>Dell is promoting an alliance with Red Hat Linux on its web site. I don't see anything here that states that customers buying systems with Linux must also buy a Windows license (am I correct that this was your point?). Seems that Dell has alliamces with Oracle and Novell as well. You might want to check out this link.
>
> http://www.dell.com/us/en/esg/topics/linux_linuxhome.htm
>
>John

You're looking at history. The NEW OEM Agreement with Microsoft begins September 1, 2002.
That's why there is rush on to get Linux loaded Dell's before then.
After that, Dell starts shipping FreeDOS with the 'naked' computers.