Axios I did check it out. Very Ubuntu-like, I can't tell yet how it distinguishes itself from Ubuntu proper. It has two versions:
1) UBUNTUDDE REMIX 22.04 (JAMMY JELLYFISH) OFFICIAL RELEASE
2) UBUNTUDDE REMIX 20.04.1 LTS (FOCAL FOSSA) OFFICIAL RELEASE
The Jellyish is Ubuntu proper but the fossa I never heard of. I want to see how its identity is apart from Ubuntu. May download the pair and Ventoy them for later fun.

------ok did a last look before I posted I get it now: "UbuntuDDE OS is a fusion of Ubuntu base system created by Canonical and Ubuntu’s strong community, and a beautiful Desktop environment in the Linux world, Deepin Desktop Environment"

A marriage to Deepin. Deepin is one of those distros I hear a lot about but always forget to pursue..

    Chrome OS Flex

    murbert The Chrome store is weird. The first few apps I looked at to install had no install button and were marked no longer available. Maybe because this is an unsupported device?

    I ran into this as well. Almost all of the apps I checked were marked "no longer available".

    Doing a little online research, I discovered that the Apps section of the Chrome Web Store is deprecated, on the path of destruction, and bit by bit apps will no longer be available through the Chrome Web Store. Eventually the Apps section of the Chrome Web Store will be removed entirely.

    Why Google makes the effort to mark an app "no longer available" rather than removing the app from the Chrome Web Store is a mystery that only Google can answer.

    I gather that this is a move toward standardization around Google Play and Android apps, but it does leave ChromeOS Flex, which does not have access to Google Play, out in the cold.

    This seems to be yet another indication that Chrome OS Flex is intended to allow schools and business to use Google Docs, Google Workspace and Google collaboration tools on Windows and Apple computers during a transition to Chromebooks, but that Chrome OS Flex is not designed for individual use.

        NuTyX redoux? DistroWatch announced a new version of this distro, and I had never been able to get the previous version installed and working, so a new version of it caught my attention. Unfortunately, after providing all required information to the text-based installer, this is as far as I got this time. When I snapped this screenshot, the installation had been stopped for about 10 minutes.

        As an independent distro from Switzerland, one that offers a huge number of DE choices, I really want to take a look at this one, so I'm going to try tweaking some VirtualBox settings to see if I can make a difference, but I also thought I'd ask whether anybody else has tried this distro and gotten farther than I have.

        NuTyX 22.12.0 - Observations, finally!

        I've tried to explore a couple of versions of this distro now, and never got very far with it. When DistroWatch announced a new release of it, I almost had to give up again, but I kept on trying this and trying that, until I found a way to get it installed and running.

        SPOILER: NuTyX appears to be a decent distro with a horrible text-driven installer.

        As usual, when a distro offers a number of DEs, I generally choose to installl the KDE version, for a number of reasons. It's my favorite, it's very configurable and powerful, despite being one of the "leanest" DEs available. And this being an open forum, if anyone would like to see a distro I've explored using KDE done with another DE, all y'all are welcome to do that and post it here for the rest of us to enjoy. Finally, KDE is the DE that I can explore without a lot of time spent on researching how to do simple things. I understand it well.

        The last version of NuTyX that I attempted to explore stopped me when I couldn't find a video setting that it would get along with. That almost stopped me again, but I kept trying longer this time. Having tried both the VMSVGA and VBoxSVGA virtual video "cards" with no luck, I finally tried VMSVGA with 3D acceleration turned OFF. So it was with software graphics that I finally got through the installer without a crash or hang. Even better, the installation was relatively quick.

        The installed distro, however was pretty un-satisfying. With obvious video issues, I tried one last idea -- perhaps once it was installed, it wouldn't still have the same issues as the installer had? I'm happy to say that it doesn't. I stopped the distro and tried substituting the better choice -- VBoxSVGA -- and restarted it: it didn't crash. And it worked much better.

        I changed its resolution to full HD, and again, it didn't crash. I used VirtualBox's keyboard toggle to take it out of full screen, and then clicked the VM's maximize botton, and it adjusted to the largest size that would fit on top of the bottom panel of its host, my laptop. (Thus, I could work with both systems at the same time.) In other words, the client area of its window. Again, it didn't crash. By now the spoiler I posted above has proven itself.

        I have a lot to do today, so I'm going to take a break from this experiment for a while. I'll put NuTyX through its paces a little later, and add a summary and conclusion. See you then ...

          WetGeek that sounded challenging enough (in a PITA way) to keep me away! needed ibuprofen when I was done reading🙂.

          WetGeek if anyone would like to see a distro I've explored using KDE done with another DE, all y'all are welcome to do that and post it here for the rest of us to enjoy.

          will take you up on it with Siduction LXQT sometime.
          Not requesting it, but have you ever evaluated Deepin?

                tomscharbach This seems to be yet another indication that Chrome OS Flex is intended to allow schools and business to use Google Docs, Google Workspace and Google collaboration tools on Windows and Apple computers during a transition to Chromebooks, but that Chrome OS Flex is not designed for individual use.

                That's the only conclusion I can draw as well, I think for Flex. Wonder why they would discourage individual use unless they believe that's what Chromebook proper is for?

                    NuTyX 22.12.0 - Sad Conclusion

                    I really thought this was going to be a turning point for this distro - the time when everything would become possible, and I could write a good evaluation of it. But it's just not meant to be.

                    After I got back to the project, the next task was to finish checking the system settings and create some virtual desktops to make configuration of the distro easier. E.g., file manager on one desktop to fetch files, and terminal on another desktop to work with them. Specifically, to use nano (no micro available) to edit /etc/fstab and mount my NAS shares.

                    But every single time I left the terminal and returned to it, I could no longer type anything into the terminal. It was totally unresponsive. My first thought was the video device problem. So I rebooted and changed from VBoxSVGA to VMSVGA with 3D acceleration. I restarted a terminal and loaded nano with /etc/fstab, then went to Dolphin to grab the file I needed to add to it, and returned to the terminal. Where I could type nothing into it. So I rebooted, and got rid of the 3D acceleration, rinse and repeat. Again, I could not enter anything into the terminal after leaving it and returning.

                    So I returned to VBoxSVGA, since nothing else had worked either, and I put the terminal and Dolphin on the same desktop, so there was no need to change desktops. That wasn't the problem, because I still couldn't type anything into the terminal after accessing Dolphin and returning to Konsole.

                    CONCLUSION
                    It's impossible for me to evaluate a distribution if I cannot use a terminal to edit files, install software, and so on. So unfortunately, despite an encouraging start this time, I've come up short again with NuTyX. And that saddens me, beause when part of it actually worked, it worked really well.

                    I'm going to try one last idea that occurred to me - install Terminology, if it's available from cards, and see whether it might be immune to the input freezing that occurs with Konsole. I think that has such a low probability of working better, that I'm not holding out much hope. If I'm wrong, and I can get farther with Terminology than I could with Konsole, I'll resurrect this thread and let you know about it.

                    brent That's the only conclusion I can draw as well, I think for Flex. Wonder why they would discourage individual use unless they believe that's what Chromebook proper is for?

                    I think that trying to keep consumer users out of the ditch is a bit like trying to herd cats, and I suspect that Google is trying to avoid doing so.

                    Chromebooks have a reputation for speed, simplicity and stability. Google achieved that reputation by locking down Chrome OS so that consumer users can't screw it up, and by linking/optimizing Chrome OS to specific hardware, namely Chromebooks. Apple has a similar reputation and won that reputation by locking down macOS and linking/optimizing macOS to Apple hardware.

                    Chrome OS Flex is not linked to or optimized for specific hardware. Windows hardware, in particular, is all over the map in terms of components, and Google's documentation (see my review coming late tonight or tomorrow) lists a host of hardware issues with consumer-level Windows computers. Google has limited the support costs of making Chrome OS Flex available on Windows computers by limiting support to certified hardware, but the cost of supporting consumers would be costly even so.

                    Within the education/business market, Chrome OS Flex devices are maintained by IT professionals, and Google support is paid for through Google Admin Console fees. That recoups Google's costs of expanding Chrome OS (of a sort) into the Windows and macBook business/education markets. Expanding into the consumer market would be all cost, and no recoup.

                    If you look at the Chrome OS Flex website, spending an hour or two working through the links, you'll see that everything is focused on IT-managed deployments. I suspect that is closely related to the problem of herding cats.

                    Widespread adoption of Chrome OS Flex by consumers would, in addition, directly compete with Chromebook sales. Chromebooks gained market share during the COVID pandemic because schools and businesses needed to support online learning/work. I don't know how Chromebook market share factors into the equation, but a drop in demand for consumer-level Chromebooks would be an addition, if indirect, cost of supporting Chrome OS Flex in the consumer market.

                    I spent much of yesterday and all of today evaluating Chrome OS Flex. I'm coming to the conclusion that consumers who want to run Chrome OS should buy a Chromebook.

                        NuTyX - quick note. Not worth a lengthy post. It happens that Terminology is available from the repository, so I used cards to install it, and that changed nothing. So, it's not the terminal emulator that's the problem. That runs me out of ideas, so it's time to say "fsck it" and move on.

                        tomscharbach I'm coming to the conclusion that consumers who want to run Chrome OS should buy a Chromebook.

                        That's probably a wise move. Is that your next adventure?

                            brent will take you up on it with Siduction LXQT sometime.

                            I look forward to reading your take on it. I thought highly of Siduction.

                            brent Not requesting it, but have you ever evaluated Deepin?

                            No, I've thought of it, but never downloaded an .ISO file. I'll look for a description and renew what little I know about it, then make a decision whether to spend any time with it.

                                WetGeek That's probably a wise move. Is that your next adventure?

                                Buying a Chromebook? No. I don't want to get tied up in the Google ecosystem.

                                Knowing me, though, it isn't impossible that if I run across a refurbished Dell Latitude 3100-series Chromebook in the Dell Outlet for, say, $150-200, I might be tempted.

                                As you know, I absolutely love the Dell Latitude 3120 that I picked up for $169, running Windows 11 Pro. Dell education market computers are remarkably sturdy, much more so than the Latitude business laptops. I could probably toss the 3120 out of a third-floor window, no harm, no foul, so long as the ground was not frozen.

                                    @brent, I'm gonna pass on Deepin, I think. I couldn't pause the moving marquee on their web site long enough to learn much, but there's a strong possibiltiy that it reports to the CCP, and that's not something I feek comfortable messing with.

                                    tomscharbach I absolutely love the Dell Latitude 3120 that I picked up for $169

                                    I already have two more DELL laptops than I really need (a Precision and a Latitude) or I'd be more serious about looking into that Dell Outlet. Just curious, though, where is it found? I've looked all over the DELL web site, and not seen anything resembling a link to it.

                                        WetGeek Just curious, though, where is it found? I've looked all over the DELL web site, and not seen anything resembling a link to it.

                                        Dell > Deals > Member Discounts & Outlet > Dell Outlet > Dell Outlet for Work.

                                        There is also a Dell Outlet for Home with consumer computers rather than business computers.

                                          tomscharbach Chromebooks have a reputation for speed, simplicity and stability. Google achieved that reputation by locking down Chrome OS so that consumer users can't screw it up, and by linking/optimizing Chrome OS to specific hardware, namely Chromebooks. Apple has a similar reputation and won that reputation by locking down macOS and linking/optimizing macOS to Apple hardware.

                                          I changed my mind that Linux is too hard for the average computer user. It's an easy myth to buy into...I'm starting to think Linux could do these applebooks and chromebooks one better with something so forward thinking and so visionary it would pave the way for increased linux desktop interest in its wake. I belive team Linux has these kind of visionaries, tapped and untapped.
                                          Where is the Linux Foundation?
                                          They should be leaning/lobbying hard for manufacturers to release linux lines to increase customer base...it's not like Dell or HP would have to modify hardware. Absence of visibilty from the big computer makers is the reason linux market share is so small. There's not a line of limited edition Dells with Ubuntus (or whatevers) for prospective laptop buyers.
                                          What does the Linux Foundation do anyway? It seems they could be doing so much more for an increased market. My doing-chromebook-better-than-chromebook idea would negate we would even need a unified desktop vision for the short term.
                                          Where are all the pioneers? (languishing with no support likely).
                                          /sorry, frustrating to see linux never taking the bull by the horns

                                              CHROME OS FLEX

                                              OVERVIEW
                                              This is a review of Chrome OS Flex running on a Dell Inspiron 11-3180 (AMD A-9420 CPU, AMD Radeon R-5 onboard GPU, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB eMMC). It is complimentary to @murbert's review in an earlier comment.

                                              INSTALLATION
                                              I prepared the installation USB using my Dell Latitude 3120 running Windows 11. I installed onto my Dell Inspiron 11-3180, which was running Kubuntu 22.04 LTS. The 3120 is a COSF certified device; the 11-3180 is not certified.

                                              COSF, like Windows, uses its own installer (the "Chromebook Recovery Utility"), and the installer operates similarly to the Windows Media Creation Tool. A small executeable was downloaded to the 3120. When executed, the installation process began.

                                              I was prompted to insert a USB, the COSF ISO was downloaded onto the USB, and the USB was set up as a boot device, all without my intervention at any point. The process ran verification at two points, verifying first that the downloaded ISO was correct, and second that the USB as prepared was correct. The process took 22 minutes. When the installation USB was finished, I was notified and prompted to remove the USB.

                                              Installation onto the 11-3180 was straightforward. I booted from the USB and the installation process began. The installation process is simplicity itself, a series of screens, each with a single step in the process, and a "Continue" button at the bottom of the screen. At the end of the process, the 11-3180 turned inself off.

                                              When I turned the computer back on, the login screen opened, I entered my Google account password, and I was off and running. COSF does not have a post-installation setup routine.

                                              USB preparation and installation process followed the ChromeOS Flex Installation Guide precisely, and I followed the guide on the 3120 while installing onto the 11-3180. At one point in the process, I was asked whether the device was being set up for an adult or a child. I assume, without knowing, that setting the device up for a child sets up Google Chrome for safer browsing.

                                              Installation requires that the user link to or create a Google account. That is no surprise because COSF is designed as a "thin client" access point for online Google applications/services and would be more or less useless unless linked to a Google account.

                                              COSF does not have an "install alongside" option. COSF, like Chrome OS, is designed to be the only operating system on a device and to have complete control of the device. Dual booting is not supported.

                                              HARDWARE ISSUES
                                              COSF documentation has a long list of hardware limitations/issues, probably related to the fact that Chrome OS is hardware-specific and makes firmware/kernel/OS modifications to speed up Chrome OS.

                                              A few of the issues: Sandisk USBs do not work with the "Chromebook Recovery Utility" installer and will hang at the point where the installer starts to write to the USB. COFS cannot be installed on RAID drives. Installation on Legacy BIOS is unsupported and problematic. Earlier Intel GPUs (e.g. GMA 500-900 series) do not work with COSF and devices will not boot. NVIDIA cards don't work reliably with COFS. Problems often arise with external GPU cards when the CPU has onboard graphics. Mirroring with high-resolution monitors might or might not work properly. CD and DVD drives aren't supported and might not work. Fingerprint readers, Firewire ports, IR (face recognition) cameras are unsupported and probably won't work. Thunderbolt functionality is not supported, but Thunderbolt ports can be used for USB and Displayport purposes. Stylus and active pen input is not supported. Wifi dongles are not supported. The list of hardware issues is relatively long, but I think I've caught most of the important issues.

                                              In general, taking everything into consideration (including the list of certified models which seems heavily weighted toward business-level computers rather than consumer-level computers), it seems to me that COFS is intended for use on vanilla Intel/AMD-based business/education laptops 5-years old or less with no bells and whistles. Anything outside that lane is likely to run into issues.

                                              I have not yet run into any hardware-related issues on the 11-3180, but the 11-3180 is a close cousin of a certified Dell computer, so I'm not surprised. Sleep and recovery is working fine, display is working fine, scaling is working fine, sound is working fine, the touchpad is working fine, the camera is working fine, and the USB, SD and HDMI ports are all working fine. No hardware drama so far.

                                              Battery life seems a bit better with COSF than the battery life I got from Solus Plasma or Kubuntu, but it isn't so much improved that I'd sing about it. I normally got about 3 to 3.5 hours out the battery using Solus Plasma and Kubuntu, and in the two rundowns from 100% to 15% using COSF it looks like the battery life might be 4-ish hours. But that might be a difference in use as much as it is a difference in efficiency.

                                              LOGIN ISSUE
                                              Google requires that a user log into Chrome OS Flex using a Google Account, just as Windows 11 now requires users to sign into Windows 11 using a Microsoft Account. I don't have a problem with that in either case, but Google does not allow logging into Chrome OS Flex (or Chrome OS) with a device-specific PIN, as Microsoft does. That puts users in a bind, because a secure password will be long, containing upper case, lower case, numerals and characters like #, $, & and so on, and that will make the password difficult if not impossible to remember.

                                              My Google Account password, as is the case with all my passwords linking to protected personal information, is 24 characters long, computer generated and total gibberish. No way in hell am I going to remember it. I refuse to simplify it, because to do so would put my Google Account at risk. So I had to print it and keep it in my wallet. Google needs to rethink the PIN issue.

                                              SPEED
                                              Boot speed is remarkably fast, about 1/3 of the time needed to boot Solus Plasma or Kubuntu on the 11-3180. With COSF, the 11-3180 opened the login screen in 9-10 seconds (as opposed to 25-30 seconds with Kubuntu), and went almost instantaneously from login to desktop (as opposed to a 5 or so seconds on Solus Plasma and Kubuntu).

                                              Desktop operating speed also seems fast in comparison to Kubuntu and Solus Plasma, although that is a subjective assessment.

                                              All in all, It seems clear (and this is confirmed by what I've read) that Google has gone to great lengths to optimize the boot process, the DE, and Google applications to cut response time to the absolute minimum.

                                              I called my Chromebook friend, who tells me that a Chromebook boots even faster, 3-5 seconds. I think that the reason for the longer COSF boot time (9-10 seconds) is that OEM boot processes are designed to check more hardware than Chromebooks, which deploy a limited subset of hardware and can skip a lot of pre-boot checks that COSF has to perform.

                                              But on the 11-3180, which is low-spec and no speed demon, 9-10 seconds is warp speed compared to Windows or the other distros I've installed on the 11-3180 over the last few years.

                                              KERNEL
                                              I ran uname -r in the terminal, and the kernel was reported as "5.10.147-20159-g06a9a2b12b31". I'm not sure if that is the kernel running COSF or the kernel running in the Linux container. I believe that the OS Layer (see below) is Debian-based, so that is consistent with the 5.10 kernel. Google's documentation says that COSF and Chrome OS are on an identical update/upgrade cycle, kept in sync. I understand that Google modifies the kernel for use with Chrome OS and COSF, and adds Google-developed wifi, printer and hardware drivers over and above what is supplied in the kernel.

                                              OS LAYER
                                              Chrome OS Flex (as well as Chromium OS and Chrome OS, as I understand it) is currently based on Debian GNU/Linux 11 (Bullseye), but heavily modified to reduce the number of processes running, cut out cruft, and optimize for speed and stability. Neofetch lists the DE as "Generic". I have not used COSF long enough to know whether or not I'll run into stability problems in the long term, but so far COSF seems rock solid, and that is what I expect to find long term.

                                              DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT
                                              The COSF desktop environment is very high quality, which is no surprise, and consistent from top to bottom, which is also no surprise. As far as I can tell (trading screenshots back and forth with my Chromebook friend) the Chrome OS and COSF desktop environments are identical in design. The UI is very different from the Windows/Budgie/Plasma DE's I'm used to using, but it is very well-designed, intuitive and user-friendly.

                                              The DE reminds me of Google Android in terms of appearance and "look and feel". Almost all of the icons, for example, are identical. Although a user coming from Windows 10 will face an adjustment, anyone with an Android tablet or smartphone is going to be in a familiar visual environment. I suspect that Google is merging design motifs between Android and Chrome OS, and that is reflected in COSF's design.

                                              The DE is built around Chrome, so Chrome users will find familiar settings. The COSF and Chrome settings are accessed from different points (Chrome through the three-dot bar and COSF by clicking on the information widget). I had both open at one time for a while, and it wasn't a good experience because I got confused about which was which ("Who's on first ..."). That's an area where COSF (and probably Chrome OS) could use a bit of refinement.

                                              LINUX
                                              Linux can run on COSF, but requires that the BIOS be set so that Virtualization is enabled. I had Virtualization disabled on the 11-3180 so I was initially blocked from installing Linux, but eventually figured it out. The default Linux installation sets up a 10 GB Linux container, which I changed to 20 GB. Linux on COSF seems similar to WSL2, in the sense that no DE seems to be installed, but Linux apps can be installed. The Linux container seems to be Debian-based (it uses Debian Bullseye repostiories) and uses standard Debian apt commands.

                                              APPLICATIONS
                                              COSF packages all of the standard Google apps (Chrome, Mail, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Maps, Messages, Google Drive, Gallery and so on). Many ordinary home desktop users will probably need nothing more than what is packaged. COSF integrates seamlessly with all of the packaged apps, as expected, and all work flawlessly.

                                              However, the ability to run apps other than the apps included in the COSF is problematic, to say the least.

                                              Because COSF runs Linux in a container, it is theoretically possible, I suppose, to install Linux apps (Edge, Aisleriot, Gnome Mahjonng, and so on) and run them in COSF. I'm not sure how practical this solution is for ordinary home desktop users, though, because the Linux container needs to be activated each time a user wants to run a Linux app, and it looks to me as if the apps must be started from the command line. I'm going to wait until I have cold, snowy Wisconsin day before I chase this down.

                                              COSF does not support the Play Store, so Android Apps cannot be used on COSF. That is a huge disadvantage for ordinary home desktop users, because the Apps section of the Chrome Web Store is deprecated, on the path of destruction, and bit-by-bit apps will no longer be available through the Chrome Web Store. Eventually the Apps section of the Chrome Web Store will be removed entirely. As a result, fewer Chrome Web Store apps are now available for installation and over time, none will be available.

                                              I gather that this is a move toward standardization around Google Play and Android apps, but it does leave ChromeOS Flex, which does not have access to Google Play, out in the cold.

                                              FLATPAK/SNAP SUPPORT
                                              COSF supports Flatpak if the Linux container enabled. I don't know about Snaps.

                                              As is the case with Linux apps, I'm going to wait until I have cold, snowy Wisconsin day before I try to install Flatpak and an app or two. As is the case with Linux apps, I think that the Linux container needs to be turned on to run a Flatpak app, which is problematic for ordinary home desktop users.

                                              THEMES/WALLPAPERS
                                              A ton of COSF themes are available in the Chrome Web Store. Several hundred wallpapers are available in COSF desktop settings. I prefer to test/evaluate a distro OTB, so I didn't look farther than a quick click-through.

                                              SUPPORT AND /MAINTENANCE
                                              COSF has extensive documentation and a community-based support forum, but Google does not directly support COSF outside the education/business markets. In short, consumer installations of COSF are, like Linux distro installations in general, "roll your own".

                                              BOTTOM LINE
                                              Chrome OS Flex meets most of my criteria for recommending a distro to ordinary home desktop users.
                                              COSF is based on a stable Linux kernel, is efficient, uncluttered and stable, installation is graphical, intuitive and automated, the DE is simple, intuitive and graphical, the DE is consistent with modern design standards, well-designed and well-implemented, the apps included in COSF are mainstream and selected, individually and as a group, to meet the needs of an ordinary home desktop user, DE/App theming is consistent, top-to-bottom, and the Google team is large enough and has sufficient skills to maintain the distro.

                                              Where COSF falls down is in application availability. Although the embedded apps are sufficient for light users, Google's refusal to give COSF access to the Play Store for Android apps, combined with the impending demise of the Apps section of the Chrome Web Store and the (probable) requirement that users start up the Linux container each and every time the user wants to run a Linux app or Flatpak, suggests to me that most ordinary home desktop users will eventually, become frustration.

                                              I've discussed this in other comments in this thread, so I won't repeat myself in any depth, but I think that COSF is primarily designed for and useful to education/business institutions transitioning from Windows to Chromebooks. That's the bottom line.

                                                brent There's not a line of limited edition Dells with Ubuntus (or whatevers) for prospective laptop buyers.

                                                Are you sure about that? Dell is one of the biggest suppliers of Linux laptops, desktops and workstations, and has very solid Linux support integrated into its Support system.

                                                Admittedly, Dell markets Linux primarily to the business community rather than the consumer community, but that's where the market is. Developers and businesses are by far the largest market segment for Linux laptops and desktops.

                                                We've discussed this before. Dell could develop a line of Linux consumer laptops, aggressively market them, and build a consumer support infrastructure for, say, $1-2 million per year. Do you think that Dell would see a reasonable return on investment?

                                                    tomscharbach I was talking consumer, yes.

                                                    tomscharbach Dell could develop a line of Linux consumer laptops, aggressively market them, and build a consumer support infrastructure for, say, $1-2 million per year. Do you think that Dell would see a reasonable return on investment?

                                                    Framed that way, no, but my 'imagining' was on a much bigger scale. Maybe not increase manufacturing just for Linux, but decrease selling consumer units with Windows and increase units (units=laptop or desktop) with a frienly Linux like Mint or Ubu or even this. Competetent marketing could make this work (linux as exciting and new like the love boat). Win might not be happy with the decrease of selling a manufactuer (Dell for instance) Win11 bulk licenses....gonna phone the Dell CEO later after dinner and get this ball rolling in this😉.

                                                          brent gonna phone the Dell CEO later after dinner and get this ball rolling in this

                                                          Let me know when you call, because I have two relatives in Texas who are bankruptcy/restructuring lawyers, and who would love to be the next call to Michael, right after yours. 😆