Many people don’t realize that they don’t own the software they just bought. In fact, they often only own a simple license to use it. Just like any license, i.e. hunting, driver’s license, there are certain caveats that come with it.

Those restrictions are spelled out in the EULA you innocently skip over when you install the software. Only in the software world can you get away with forcing restrictions of a sale, after money has exchanged hands.

Keep in mind, a EULA isn’t a legally, valid, binding contract. No agreement was made before the sale, and the terms of the agreement were not made available before hand.

Here is what happens:

1. You buy something off the shelf

2. You open the package (thereby removing any chance of returning it)

3. You find all the restrictions of the software ex post facto

4. If it doesn’t work on your system or as advertised, you are out of luck

5. You soon learn that you could be in legal trouble if you try to sell it via the first sale doctrine.

Software makers could display the EULA and other restrictions on or outside the box. However, this would cost time, money and shelf space. Providing realistic system requirements for games would resolve many issues. Unfortunately, most game publishers don’t give a Windows Experience Index that would tell you how well the game would run. So in this regard, consumers get the shaft. Hmmm, perhaps this is why people often download games with bittorent. I’m just sayin…

However, there is hope. Although vilified by the zombie-like Apple cult members, the company Psystar might finally throw down the gauntlet necessary to challenge EULAs.

Psystar has legally (presumable) bought off-the-shelf copies of Mac OS X. They then take that single copy, and apply the operating system to a single PC. Thereby, making a Mac clone. You get the benefits of the Mac, without the Apple Tax and the esthetics of buying a true Apple product. If you want to do it yourself, check out how to build a Hackintosh. Apple of course filed lawsuit for trademark infringement, copyright infringement, breach of contract and for that time Psystar hit them on the playground.

I get it; some people steal software. Piracy is bad. However, existing draconian DRM on software (i.e. Spore) could be used to resolve the first problem. Required online activation and download codes are already starting to prevent reselling software. With this, the average person continues to have fewer rights with their purchase.

Even if the scrappy company Psystar wins and sets a legal precedent, they’ll lose. Odds are Apple will issue updates to disable the clones and/or prevent new features from being upgraded. If you are excited at the idea of another hardware maker producing Macs, don’t be. I think it is unlikely Apple will license the OS to other PC manufactures. Given Apple fights these kinds of lawsuits of the regularity of a sunrise, the odds are Psystar will be run out of business before this even hits a court.

However, instead of fighting yet another legal battle, perhaps Apple should license Mac OS X to HP and Dell to eliminate the threat Psystar and future clones? Most people would prefer buying a Mac from HP or Dell versus a small mom and pop operation. That would really put all three major operating systems: Windows, Linux and the Mac OS on an even footing. It would give the other two a chance to have a wider market. Apple will probably never really rival Microsoft’s market share without it. Perhaps they want to stay their own niche product.

Longtime Linux writer Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols spotlights the three best Linux introductions for beginners over at Computerworld Blogs.

His bottom-line advice: The easiest way to introduce yourself to the operating system is to buy a ready-to-go Linux system.

His favorite: The Dell Mini 9 preloaded with Ubuntu Linux 8.04.1.

You may have heard about a customer who recently contacted Dell support when she had trouble accessing the Internet and installing Microsoft Word. These seemingly simple tasks were problematic, as she had requested the free operating system Ubuntu. Apparently, she contacted a local news station to receive consumer help, only to have it backfire when she learned she got exactly what she asked for.

I get why the Linux community is mad; she very well could have used Linux for her coursework. Why such a story ever had to be air is questionable, when she got the information she needed to use a Linux PC. However, the expected happened. The young woman and the reporter covering the story received a lot of hate spam online.

So here is the point: Linux is getting widely recognized now, and will start to have the same issue Microsoft has — usability.

Disclaimer: I’m not a Dell employee and I tend to lean toward Microsoft products. I don’t get a cent for writing this. However, I have used Ubuntu and tinker with it often.

Some of us have a good laugh when a Windows user can’t find the “any” key. Or when someone sells a PC online and leaves the Windows CD key visible for anyone to copy. Or you may have heard of the Layer 8 computer networking error, which isn’t technical in nature at all. We like to make fun of the fact that many of the default programs in Windows are not as advanced as the non-free retail equivalents. However, having the large audience that Windows has means you have to work with those who aren’t computer savvy.

It won’t stop there for Linux distributors. Want to know why tech support isn’t always liked? 99% of the people reading this will understand you can’t install Microsoft Word on Ubuntu. However, much of the population still doesn’t realize that certain software only works on certain operating systems. Tech support is a wide field to cover.

So, congratulations on hitting the mainstream press Ubuntu. On a technical level, Linux is very successful. I’m sure it will have continued growth, but the focus for the next few years really needs to be on making Linux easy to use for even the least tech-savvy among us.

Inspiron Mini 12 fans can come off the sidelines, because the slim, light and affordable antidote to ultra-expensive ultraportables is now available with Ubuntu Linux OS (starting at $499) and Windows XP (starting at $549) .

As I mentioned in a previous post, netbook purists continue to be intrigued by the Mini 12, with even diehard Apple fanboys conceding that the new Inspiron Mini 12 could give potential MacBook Air shoppers at least $500 worth of reasons to reconsider.

The connected device that made the “netbook” market more interesting is now available online in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan. Following a successful introduction in Japan, the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 debuts here starting at $549 in your choice of white or black, and a 40GB, 60GB or 80GB hard drive (available configurations vary by country).

For the OS-minded shopper, the Mini 12 currently comes with Windows Vista Home Basic, but expect Ubuntu and Windows XP versions by the end of the year.

With a starting weight of only 2.72 lbs. and only 0.92 in. thick, current standard features on the Inspiron Mini 12 include a built-in webcam, 1GB of RAM, built-in Bluetooth and 802.11b/g wireless, a sharp 12.1‑inch WXGA display and an ample keyboard.

As I mentioned in a previous post, netbook purists continue to be intrigued by the Mini 12, with even diehard Apple fanboys conceding that the new Inspiron Mini 12 could give potential MacBook Air shoppers at least $500 worth of reasons to reconsider.

The hottest topic of conversation around this incarnation of the Inspiron Mini seems to be that at 12 inches, it challenges the arbitrary borders of netbook-dom, with Shane McGlaun at Ars Technica drawing an analogy to Baby Huey (cute, lovable, kid-friendly – I’ll buy that much).

Technical, taxonomical distinctions between netbooks and laptops notwithstanding, the secret behind the Mini 12’s unique appeal is very simple: Affordable, portable, comfortable keyboard, easy to use for casual connectivity, great curb appeal. When you look at it that way, how you categorize it doesn’t compute.

Check it out on our Flickr page.

Ubuntu 8.10 — code name Intrepid Ibex — is slated for release on Oct. 30. It is currently a beta release and should not be installed on production machines. With that said, if you choose to upgrade to the latest version of Ubuntu, make sure that you have all the updates applied to Ubuntu 8.04 LTS and report any bugs you may encounter on the Launchpad Web site. Download the latest Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex Beta iso image to check out the new features.

Here is a list of the added features that will be included with the Ibex.

Gnome 2.24 desktop environment

Nautilus

File Roller

X.Org 7.4

Linux Kernel 2.6.27

Encrypted Private Directory

Guest Session

Network Manager 0.7

“Last Successful Boot” recovery entry - retains a copy of your running kernel and makes it available from the boot loader as a “last successful boot” option

DKMS - Dynamic Kernel Module Support (by Dell)

Samba 3.2

PAM Authentication Framework

Totem BBC Plugin- Is a new feature plugin for the Totem Movie Player (by BBC and Collabora )

With all new release versions come more bugs that will need to be worked out and, yes, you will encounter some bugs with the beta release of Ubuntu 8.10. Some of these pests have documented workarounds listed on the Launchpad Web site. If you would like to help with bugs, check out the Bug Squad Web site for more information.

Are you looking to help shape Ubuntu? Get involved and participate as much as possible. You can also add a countdown banner to your Web site that tracks the number of days until the 8.10 launch. The banners were created by Thorsten Wilms (thorwil) an Ubuntu community member. As always, a big thank you to the Ubuntu Web Presence Team for all the work they do to make it happen.

In our society, the pace of technological advancement has never been faster. I’ll skip the history lesson on Microsoft’s tremendous significance on the unbelievably explosive PC industry.   If it is one thing we can all agree on, is that we should use the right tool for the right job. As an XBOX loving, .NET coding, Microsoft admirer let me just jump right into my tale of installing Linux Ubuntu.

First off, a bit of a disclaimer. This is just an introductory post I’m doing on Linux, and I’m just dipping my toe in the water. I won’t be touching any Linux source code.   I won’t use anything other than the GNOME desktop. Also, I don’t plan to port any data from my Windows machine.   I plan to wipe Windows, and use it anew like a typical user buying a new PC would. The only difference being, I’ll do the installation of the OS (operating system) myself.

Linux has had a good reputation of working well on older hardware, with some trouble running on newer hardware. Therefore, I dusted off an old Dell Latitude C400 I had recently put Vista on.   This once well-rated notebook could now best be described as a doorstop.  This notebook always ran Windows XP Professional well, and I had previously put Vista on it.   In fact, for a computer over six years old, it ran Vista very well. I’ve generally had a good experience with running Vista on older hardware.

Installing Linux has always had a bad rap. It is definitely improved, but it could stand to be a bit more user friendly for all the grandparents out there. There was a fair amount of technical onscreen mumbo-jumbo, which hiding would make for a better experience. In general, it was fairly easy, and the prompts are minimal.  I’m not sure that anyone who has never done this before would feel entirely confident installing a dual-boot configuration. The entire process took about half an hour, generally the same amount of time as the Vista installation.

Here are a few technical gems. I like the fact it fits just under the standard 700 MB CD size.   This is great for older computers. For whatever reason, my DVD drives tend to go bad over time, whereas CD drives always live. Windows lacks one installation feature that is very nice, the Live CD boot capability. This allows you to boot with the CD and run Linux as if it was installed, all the while it doesn’t change anything on your hard drive. Very slick.  It is perfect for evaluating Linux. Similarly, you can boot a Linux installation off a USB thumb drive, save your work and shut down without ever changing the physical computer. This is a great alternative to carrying your entire computer or relying on Remote Desktop on another computer.

So, here I go, I’m logging in. Video? Check. Sound?  Check?   What about my ancient PCMCIA wireless 802.11b card?  Yes, this notebook has no built in Wi-Fi support, and I’m using the ancient wireless 802.11b standard. Like Vista, it works — no problem. I can pull the card in and out; it redetects the wireless network and reconnects with no problem. So far, so good.  Even the sole, pathetic USB 1.1 port works. My travel USB drive and mouse work with it free and clear.

Surely, I can find a problem. Nay, I will find a problem!  I click the “Network” icon. It appears to have found my NAS and every Windows computer on my home network. I click on an MP3 file. Hmmm, no codec is installed. I understand the legality why. However, it does offer a simple pop-up dialog offering some suggestions. After a quick unattended download, it works!  Now to play a video, surely it won’t play this proprietary Microsoft MWV file. Lo and behold, it does.

This is just my opinion, but one thing strikes me as unusual. It’s fairly clear that Vista and Ubuntu share a lot of similar cosmetics. Ubuntu has a “Recent Documents,” much like the “Start” menu has always had.  The icons for documents have a thumbnail that represents the information inside the document, much like Vista.  The taskbar of running applications looks very similar as well. Right clicking on the desktop gives a lot of the same options as Windows.   I’m not trying to turn this into a he-said she-said, “they stole this” argument.  I’m just a bit surprised it acts as much like Windows as it does. Come to think of it, I’m not surprised. It is in “Linux’s” best interest to make a transition from Windows as seamless as possible.

Doing that, might not be so hard. This Linux distribution I selected has some of the most practical applications. It includes Firefox for Internet browsing, which is a strong rival and superior to Internet Explorer in many ways. It contains OpenOffice for basic word processing, spreadsheets and presentations.  It appears capable, although definitely not as full featured as Microsoft Office. I was able to edit documents between the two office suites with no problem.

Over the course of a few days, I did encounter the occasional lockup. Every now and then, an application would hang. I did peruse the help file, to determine how to customize the panels to my liking. The help file, hmmm, not always so helpful. So Linux did seem like Windows in more ways than one.

Having said that, I like free. I could see me using this for free. I could see me setting up this for every computer in my parent’s small business. For just about any software challenge, a FOSS (free and open source software) solution exists. I typically check SourceForge first when I need something. Linux is a more than capable OS, which wasn’t always the case in the past.

Bill Gates once famously said that Windows 90%+ market share wasn’t a monopoly, at least not in the traditional sense.  One thing is certain, Microsoft does have some strong competition.   That is a good thing. With that comes more innovation. Whichever operating system I ultimately choose to use down the road, it is clear the personal computer is only going to get better.

For all of you following the news of Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) on select Dell systems, John Hull, our manager of Linux OS engineering, just posted additional technical details on the Direct2Dell blog.

Hardy Heron has landed on select Dell consumer PCs! As of today consumers can purchase the XPS M1330N and Inspiron 1525N laptops and Inspiron 530N desktop with Ubuntu 8.04 pre-installed at www.dell.com/ubuntu.

So is there anything special about Ubuntu 8.04 on Dell PCs beyond a higher number? You bet! Dell spent months in development and testing to deliver more peripheral support - like ATI Video Graphics, Dell Wireless, Fingerprint Readers, HDMI, Bluetooth and MP3/WMA/WMV - which coincidentally were some of the more popular suggestions on Dell’s IdeaStorm. And of course DVD playback is still there, too.

As these Dell PCs with Ubuntu 8.04 pre-installed are available in a variety of countries, including U.S., Canada, select Latin America (like Mexico and Colombia), France, Germany, Spain and the U.K., we added another feature: the ability to select language during the first boot process. Just a few more steps toward making Linux more accessible by helping to ensure it “just works” right out of the box! For those who are interested in the nitty-gritty technical details, watch for a post from John Hull on Direct2Dell  in the near future.

Note: In Daniel Judd’s post, he mentions that Dell will soon expand its consumer Linux product portfolio to include the XPS M1530n and the new Studio 15n in time for LinuxWorld Stay tuned for more details!

A number of you have asked for Linux tips on Your Blog. So with a tip of the hat, I’m pleased to pass along a nugget submitted by community member aikiwolfie:

A quick and very simple way to get web cams working in Ubuntu is to install a Gnome application called Cheese. Installation is very simple.

1. Open a terminal window.
2. Type sudo apt-get install cheese
3. Let the installer run and that’s it.

This works for Ubuntu 7.10 and 8.04. I’m not sure about earlier versions. But it won’t hurt to try it.

It’s easy to submit a personal technology tip or an idea for a Your Blog post. Just type your thoughts in the “Idea Submission” box in the upper right corner of Your Blog.

BTW, worth mentioning, for clarity, that if you have an idea related to *improving* Dell products or services, the best way to let us know is to post on the IdeaStorm site.