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Ubuntu on tablets

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Re: Ubuntu on tablets

#141

Post by adamsaleh »

MatthewPhillips wrote: post #110
azakai wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is not miniscule, it is 0% right now ;) But again, the question is of putting all the eggs in one basket or not. Ubuntu and other non-windows mobile OSes each have different approaches, hard to say which will succeed. It's foolish to bet on just one if you are as big as Nokia.

What I don't understand is why these late-comers continue to try and build their own self-contained ecosystem of apps. Microsoft with all its money still barely has a decent ecosystem and even that has a lot of holes. There's 0 chance that any other is going to be given the time of day. Blackberry hinging on Gingerbread apps is just silly. Instead they should be betting on the web, completely. Ubuntu, being a traditi…

Well why cross-compile to Emscripten, when you can cross-compile directly for arm,e.t.c (thus leveraging diractly unix/desktop heritage)

Re: Ubuntu on tablets

#142

Post by WickyNilliams »

WickyNilliams wrote: post #138

I must say, this looks pretty slick. Wonder how well the multitasking stuff will hold up in practice? Here's hoping some clever bods will get this working on a HP Touchpad, would love to resurrect my touchpad from it's dusty grave. Can't imagine there would be much problem given that it's had no problems running Android. Bring it on! Does anybody know if this will give access to bash etc? Could I develop on this with…

w.r.t. the windows thin client, does this also mean it's going to mandate x86 processor?

Re: Ubuntu on tablets

#143

Post by azernik »

kaolinite wrote: post #13

Yet another announcement by Canonical that isn't backed by a "Buy" button. I understand that it's not exactly easy for them, but it's becoming a bit boring how they keep announcing new "products" with no way of actually purchasing them. Couldn't they have waited for a year or so for this to be ready to ship and then launch it? At the very least it'd be good to have "Available to buy in July, 2013" or whatever.

This seems to be aimed at developers more than at end users - note that big segment at the end where they plug the SDK (it was the same with Ubuntu Mobile). Right now it looks like they're trying to get apps written so that the platform is actually usable when released to consumers.

Re: Ubuntu on tablets

#144

Post by andmarios »

xradionut wrote: post #117
andmarios wrote: post #51

I am a bit tired of how much Ubuntu gets promoted compared to other Linux based solutions. Here is a video of KDE's Plasma Active running on a Nexus 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb7isMAmwW0 It is a real use video, there aren't any fancy photos, there isn't any CG in the video in contrast with Canonical's page. Plasma Active is being actively developed for about 2 years now and KDE 4 was developed from the ground…

"I am a bit tired of how much Ubuntu gets promoted compared to other Linux based solutions." I find Ubuntu, (at least the LTS releases), to be the best supported distro for major third party applications and the easist for novices to use. I'm using it as development platform and as a VMware host for my Windows OS images. It has supports my Dell hardware better than Dell's Windows drivers. In time, I'll probably migra…

My focus was on tablets and netbooks. We have a real and proven Linux based solution, a solution you can install now on your Nexus 7. Granted; it isn't perfect, the installation procedure isn't for the faint of heart, but it exists and nobody talks about it.

Then Canonical announces that it will do the same (Qt based, unified PC/Netbook/Tablet experience), it shows no code, no real use video and everyone talks about it.

I guess it is kind of disheartening for the many - many free software developers involved.

Re: Ubuntu on tablets

#145

Post by emehrkay »

newishuser wrote: post #139

Heres why this is awesome: - The name Unity finally makes perfect sense - Phone can expand into a tablet can expand into a desktop - larger form factor can run smaller form factor apps - app switcher is slick - Canonical finally learned how to use all the bull shit motivational words that apple uses to inspire people - OS level tie ins to social services - Still open source I'm excited to use it, and I'm excited to h…

I love the transformations that the OS goes through based on device, very much like responsive web design.

My favorite feature is running phone apps on the side with the Windows8-like split view, great idea. I wonder how that translates to portrait.

Re: Ubuntu on tablets

#146

Post by pekk »

MatthewPhillips wrote: post #77
mtgx wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

2. The apps will remain compatible, just like on Android, but I fear they will give too much control over to carriers. From what I understand they want to give "total branding power" over a device to carriers. So we'll see how they go about that without pissing off the user. If it's subtle enough it might work. But I still hate the idea of giving even more power (again) to the carriers. The carriers should be powerle…

The only way to make carriers powerless is if consumers buy phones unsubsidized. Even Apple makes concessions to carriers.

They often do outside the US.

Re: Ubuntu on tablets

#147

Post by SCdF »

bitsoda wrote: post #42

I still don't understand the tablet form factor. I concluded that it's not for me some time ago, but am waiting for the general population to come around to one glaring flaw: you have to hold it. For me, it doesn't matter how light a tablet is. A five pound laptop will always feel lighter since it will effectively weigh nothing because it's always on some kind of platform during use, either my lap or a flat desk/tabl…

For me holding it is the point! It's the only way to get the angle exactly right for all 2^32 different slouch positions I move between as I read on the couch.

I do admit there needs to be some work on the ergonomics-- thinner does not mean better-- but the general 'holding it' concept works great, for me at least.

Re: Ubuntu on tablets

#148

Post by pekk »

null_ptr wrote: post #70
kombine wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I tried to use Cinnamon and it was a very poor experience. It is very immature, simple things that are the norm on existing desktop environments are not there. I can't say I use Unity too much, I'm more of a KDE user, but Unity is a lot more stable.

What simple things was Cinammon lacking? I actualy enjoy using it more than any other DE I ever used. It keeps the traditional things I want and has a clean modern feel, and is easy to customize without overwhelming you with choices.

You are fully entitled to use whatever you want and enjoy it. However, the interface design of Windows 98 is 15 years away from being "modern." The best way you can sell this kind of design is to call it timeless, or say that one shouldn't fix what isn't broken.

Re: Ubuntu on tablets

#149

Post by pekk »

naner wrote: post #78
bitsoda wrote: post #42

I still don't understand the tablet form factor. I concluded that it's not for me some time ago, but am waiting for the general population to come around to one glaring flaw: you have to hold it. For me, it doesn't matter how light a tablet is. A five pound laptop will always feel lighter since it will effectively weigh nothing because it's always on some kind of platform during use, either my lap or a flat desk/tabl…

one glaring flaw: you have to hold it This isn't really a flaw, tablets aren't going to replace computers they are just another computer that is used differently. They are better for reading and passing around. Products like the Surface Pro I think are overselling the form factor.

I'm not sure why Microsoft deserves special criticism here. Why isn't iPad overselling the form factor?

Re: Ubuntu on tablets

#150

Post by mixmastamyk »

Looks pretty, but I've come to expect constant churn and regressions from Ubuntu. My desktop is significantly worse than it was 5 years ago.

Still I hold a sliver of hope that I'll be able to write mobile apps in Python one day. (I've heard of kivy, but worried it isn't direct enough).

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