In an open letter released today, the OpenOffice.org community invited Michael Dell to work with it to pre-install OpenOffice.org 2 office software on Dell computers. Dell’s own IdeaStorm Web site has recorded an overwhelming customer demand for this feature, currently showing over 70,000 requests for OpenOffice.org 2.

Text of the letter:

Michael S.Dell, Chairman and CEO
Dell Computer Corporation
One Dell Way
Round Rock, Texas 78682

Dear Michael

Dell Computer Corporation has become one of Fortune’s “America’s Most Admired Companies” by providing great value, high quality computers and peripherals, but most of all, by listening to your customers. Your recent “IdeaStorm” initiative is the latest example of this. Here at OpenOffice.org, we were delighted to see that the second most requested feature by Dell customers was to have our office software pre-installed on Dell systems. This request attracted more than 25,000 votes in two days.

We believe that OpenOffice.org 2 software perfectly matches Dell’s values. OpenOffice.org 2 is high quality office software, the result of over twenty years’ continuous software engineering. It runs under all common operating systems. It offers everything users expect from office software, plus some bonus features that may pleasantly surprise them. It’s easy for customers to use, with a familiar look and feel, and can read and write a wide range of file formats, including Microsoft’s. On top of all this, being licensed under Open Source terms, it represents outstanding value for money for you and your customers.

Let’s have a conversation about how we could build an “OpenOffice.org supplied by Dell” product to give your customers what they are asking for. We’d also be happy to accept any financial contribution that Dell might offer to help ensure that OpenOffice.org continues to evolve in the future.

Sincerely

John McCreesh
Marketing Project Lead
OpenOffice.org

Now we’ll see what Mr. Dell is made of. Dell already installs all sorts of unnecessary garbage on its boxes. Think it’ll actually add something useful? In defiance of M$? Stay tuned.

Tags: dell, openoffice, microsoft, bill webb, bill’s web, dell computers, free software