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Dell’s Linux PC sequel still just works, but adds 4K screen and rough edges

arstechnica.com

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Re: Dell’s Linux PC sequel still just works, but adds 4K screen and rough edges

#61

Post by organsnyder »

jgrowl wrote: post #18
dima55 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or a second windows key. Or separate mouse buttons. Sigh

Why do people use a second windows button? I've never understood how it is useful.

I like to remap those keys to AltGr and/or compose. Makes it much easier to type accents, proper punctuation…

Re: Dell’s Linux PC sequel still just works, but adds 4K screen and rough edges

#62

Post by binarycrusader »

JoshTriplett wrote: post #59
binarycrusader wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, that's really the result of the API/ABI choices that the Linux kernel developers have made. There are no stable interfaces for kernel modules, and they frequently break existing interfaces. This means that any third-party driver that is not included in the mainline kernel source is effectively broken either via API or ABI almost every kernel update. So it's not specifically a proprietary driver issue s…

ABI stability is not a feature, it's a bug. It means you can't fix the kernel and every driver in it, and you have to keep legacy interfaces around. This isn't just about keeping old function entry points around; the kernel regularly redesigns and rearchitects core subsystems in ways that cannot support the previous function entry points, and that's completely OK because the developers making those changes go fix all…

  ABI stability is not a feature, it's a bug. It means you
  can't fix the kernel and every driver in it, and you have
  to keep legacy interfaces around.
Sorry, but I strongly disagree and that's a factually, anecdotally, and objectively incorrect statement. OS X, Windows, AIX, and Solaris all manage to provide stable interfaces for drivers while still evolving the underlying implementation significantly. So clearly, it can be done.

A properly designed API/ABI allows evolution of the implementation while retaining compatibility through interface.

  Out of tree modules are a bug; pick hardware that
  doesn't need them.
The idea that the Linux kernel should or can contain all support for all hardware ever is an ideological pursuit at best.

  And the stability issues aren't just with keeping the
  drivers up to date. Users who run the nVidia proprietary
  driver regularly report crashes and stability issues.
And people still report stability and crash issues with mainline kernel drivers too, just perhaps less frequently, so that's really an orthogonal concern. Quality of implementation is not an argument I would want to use against good architectural software practices such as having a stable API/ABI. I'm also quite familiar with the argument that "if the source is open, people can fix it and make it better!" -- I think the recent OpenSSL problems have proven that just because the source is open doesn't mean anyone is fixing problems there.

Regardless, the real losers here are the users; I don't frankly care about the proprietary vs. not arguments and holding up some ideological standard as the ultimate goal seems like it's missing the point -- computers are just tools, and we should spending more time on improving the usability of them for users not fighting ideological wars.

Re: Dell’s Linux PC sequel still just works, but adds 4K screen and rough edges

#64

Post by Greed »

moron4hire wrote: post #33

How do these ones hold up over time? I haven't had a Dell PC of any kind, laptop or desktop, last longer than two years (and thanks to switching jobs a few times and being the family PC tech support, I've seen quite a few Dells). I had given up on the brand completely, but this is a very tempting piece of hardware. I hate how hard it is to find the specs I want in a laptop computer. Some sites will let you filter by…

http://notebookcheck.net is pretty good for this, they have a solid breakdown for laptops and a search function that allows you to filter on a more granular level than just price.

Re: Dell’s Linux PC sequel still just works, but adds 4K screen and rough edges

#65

Post by ChikkaChiChi »

Apple announced the 2880x1800 Retina display in June of 2012. It has been almost 3 years and only 2 of the 4 desktop operating systems have an interface that works reliably at pixel doubling resolutions: Apple OSX and Google Chrome OS.

Re: Dell’s Linux PC sequel still just works, but adds 4K screen and rough edges

#66

Post by qzcx »

jgrowl wrote: post #18
dima55 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or a second windows key. Or separate mouse buttons. Sigh

Why do people use a second windows button? I've never understood how it is useful.

On my mac, I use the right command key to one hand commands which require it and something on the right right keyboard. Very useful

Re: Dell’s Linux PC sequel still just works, but adds 4K screen and rough edges

#67

Post by hackmiester »

bluedino wrote: post #30
nfoz wrote: post #26

Oh interesting, this is the M3800 which is Dell's beefy 15" Linux laptop. Glad to see it getting some light. If you're looking for something more portable, the New XPS 13 is in development and is supposed to launch soon. I follow the project lead's blog here: http://bartongeorge.net/ My hats off to the Dell team; they're very open about what they're doing, making better drivers etc. before launching the product. For…

>> the M3800 which is Dell's beefy 15" Linux laptop. Actually, the 6.3lb M4800 is Dell's beefy laptop.

Yep! Just got an m4800 and I love it. Linux isn't the easiest to use, though... and it looks like I currently have to run the nv binary driver to use my graphics card. :( So I definitely wouldn't classify it as a Linux laptop - even unofficially.

Re: Dell’s Linux PC sequel still just works, but adds 4K screen and rough edges

#68

Post by hackmiester »

jgrowl wrote: post #16

I received mine a couple of weeks ago and have been pretty happy so far. Everything worked out of the box in ubuntu (camera, multimedia keys, trackpad, touchscreen, bluetooth, wifi, etc). My only complaints are: - The Glossy monitor is incredibly reflective. I wish there was a matte option. - I got the UHD screen option but there are still too many scaling issues in linux. Ubuntu looks fine with some minor tweaks but…

The DC jack is likely wobbly so that it is less likely to break, actually. Rigid stuff will simply break instead of flexing.

Re: Dell’s Linux PC sequel still just works, but adds 4K screen and rough edges

#69

Post by smellf »

mod wrote: post #15
stormbrew wrote: post #3

Why in god's name does a laptop that large not have independent home/end/pgup/pgdn keys. This trend drives me nuts.

That removes me from the market. I use those keys incessantly, browsing the web and coding both. I bought a very large Asus gaming laptop primarily for this reason, and I'm very fond of the placement, as well (above the numpad, can be easily found without looking). Other things that are important to me is a gap to be able to feel F5 without looking, and same for the arrow keys. So many keyboards put the arrow keys--w…

> That removes me from the market.

Same. And what kind of developer edition laptop doesn't have a full keyboard, i.e. a numpad? It drives me nuts.

Re: Dell’s Linux PC sequel still just works, but adds 4K screen and rough edges

#70

Post by vq »

freehunter wrote: post #51
shpx wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

because you can just press space/shift+space.

Pressing space in a text editor tends to add a space. Pressing pgdn doesn't.

C-v and M-v in Emacs and friends and CTRL+b and CTRL+d in vi and clones.

EDIT: and if you were fine with reaching for PgDn then SHIFT+up, SHIFT+down in vim is probably a viable option as well.

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