenOffice in response to customer demand. John McCreesh, OpenOffice.org marketing project lead, writes 'Let's have a conversation about how we could build an OpenOffice.org supplied by Dell product to give your customers what they are asking for.' Demand for open source products on Dell's IdeaStorm web site prompted the letter. A somewhat obvious question is raised: why isn't OpenOffice already available by default on new PC's and Workstations?"

Re:Why?

[CastrTroy]

First they could just include the source on the hard drive. Or even better, they could just put up an FTP site where the source is available. It wouldn't even have to be high traffic. I seriously doubt more than 1% of people who buy Dell computers are going to want to download the source for OpenOffice. Nowhere in the GPL does it say you have to include the source with the product, just that you have to make it available. You can even make someone send you an email/snailmail, and charge them for a CD and shipping.

This WOULD have made sense last year...

[ProppaT]

It would have made since for PC builders to supply OO on new computers last year. It would have given the user added value for free. It's a great suite of tools. Even though I have Office at work, there's I still use OO for certain applications.

The problem with OO right now is that, even though OO is a great substitute and can use Office files...it CANT use Office 2007 files. People are going to be saving files with .docx by default in 2007. This creates a huge compatibility void until someone creates an open source DTD for OO to open and render .docx files. No matter how good OO gets, Office is THE standard. If it can't keep up with Office compatibility (and I'm sure it eventually will catch up), it's about as useful as WordPerfect (i.e., it's fine as long as you don't have to use anybody elses files).

Re:Why?

[CaptainTux]

<i>Even if they tried to distribute with a support disclaimer there would still be a lot of calls to support about it. Also, Dell would have to distribute CDs with the source code since OpenOffice is GPL'd, etc, etc.</i>

1: So Dell gets a support call about Open Office. They handle it the same way they handle most technical questions about MS Office: go to the software vendor. Problem solved. No additional work required.

2: Why would Dell need to distribute CD's with source on them? Nowhere does the GPL even mention that you have to do this. All they have to do is include a piece of paper in each box that says "Want the Open Office source? Email: [e-mail]", or set up an FTP site, or make someone mail in a source request form, etc, etc. Problem solved.

Because OO is a headache for support providers

[Yogi_Stewart_4]

If I was a support provider (and I am within my organisation), I wouldn't want to provide OO either. Try opening something simple like a word document with an inserted image in it with OO, and then supporting illiterate users.

Re:Why?

['nother poster]

They only have to make their source changes available. If Dell doesn't change the source, which I would bet they wouldn't, all they have to do is point a URL/shortcut to openoffice.org to make the source available as far as I can see.

how about StarOffice?

[codemachine]

Wouldn't StarOffice from Sun make a lot more sense in this case? Dell can take a cut of the price, and Sun provides support for the product.

Re:A somewhat obvious answer:

[Vicegrip]

Dell doesn't support software. Only hardware.