It’s finally official. Dell’s Ubuntu Linux PCs now come with the latest build of the operating system, version 8.04. That may not seem like news, but it’s actually a significant move by Dell. Here’s why.

Dell began offering Ubuntu on selected consumer PCs about a year ago. The VAR Guy has one (and, full disclosure, he loves it). But this is the year that Ubuntu was supposed to move from geek users to a broader set of consumers — thanks to the release of Ubuntu 8.04 in April 2008.

Canonical, Ubuntu’s primary backer, had a lot at stake with version 8.04 (known as Hardy Heron). Not only a desktop upgrade, 8.04 also includes a range of server enhancements. At the same time, Canonical has had its hands full developing Ubuntu for sub-notebooks and mobile Internet devices (so-called Ubuntu NetBooks). As a result, Canonical risked biting off more than it could chew in 2008.

More Here