Login:
Password:
Lost Password?
Print this article  |  E-mail this article  |  Comment on this article

Dell UK Shipping Firefox on New PCs

By BetaNews Staff, BetaNews

December 27, 2005, 2:20 PM

Firefox developer Blake Ross has confirmed that Dell Computer's UK division is bundling the Firefox Web browser with new PCs. The news follows an October deal in which Hewlett-Packard agreed to offer Netscape as an option for the default browser on its computers.

Mozilla and Dell have not yet officially announced an agreement, and it's not clear whether Firefox will replace Internet Explorer or simply be offered in addition to Microsoft's browser. Dell's Asia Pacific group, meanwhile, says it has no plans to follow suit in offering Firefox to customers.

Add a Comment (34 Comments)

BetaNews reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Foul language and personal attacks will not be tolerated.

Name (required):

E-mail (required):

Enter Your Comment:

By rowa

edited Jan 28, 2007 - 9:56 PM

no comment

Score: 0

By athome

edited Dec 29, 2005 - 10:33 AM

IMHO, I feel that we should not be commending or acknowledging Dell or HP for putting another piece of software onto their PCs, when you can download the very software from any computer on the internet. Again, leaving the PC clear of unwanted software that the user most likely will not use.

I understand both sides of the argument, but wish that the software that will be loaded should be on a separate CD and installed by the user/customer - not the manufacturer.

Windows should come with the basics as it already does, additional software should be placed on a separate CD and installed by choice.

Score: 0

By extremely well

posted Dec 28, 2005 - 1:34 PM

Not a bad move. MS needs to be slightly time pressured.

I'll still stick with Maxthon 2.0 running IE7 core whenever that happens...

Score: 0

By kholdstare

posted Dec 28, 2005 - 11:42 AM

who cares just more programs dell and all these other pc manufacurers put on these things. one day you will get a 200GB HDD with the computer but only 100 or 50 GB will be free because of everything they put on these

Score: 0

By canv15

edited Dec 27, 2005 - 10:39 PM

it would be funny when microsoft pulls away from the EU.then, they will understand that software companies have the right to bundle all the crap they want

Score: 0

By RobertM

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 10:37 PM

Unfortunately, according to the story on Slashdot earlier today, this will be version 1.0.6, not the new 1.5 or even 1.0.7. Hopefully they can pay attention to the update indicator...or, better yet, hopefully Dell UK will bump it up to 1.5 before the start doing this.

Score: 0

By No Beer For You

posted Dec 28, 2005 - 12:31 AM

I doubt that'll happen.

For a start I don't believe Dell are THAT stupid.
Secondly, Mozilla wouldn't allow Dell to ship a prior release not least because it'll have security issues but also because it would give Firefox a bad image.
It doesn't have the auto-updater.

They haven't even announced an agreement yet, so nobody knows the exact details.
I'm 100% certain the Firefox shipped would be 1.5. It would be totally stupid if it wasn't.

Mozilla wouldn't be bothering with an agreement this big if they were going to screw it up by bundling an old version.
It'll be version 1.5. Anyone saying different will just be trying to spread another dumb rumor.

Score: 0

By Kramy

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 10:52 PM

Did 1.0.6 even have an auto-update?

Score: 0

By iamtux

edited Dec 27, 2005 - 9:44 PM

>>sarcasm
be careful mozilla, the EU might sue you for FORCING people to use firefox on their new pcs!
<<sarcasm

Score: 0

By JacenSolo

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 7:51 PM

Great, gimme Opera and we have a deal.

I don't think FF or O could replace IE, as IE is needed for certain Windows fuctions (like Autoupdate, or MSN messenger downloading)

Score: 0

By JSchwage

posted Dec 28, 2005 - 10:33 AM

Don't forget ActiveX. ;)

Score: 0

By tipsyboy

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 6:13 PM

WOW! BIG NEWS! How could the world run without it...

Score: 0

By horsecharles

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 5:28 PM

Great move.
For tech support, esp. fixing damage-- don't see how third party os'es, browsers, desktop shells, etc., esp. those that have a safe mode and/or standalone/live(not requiring install, bypassing system boot and/or kernel) version-- cannot help resellers. Gives more alternatives to access the system & web(whether tech support site or ms patch site) when a windows explorer or IE problem takes down everything, bypasses files in use issues, etc.
Dell could take a step further by also including much more open source stuff, like a bart pe does-- even Linux: they sell servers with it, it'd be a great addition as a double booter or in their recovery partition.

Score: 0

By daytonlowell

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 5:22 PM

Sounds like the the Dell UK is really smart and cares about its coustomers privacy and wants a computer with the best software. Wish they did in the US.

Score: 0

By Kramy

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 3:04 PM

Replace IE? Anyone buying a computer from Dell definitely doesn't need the problems that appear from "replacing" or removing IE.

Hiding the Icon though...yes, do that for their protection. :)

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 4:35 PM

Don;t think their doing either. Just including it along with IE as an alternative.

This then begs the question of, "why?"

Do we *really* need two browsers? Is Windows going the way of Linux? That's what we need ya know... 20 browsers installed instead of 1. That'll cure the bloat.

*sigh*

Including Firefox is good, but it forces the Windows platform to glance down a path I would rather not see it go.

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 5:11 PM

Honestly? All the free (open or otherwise) software being ported to Windows makes it a viable platform for many people that wouldn't otherwise use it.

I'm not joking either LOL!

With the likes of GAIM / Pan / Inkscape / GIMP / Firefox / Thunderbird / Palm Desktop / NVU / 7Zip / Crimson Editor / Visual Studio Express etc who needs to buy software for their home PC anymore? This + Quicken WinDVD etc that comes with the PC and you are set. :-)

Score: 0

By JacenSolo

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 7:59 PM

PowerDVD comes with my PC :P

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 5:32 PM

Yes, but do we really want it *all* installed by default on the system when we buy it?

Score: 0

By betbest1

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 8:43 PM

I hate all the crap manufacturers preinstall on the PCs. The worst part is that, for HP Pavilion computers at least, a lot of the uninstallers are corrupted, making it nearly impossible to remove "HP Image Zone" and the like. The PCs should include all the software on a CD and the users can choose whether or not to install it. And if installed, it should be EASILY uninstallable. Otherwise, users should be able to choose, upon restoring the computer from the system recovery program, whether to do a clean install of Windows or restore the computer to its original state with all the preinstalled crap.

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 9:17 PM

I just restored an HP today. Put in the Windows CD (came with) re-installed. Put in the extras CD, unchecked a few checkboxes and reinstalled drivers and software.

That's what you wanted right?

Score: 0

By betbest1

posted Dec 28, 2005 - 12:40 AM

Mine doesn't have a CD, just a recovery partition taking up like 5 GiB of space on my HD.

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Dec 28, 2005 - 8:11 AM

Yuck!

Score: 0

By athome

posted Dec 29, 2005 - 10:03 AM

HP moved away from the restore partition for a while, but now has come back to it. Even Dell is doing similar things now. No CD. You have to make one from an image they have already on the computer.

The Restore technology has gotten a lot better from the old days, but still there are times when the partition goes bad and you need the CD.

I use the restore feature for many of my customers, and then spend the extra time removing all of the adware/spware immediately.

What it is designed to do is aide the phone tech support that is offered with the PC. If you can't understand the technician(from Istanbul), then they just walk you through the restore/setup and hang up quickly. Most of the time 'not' telling the customer that all their information will be deleted.

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Dec 29, 2005 - 11:48 AM

I guess it depends on which HP because this notebook is only about 3 mos old and it has an XP CD + an applications / drivers CD.

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 5:36 PM

Hmm, if it was an option for an extra $5 I may opt in. :-)

Besides, you don't have to buy a computer with firefox bundled.

It's really about time there was some choice again.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Dec 28, 2005 - 10:32 AM

Sure, I would love to be able to choose. But to have them *all* installed by default isn't my definition of choice, it's useless bloat.

Want to give choice, Dell? Let us decide what you put on there. When we customize our system, let us customize the OS, installed apps.

*That* would work.

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Dec 28, 2005 - 11:37 AM

I agree with you that having the option to choose would be nice.

I'd like a setup that asked you the first time you started what you wanted on the system and then at THAT point installed or left uninstalled software.

Put all sorts of junk on a 20GB partition and give me lots of checkboxes when I boot her up. ;-)

Score: 0

By JacenSolo

edited Dec 27, 2005 - 7:56 PM

If Opera, Gaim, and Gimp were included for free on a new PC,then I would be more likely to buy that PC then another without them.

Why?

All three softwares are my prefered choices in their fields. Throw in Open Office instead of Microsoft Office, and you got a deal.

fewt: There is choice... but only if you know where to look on the internet.

RealPlayer, Gaim, Opera, Open Office, Etc... but you hafta know where to look

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 8:18 PM

I mean choice when you purchase. There's not much out there.

One of these days when you walk into a compusa or best buy there will be options outside of Windows and Mac, like in the old days.

Score: 0

By horsecharles

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 2:45 PM

Will somebody please play the theme from Jaws?

Score: 0

By menting

edited Dec 27, 2005 - 2:27 PM

good to know that Dell is taking the initiative to include firefox on PCs sold, which is the correct way as OEMs should have the responsibility to choose what software to include, and not like what the EU is doing, forcing the software manufacturer to put in a competitor's software (or more accurate, since competitor's software doesn't exist in the bundle, they can't include their's either) into their own bundle.

Score: 0

By yohimbe9

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 4:11 PM

i don't know if an OEM is any better than the EU as far as including software with a new machine. the EU is at least (in theory) trying to do something for the good of the people. an OEM is just doing something for the good of their wallet.

Score: 0

By JacenSolo

posted Dec 27, 2005 - 7:54 PM

EU as in Eupean Union? Their trying to destroy their own computer industry.

OEM makers like Dell do have the customers in mind.

Score: 0

Oct 10 - 7:43 PM ET Wal-Mart changes its mind, leaves existing DRM servers up

Oct 10 - 7:05 PM ET Hands on: An amateur photographer tests out Adobe's latest Lightroom

Oct 10 - 6:52 PM ET Mobile service providers brace for the economic storm

Oct 10 - 6:24 PM ET Apple warns users about bad Nvidia graphics chips

Oct 10 - 4:21 PM ET New Norton Vista tool trades UAC for online feedback

Oct 10 - 3:23 PM ET Verizon Wireless to raise fees for service-related texts

Oct 10 - 3:04 PM ET BlackBerry Bold sales halted in UK

Oct 10 - 12:52 PM ET Internet snoop Adzilla vacates the American market

Oct 10 - 11:57 AM ET Qualcomm gains an ally in its renewed war with Broadcom

Oct 10 - 10:44 AM ET First look at latest OpenOffice merits a second