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Ubuntu is coming back to Dell Laptops

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Re: Ubuntu is coming back to Dell Laptops

#81

Post by sounds »

jimbobimbo wrote: post #57
sounds wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The BIOS. Specifically, the installation of Microsoft's signing key in UEFI secure boot - which requires the other parts (drivers, specifically) of the UEFI BIOS are signed with Microsoft's key as well. Windows 8 is "theoretically" only bootable when secure boot is turned on.

No - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/09/22/protecting-the... "Microsoft does not mandate or control the settings on PC firmware that control or enable secured boot from any operating system other than Windows. [...] A demonstration of this control is found in the Samsung tablet with Windows 8 Developer Preview that was offered to //BUILD/ participants. In the screenshot below you will notice that we designed…

That seems to say exactly what I'm saying, please clarify:

"... other than Windows," i.e. Windows 8 itself "theoretically" wants Secure Boot turned on.

I've read the link; there's no indication that the Windows 8 Logo Compliance requirements force Windows 8 to work with Secure Boot turned off. And obviously, ARM-based Windows 8 systems will require it to be turned on:

http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/01/microsoft-mandating-...

Re: Ubuntu is coming back to Dell Laptops

#82

Post by joezydeco »

reinhardt wrote: post #72
joezydeco wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, and I'm honestly curious here because I'm in the market, what is the best Linux laptop out there? I hear people swoon over a particular Lenovo/Thinkpad model, but have no idea which one it is.

Dell Inspiron here, was running Ubuntu 10.04 for two years and recently installed 12.04. It's the first time in the last 5-6 years I've been running Linux on various laptops that suspend actually works (out of the box at least).

My previous machine was a Dell Latitude E6500, and it ran (well, still runs) Karmic like a champ. Suspend worked great there too.

Re: Ubuntu is coming back to Dell Laptops

#83

Post by kibibyte »

dkhenry wrote: post #5

Why can't I just get any computer with no operating system installed whatsoever. This isn't rocket science here, just format the hard drive and give me the computer. Then subtract the money you pay Microsoft for the windows license. If there is some contractual obligation Dell has with Microsoft to not do this then we need to start considering another round of antitrust proceedings.

While it's not possible to get the computer without the OS installed, you're allowed to decline the Windows license and get a refund from Dell. http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1073

Of course, it's not as convenient as the ideal circumstance of not having Windows installed by default, but it's the next best alternative nonetheless.

Re: Ubuntu is coming back to Dell Laptops

#84

Post by cgag »

joezydeco wrote: post #50
user49598 wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The majority of new laptops work out of the box with ubuntu 12.04. The driver complaint, while still fair in many cases, is not nearly as relevant as it used to be. Peripherals can be tough, but built-in hardware has come a long way. Also, IMHO, weather dell is doing exactly what you want or not, they are continuing to support freedom of choice, freedom of software, and the hacker community in general. I commend them…

So, and I'm honestly curious here because I'm in the market, what is the best Linux laptop out there? I hear people swoon over a particular Lenovo/Thinkpad model, but have no idea which one it is.

T410 here and no issues.

Re: Ubuntu is coming back to Dell Laptops

#85

Post by rch »

tikhonj wrote: post #78
rch wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which laptop? I desperately want to replace my MBP with the highest quality Fedora-supporting hardware I can find.

I have a Sony Vaio Z-series. I really like it, but it's rather expensive. Also, it comes with a weird dock thing that has an external graphics card. Ideally, you would plug this in and have better graphics processing when you're at home. I haven't been able to get this to work on Linux. However, I haven't been able to get it to work on Windows 8 either :/. So for me, the whole dock thing is just an overpriced externa…

The X1 does look nice, and it would be great to ditch the aluminum without settling for cheap-feeling plastic.

My old Sharp MM10 had a magnesium alloy case... I still miss that one.

Re: Ubuntu is coming back to Dell Laptops

#87

Post by cdmckay »

tikhonj wrote: post #53
andrewvc wrote: post #2

The problem I have here is price. This just doesn't undercut an mbp, and it would have to to get me to buy it

Isn't the mbp pretty annoying for Linux? That's what I've heard, at the very least, and some of my friends have had trouble (at least on slightly older mbps--certainly not the new high-res versions).

Right, but I think OS X is unix-y enough for most people.

Re: Ubuntu is coming back to Dell Laptops

#88

Post by candeira »

scarmig wrote: post #54
joezydeco wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, and I'm honestly curious here because I'm in the market, what is the best Linux laptop out there? I hear people swoon over a particular Lenovo/Thinkpad model, but have no idea which one it is.

Right now I'm on an x220. IIR I had some acpi driver issue--in fact, had to manually white list my model in it--and power management is mediocre, even with powertop. But it gets the job done decently enough.

I too have a Lenovo x220. I use Jupiter [0] to manually send the computer to "power saving" mode. With that and the extended 9-cell battery, the screen only slightly dimmed, and wifi at full blast, I get around 7 hours of battery doing browsing and coding. I uninstalled Flash, and that gave me back around 2 hours of battery.

[0] YMMV: http://askubuntu.com/questions/98972/does-jupiter-really-imp...

Re: Ubuntu is coming back to Dell Laptops

#89

Post by Ralith »

joezydeco wrote: post #50
user49598 wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The majority of new laptops work out of the box with ubuntu 12.04. The driver complaint, while still fair in many cases, is not nearly as relevant as it used to be. Peripherals can be tough, but built-in hardware has come a long way. Also, IMHO, weather dell is doing exactly what you want or not, they are continuing to support freedom of choice, freedom of software, and the hacker community in general. I commend them…

So, and I'm honestly curious here because I'm in the market, what is the best Linux laptop out there? I hear people swoon over a particular Lenovo/Thinkpad model, but have no idea which one it is.

T430 here. Great machine, but the intel wifi drivers for the 6300 chip are unusably buggy at the moment.

Re: Ubuntu is coming back to Dell Laptops

#90

Post by Ralith »

acabal wrote: post #9
krakensden wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

they provide an iso that will Just Work(tm) on their 13 inch ultrabook today. They look nice, maybe you should get one.

Yeah but that's the problem... I don't want a special mystery Dell ISO, I want to use stock Ubuntu and have it Just Work. Using Dell's ISO locks you in to that certain image (upgrades are very likely dependent on Dell), it locks you in to Dell support (good luck posting in the Ubuntu forums about your super-special Dell ISO), and it almost certainly means they're not contributing back to the OSS community (though tha…

Why do you assume it's so "super-special"? I doubt they'd have the rights to call it Ubuntu if it didn't have the standard package manager configuration pulling updates from Canonical.
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