Comments on: Ubuntu’s Mark Shuttleworth Talks about Pre-Installed Linux PC’s

By: Ryan

Ryan — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 22:45:38 +0000

The main issue is the hardware, which Ubuntu is usually very friendly with as well…(with the exception of your laptop fan.)

Argh! My stupid laptop fan. That still bugs me and the next laptop I buy will thoroughly be researched for Linux incompatibilities on multiple distributions.

By: Chris Rossini

Chris Rossini — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 20:32:49 +0000

[quote]
I don’t think it is necessarily important to have Ubuntu pre-installed on a laptop, all that needs to be done is some kind of "Linux certification" where they can say that certain versions of Linux are guaranteed to work with all the hardware included. Most of the people can download it and install it just as well as any other Linux user so I don’t really think that is a problem. So maybe Dell should just work more closely with the Linux vendors to find compatible hardware that will work across the board.[/quote]

Very good point. Ubuntu is ultra easy to install, even for a total computer novice. The main issue is the hardware, which Ubuntu is usually very friendly with as well…(with the exception of your laptop fan.)

By: Ryan

Ryan — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 19:50:36 +0000

natmaster wrote:

Of course I custom build my Desktop...but you can't really do that with a laptop. And laptops have so much weird hardware too. Because of this, having Linux setup properly with all the hardware before would make me very happy.

I don't think it is necessarily important to have Ubuntu pre-installed on a laptop, all that needs to be done is some kind of "Linux certification" where they can say that certain versions of Linux are guaranteed to work with all the hardware included. Most of the people can download it and install it just as well as any other Linux user so I don't really think that is a problem. So maybe Dell should just work more closely with the Linux vendors to find compatible hardware that will work across the board.

By: natmaster

natmaster — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 04:51:11 +0000

Of course I custom build my Desktop…but you can’t really do that with a laptop. And laptops have so much weird hardware too. Because of this, having Linux setup properly with all the hardware before would make me very happy.

By: Motang

Motang — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 02:26:21 +0000

Man those are all very good points. Kudos to Mark for being head strong and pointing out the what are the hurdles that need to crossed before Linux can be preinstalled on a commercial vendor (with a sufficient market share in the desktop and laptop market).