Ubuntu 7.10 Coming to Dell XPS M1330 Laptop

[malware]

More laptop computers preloaded with Ubuntu Linux are coming from Dell in response to demand from potential customers around the world. Starting today, customers in Germany, United Kingdom, France and now Spain can purchase Ubuntu Linux 7.10 with built-in DVD playback on the XPS 1330n, in addition to the previously-released Inspiron 530n desktop system. The offer will also be available for U.S. customers after one week.

Source: Direct2Dell

[mdm-adph]

Wow -- I was actually considering gettings one of those 1330's and putting Ubuntu on it -- now I won't have to bother, plus I'll be supporting Ubuntu (if I ever do finally buy the damn thing).

[Ripper3]

Finally! I've been using Ubuntu on and off on my m1330 for ages, everything works fine (except 3D acceleration on the X3100 graphics, but I can live without a better looking desktop), so I wondered why it was taking them so long.

[mdm-adph]

Originally Posted by Ripper3

Finally! I've been using Ubuntu on and off on my m1330 for ages, everything works fine (except 3D acceleration on the X3100 graphics, but I can live without a better looking desktop), so I wondered why it was taking them so long.

Really? I had heard of there being problems with the new X3100 chipset from Intel, and it still suprises me, since Intel is usually so cool about open-sourcing their graphic chipset specs (my best experiences with Linux 3D acceleration up to this point have actually been exclusively with Intel chipsets).

[Ripper3]

What I mean is that, the Nvidia drivers and ATi drivers I've used or Linux have all been installed through Ubuntu itself, but only recently have the X3100 drivers been released in the restricted repository, as far as I know. I'll try again, and have a look for them in the restricted drivers module (recently did a complete format and re-install, I wanted my MediaDirect partition back, heh)

[Dangle]

What kind of leet stuff can you do on Ubuntu that would be worth ditching Windows for?

[mab1376]

Finally Ubuntu is going to put M$ out of business, not only was vista voted the biggest disappointment of 2007, and if people don't start switching because of the sheer usability then it will be because of the $200 they'll save by not purchasing a M$ product!!!

i've been using kubuntu for everything except gaming, but that will change soon, once i get steam working with WINE.

i hope they install all sorts of cool goodies like compiz-fusion and other cool games.

Rip the system!! Open source!!

[Ripper3]

Originally Posted by Dangle

What kind of leet stuff can you do on Ubuntu that would be worth ditching Windows for?

There are so many threads, in so many forums, in so many countries, with so many opinions, that it would be tough attempting to explain now.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by mab1376

Finally Ubuntu is going to put M$ out of business, not only was vista voted the biggest disappointment of 2007, and if people don't start switching because of the sheer usability then it will be because of the $200 they'll save by not purchasing a M$ product!!!

i've been using kubuntu for everything except gaming, but that will change soon, once i get steam working with WINE.

i hope they install all sorts of cool goodies like compiz-fusion and other cool games.

Rip the system!! Open source!!

Ubuntu will never put MS out of business. In fact, no open source OS will put MS out of business, until they all get their heads out of their asses, and decide on one set standard for installing apps, and make that method double-click easy, just like it is in Windows. Until then, *nix will only ever be for the truly geeky.

[mab1376]

uh. .deb files.
adept manager.
synaptic manager.
apt-get.

none of which is hard.

the general population only needs a web browser and open office and their set.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by mab1376

uh. .deb files.
adept manager.
synaptic manager.
apt-get.

none of which is hard.

the general population only needs a web browser and open office and their set.

Yeah, but then you also have .rpm out there, and countless other package managers.

And besides, it's still all harder than windows. Until it it's as easy as Windows, *nix is pretty much gonna stay right where it's at, give or take a couple of percentage points of market share. The only *nix based OS that stands a chance is OS X, but it won't go anywhere because it's locked to specific hardware. Unless they open it up to all hardware, it's pretty much gonna stay where it's at as well.

[mdm-adph]

Originally Posted by Dangle

What kind of leet stuff can you do on Ubuntu that would be worth ditching Windows for?

I like being able to install my system on many different computers completely legally, for one thing... but it's not really about "replacing" Windows, so much as just using a different tool. Even Mark Shuttleworth (the creator of Ubuntu) has said that he's not trying to compete with Windows.

Originally Posted by Wile E

Ubuntu will never put MS out of business. In fact, no open source OS will put MS out of business, until they all get their heads out of their asses, and decide on one set standard for installing apps, and make that method double-click easy, just like it is in Windows. Until then, *nix will only ever be for the truly geeky.

It's not about putting MS out of business -- anyone who says that doesn't understand what's going on. Ubuntu's purpose is just about competing with Windows, and with that, they've got a fair shot, especially in the rest of the world.

About installing applications... this isn't really a big deal in the Ubuntu world, as most things are handled automatically by the default package manager -- it's the same in Red Hat, and even in Gentoo (though I hate Gentoo). Users don't really ever need to worry about what format a file's installer is in -- if they can't use it, then it's not made for their system anyway, and they don't need to worry about it.

It's about as silly as Mac users complaining that they can't use .EXE files and Windows users complaining that they can't use .DMG files -- the question doesn't really ever come up.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by mdm-adph

I like being able to install my system on many different computers completely legally, for one thing... but it's not really about "replacing" Windows, so much as just using a different tool. Even Mark Shuttleworth (the creator of Ubuntu) has said that he's not trying to compete with Windows.



It's not about putting MS out of business -- anyone who says that doesn't understand what's going on. Ubuntu's purpose is just about competing with Windows, and with that, they've got a fair shot, especially in the rest of the world.

About installing applications... this isn't really a big deal in the Ubuntu world, as most things are handled automatically by the default package manager -- it's the same in Red Hat, and even in Gentoo (though I hate Gentoo). Users don't really ever need to worry about what format a file's installer is in -- if they can't use it, then it's not made for their system anyway, and they don't need to worry about it.

It's about as silly as Mac users complaining that they can't use .EXE files and Windows users complaining that they can't use .DMG files -- the question doesn't really ever come up.

If you read the post I originally responded to, you'll see why I chose the wording that I did.

As far as package managers, I'm not saying it's hard to install everything on *nix, I'm just saying a lot of market share can be gained if they all agreed on a set, unified standard for app installation. Making that standard double-click easy, would further expand their chances of gaining more market share. You have to think of it from the average computer user's perspective. The Windows and OS X methods are just plain easier for the less technically adept.

I wish *nix would gain more market share. It would force companies like Apple and MS to rethink how they develop their OSes, and make things a little better for us consumers.

[xfire]

Agreeing on a single standard would be good but then it would some what like hd-dvd vs Blu ray wars.
but tell me which part double click is hard in linux?

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by xfire

Agreeing on a single standard would be good but then it would some what like hd-dvd vs Blu ray wars.
but tell me which part double click is hard in linux?

What I mean is that if you find a program for *nix on the net that you want to try, 9 times out of 10, you can't download and double-click on it to install, you have to go to the command line, or compile it, or something similar.

[xfire]

Nope. Synaptic does that for, just click it and say mark for installation->click apply->gives you the list of tasks its performing(installing,updating,removing)->Goes on to fetch it from net/cd and then automatically installs it.
Synaptic also has search feature. Don't know about fedora though.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by xfire

Nope. Synaptic does that for, just click it and say mark for installation->click apply->gives you the list of tasks its performing(installing,updating,removing)->Goes on to fetch it from net/cd and then automatically installs it.
Synaptic also has search feature. Don't know about fedora though.

That's not following scenario I mentioned. There's plenty of software that isn't available thru synaptic. What do you do in that case? What if there isn't a build specific to your distro for the program you want? What do you do then? I'll tell you, you have to go to the command line to either run the installer script, or in the worst case scenario, compile it then install it. Then there's the matter of dependencies. The program you installed may not even work unless you have the proper dependencies. What if those aren't available thru your repos? More command line, and possibly more compiling. Things are even worse on PPC platforms. There's a lot less pre-compiled software for it. Which is why OS X has that market cornered (however small it may be).

It doesn't matter how easy we think it is, the typical computer user will be lost in the command line. Hell, most don't even know what dependencies and compiling are.

It's pointless arguing over this, *nix is not point and click easy, and that's the primary reason it doesn't have more market share.

[xfire]

Actually synaptic has a lot of stuff.
and Alien can convert stuff from one type to another and dependencies are automatically selected.
I have never run into trouble due to lack of dependencies in ubuntu but thats just me.Dunno about others. The thing is linux is advancing pretty fast.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by xfire

Actually synaptic has a lot of stuff.
and Alien can convert stuff from one type to another and dependencies are automatically selected.
I have never run into trouble due to lack of dependencies in ubuntu but thats just me.Dunno about others. The thing is linux is advancing pretty fast.

Yeah, but using Alien is still an extra step for the average user, which as we all know, is generally very computer illiterate.

You're not thinking of this properly. You're thinking of it from your perspective, not somebody's grandmother's perspective. In Windows, they're surfin the net, they find a nifty little program they want, lets say "Ultimate Recipe Organizer and Knitting Guide", they download it, double click on it (or even have it auto-run), and it installs. They are now ready to use their app. They don't have to open another program (like synaptic) to find and install their program, they never even have to leave IE to do it.

When *nix accomplishes this, they will gain much more market share.

But I do agree they have come a long way.

[xfire]

ok but .deb files do install automatically but as you mentioned .* file has to be present. We'll just have to see if all distro's adopt a single one or better still the distro is made to accept all extensions(there is software in ubuntu that lets you install rpm but I think it has a few bugs or so).

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by xfire

ok but .deb files do install automatically but as you mentioned .* file has to be present. We'll just have to see if all distro's adopt a single one or better still the distro is made to accept all extensions(there is software in ubuntu that lets you install rpm but I think it has a few bugs or so).

I eagerly await that day. I love Linux, but it can be a royal PITA sometimes. I really want them to be able to steal away a noticeable amount of market share from MS. It will at least spur MS to build better products.

[mab1376]

well i guess your right, i can easily blow through 3 hours trying to figure out how to set something up.

[Ravenas]

This is kinda stupid imo.

If Dell supported something like OSX that would be something to talk about to me, but Ubuntu? It's not as if Ubuntu is something that couldn't already be put on Dell computers. If you got your laptop with Ubuntu over Windows something would be wrong with that person's decision making IMHO. I'm not going to go into which OS is easier to use (OSX, Windows, or Ubuntu), I'm just saying if you want Ubuntu get it online or order a live CD. If you don't get Windows with your Dell machine you're just wasting your time IMHO.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by Ravenas

This is kinda stupid imo.

If Dell supported something like OSX that would be something to talk about to me, but Ubuntu? It's not as if Ubuntu is something that couldn't already be put on Dell computers. If you got your laptop with Ubuntu over Windows something would be wrong with that person's decision making IMHO. I'm not going to go into which OS is easier to use (OSX, Windows, or Ubuntu), I'm just saying if you want Ubuntu get it online or order a live CD. If you don't get Windows with your Dell machine you're just wasting your time IMHO.

It's not a waste. You don't have to pay extra for the Windows license. Even if you didn't want linux, if you get it with Ubuntu, you can use your own Windows if you own one, and save yourself a few bucks.

[mab1376]

this is my desktop on my ubuntu, personally i think its worth talking about, theres so many security advantages over windows (whether fixed or just undiscovered by hackers due to the lack of popularity) as well as customization