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2410

Have Ubuntu on Dell One

2410 points posted to Linux, XPS products by daniel117 Mar 12

After hearing a couple magazines and people say Vista has glitches, I think Dell's best computer ever (and best counterpart of Apple's Macs) this computer company should start looking into Linux more, especially Ubuntu. Oh sure, Dell didn't get enough people into Ubuntu, but that can be easily fixed by putting Linux into Dell One. Dell is missing out on more sales from Ubuntu fans and all you geeks out there. Not much of them, but popularity would spread and soon Vista is in the dust (not that I hate Vista, but I like Ubuntu better).

lugo02
Mar 12		 this is so laughable especially the Vista in the dust part. Vista already has more Market share than all of GNU/Linux and all MACs OSes combined.
nilux
May 21		 Merged Idea originally posted Apr 8
Use hardware with open sourced drivers

In order to have more reliable Linux machines, and to ease developement of new machines, the hardware in the Linux series should not depend on closed source drivers, because we can never predict how they will act over new updates and can't be debugged as easily.

This applies to graphic cards, wi-fi/ethernet chipsets, flash card readers, webcams, etc..

Some constructors like ATI and intel already have open source strategies, many others are joining, and the FLOSS community already provides tons of quality drivers. Maybe even DELL could help the community develop FLOSS drivers (i.e. the NOUVEAU community who are retro-engineering NVIDIA hardware in order to provide open sourced linux drivers, although they are not supported in any way by NVIDIA).
matt_d
May 21		 Merged Comment originally posted Apr 8
This is already Dell policy - that is, we work with our partner hardware vendors to ensure they have open source device drivers, maintained upstream in kernel.org. Availability of open source device drivers is one consideration as we choose which components to include in a system - we strongly prefer components that have open source drivers. However, there are a few (really a very small number compared with all the components in our systems) which are "problematic" from this perspective: particularly some WiFi and video cards. We discuss this with our partners quite regularly and continue to look for ways to deliver open source drivers for these components too. Where we can, we offer a choice of components, so you may choose the WiFi or video card with open source drivers, or you can choose the ones without.
nilux
May 21		 Merged Comment originally posted Apr 8
Thanks for your comment, I'm glad you already considered the issue :)

However, I remember, when I ordered my XPS m1330 w/ Ubuntu (on dell.FR), having the choice between, for exemple, intel and nvidia, but there was no indication concerning the openness status of their drivers, and what this implied.
joelthelion
May 21		 Merged Comment originally posted Apr 9
Just mentioning the status of drivers on the site when buying a PC would already be an improvement. Of course, pressuring your partners to provide open source drivers and ditching the ones who don't cooperate when you can is better.
freemenow
May 21		 Merged Comment originally posted Apr 9
Should this idea be merged with http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/62329/Provide_Linux_Drivers_for_all_you... ?
jmxz
May 21		 Merged Comment originally posted Apr 9
No, should not be merged.

The other one's asking for (probably) proprietary drivers. (= tend to be fast; buggy; and poorly maintained, at least in the graphics card world)
This one is asking for Open Sourced drivers (= tend to be stable, and debuggable, and improving).
champ
May 21		 Merged Comment originally posted Apr 17
Ubuntu doesn't restrict drivers to open source only, and I tend to agree. If it works, it works. I'm demoting.
freemenow
May 21		 Merged Comment originally posted Apr 18
@champ: so you want an opensource-only system and you demote and idea called "Use hardware with open sourced drivers"?

This idea has nothing to do with Ubuntu or its restricted drivers.
champ
May 21		 Merged Comment originally posted Apr 21
@freemenow

No, I want drivers that work, and I'll use closed source drivers if they work better. I'm just saying that I have the same opinion that Ubuntu has, and that just means I'm not alone in my opinion.

By the way, I also agree with matt_d, where Dell "strongly prefers" open source when available. I'm saying that if the open source driver isn't available, or the closed source one is better, I'd pick the one that works, or works better regardless of its licensing model
jmxz
May 21		 Merged Comment originally posted Apr 29
Looks like this one may be "in progress". Their hardware procurement process will "strongly encourage" open source drivers:

Linux Foundation Reports Highlights from Annual Collaboration Summit
fifth Desktop Architects’ Meeting. In Austin, leading computer manufacturers Dell, HP, Lenovo, and many others met with the desktop community to collaborate and optimize Linux for their new desktop and ultra-mobile products. A key result from the meeting was that these OEM vendors reported that they will encourage chipset and other component vendors to provide open source drivers for Linux. The companies announced on stage that they will now include wording in their hardware procurement processes to “strongly encourage” the delivery of open source drivers for transparent integration into the Linux kernel.


Thanks Dell!
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