there are hundreds upon hundreds of quality games for linux (both commercial and freeaware).

i would suggest you read these two posts on the linux-gamers.net message board.

http://www.linux-gamers.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=2982&forum=8
http://www.linux-gamers.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=2710&forum=8

if you want to play windows native games, then use windows. if you want to use linux, then play linux native games.

so there will be nothing included like Transgameing Cedega in the dell copy?

I have not seen evidence of Cedega or any other windows implementation software on my E1505n.

Check out those links though. You can get quite a bit running on your Linux box. I personally don't game very much, but I do have Return to Castle Wolfenstein running natively on Ubuntu. I know, it's a really old game now, but I enjoy it (we play a multiplayer match over the house network every once in a while).

It is my understanding that anything by ID Software will run natively as they use OpenGL and not directx.

Bert:

Dell has said time and time again that the version of Ubuntu included on their machines will be the same as the version available from Ubuntu. What you are asking them to do is make Ubuntu a drop-in replacement for Windows. Linux is a free (as in libre, not necessarily gratis) alternative to Windows -- it is not, nor should it try to be, a cheap replacement for it.

As previously noted, if you are using your computer to run Windows games, you should be running Windows. If you would like to use Linux, you can purchase a Transgaming subscription, you can try Wine -- for some applications, it works great, for others it is garbage -- you can also try virtualization through VMWare or VirtualBox, although both require that you have a valid license for Windows since you are installing Windows in a virtual machine.

All these options have both strengths and weaknesses depending upon your specific requirements and hardware. None of them are (or should be!) included in a default Ubuntu installation from Dell. They are, however, available for you to add on if you need them. Some are open source, some are not. Some are free (gratis), some are not. Make your choice based on your individual needs.

You might want to read http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm and http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=63315. After having used Ubuntu for about a week (that sounded incredibly anticlimatic), and reading numerous threads about "I HATE LINUX I CAN'T PLAY F.E.A.R. I CAN'T PHOTOSHOP", I can tell you those two links are 100% correct. If you're expecting Ubuntu to be a free, faster, better version of Windows, you'll be unhappy. If you're open to Linux-y suggestions, you'll love Ubuntu. A suggestion I'll give you for gaming is Enemy Territory, an FPS. You can get it on Windows, Linux, and Mac, and it's the _only_ game I play on both my XP install and in Ubuntu. And it's not just some random lame Linux game, too - it's sixth on the xfire.com top games list.

If you want some help on linux alternatives or ways to run your Windows programs in Ubuntu, post some names of what you're trying to run, and I'm sure everyone will try to help you.

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@bert101 wrote:
before everyone gets all upset...

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??

Who's upset? You asked a question (that has been covered top to bottom on just about every Linux site in the known universe) and you received some very good answers. I hope they were helpful.

before everyone gets all upset i was just asking a qustion....

and here is the fix..I make the supergamer series...the last one was made for pclos with 2 great releases...now the next evolution is taking place...I am using vector as a base..I have learned alot with the new scripts and we now have an iso that has support for both nvidia and ati cards on a 4.3gb iso...I have not tested an install on a dell computer but I can say that on an older intel 2.8 dell computer, I was able to get an older pclos based SuperGamer desktop version installed and flying compared to XP...I believe we are on the last test iso now with a release planned at the end of June..if interested just google supergamer...there are good and bad reviews so take your pick...tuxmachines has a good write up on it with screenshots of the last version...the new version looks nothing like it with a new dragon