This initiative aims to help individuals or teams contact local suppliers of computer hardware and:
- make them aware of the existence of Ubuntu;
make them aware of Ubuntu's Hardware Certification Program;
make them aware of Ubuntu's other Partner Programs;
- encourage them to consider supplying hardware with Ubuntu preinstalled (while letting them know about Ubuntu's OEM installer); and
- failing that, encourage them to provide customers with the option to have no operating system preinstalled.
Known Lists
Ubuntu Related
Other Linux Related
Getting Started
Establish a place to list suppliers who have been contacted. A subpage of your LoCoTeam's wikipage is an ideal place.
- As suppliers are contacted, list them on the page so that others can keep track. Don't worry about doubling up though; the more often a supplier receives the message the better.
Make sure to direct people to the page from the LoCoTeam's main website.
- Add a link here too!
- You should also revisit the supplier regularly to ensure they're placement on the list is still valid.
Suggested categories in which to list suppliers are:
- Supply Ubuntu preinstalled.
- Supply a non-Ubuntu Linux preinstalled or display Linux/Ubuntu information/CDs in your store?
- Supply hardware without an operating system.
- Only supply hardware with a commercial operating system preinstalled.
Contacting Suppliers
If the business has a local shopfront, the best contact is personal. Otherwise send a letter or an email. A template is provided below.
- Personal Visit. Print the letter and drop it in in person. Ask to see the manager if possible/applicable. Include a CD if you can and take along a burnt copy of the Alternate CD in case they're insterested in the OEM installer.
- Printed Letter. Copy/paste the template, modify, print and mail.
- Email. Copy/paste the template, modify and send.
Letter/Email Template
Subject: Are you able to supply PC's with Ubuntu preinstalled ?
Greetings,
I am one of a growing number of users of Ubuntu, a Linux distribition, and I'm carrying out research into PC retailers that supply PCs and Laptops capable of running Ubuntu or Linux in general. This information will be made available to existing and potential Ubuntu users.
Do you:
- Supply Ubuntu preinstalled on any of your range of PCs?
- Supply another Linux distribution or display Linux/Ubuntu information in your store?
- Offer PCs without an operating system installed?
- Provide a refund or sales credit for unused pre-installed software, should a customer not require it?
Ubuntu is designed to be a Linux distribution "for human beings", freely available with free community support and professional support via Canonical Ltd. and other providers. For more information see http://www.ubuntu.com/.
Ubuntu includes an OEM Installation option suited to vendors who wish to sell hardware with Ubuntu pre-installed. This is an option on Ubuntu's "Alternate" Install CD available via http://www.ubuntu.com/download.
You may also be interested in Ubuntu's Hardware Certification Program or Canonical's Partner programs. Information on both of them can be found at http://www.ubuntu.com/partners/hardwareprogramme and http://www.ubuntu.com/partners/.
Regards
Promotional Materials
CDs
Ubuntu tri-fold brochure
Paper CD Stand
DIYMarketing
general Linux tri-fold brochure
Comments
The BelgianTeam is working on an online database for this information:
This page was hijacked for MarketingTeam/Campaigns/UbuntuHardwareSuppliers but restored to it's former state.
UbuntuFriendlyHardwareSuppliers/MarksComments from Ubuntu Open Week April 2009
Credits
Inspired by the work of AndrewSwinn and PaulSchulz of the AustralianTeam.
JohnLevin provided links to some existing endeavours.
JanClaeys pointed out the BelgianTeam's database initiative.
GrantBowman provided some updates and links to the California efforts