Dell picks Ubuntu for Linux PCs
Tuesday, May 1, 2007 by Philly0381 | Discussion: Personal Computing
This is not the first time Dell has tried offering Linux OS on PCs to customers as the linked article points out. Is there any reason to believe Dell will have any sucess this time around? 
Okay lets see a show of hands, given a choice, if you where buying a new computer for any purpose, would you choose first a Dell, and then one with Linux OS installed over any other computer (includeing home built) and MS?
What little I know about Linux I read here. From what I understand there are different versions, is Dell installing the right version?
WWW Link
The other thing that I have pick up reading the forums ia that there are strong opinions about OSs. Give your pros and cons but try to make it more than "just because'.
EDIT Since there haven't been any replies yet include in the discussion the Apple/Mac platform. This should be a lot of fun!!
Okay lets see a show of hands, given a choice, if you where buying a new computer for any purpose, would you choose first a Dell, and then one with Linux OS installed over any other computer (includeing home built) and MS?
What little I know about Linux I read here. From what I understand there are different versions, is Dell installing the right version?
WWW Link
The other thing that I have pick up reading the forums ia that there are strong opinions about OSs. Give your pros and cons but try to make it more than "just because'.
EDIT Since there haven't been any replies yet include in the discussion the Apple/Mac platform. This should be a lot of fun!!
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SanChonino
Reply #2 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 2:54 PM
Reply #2 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 2:54 PM
Ubuntu is great. I love it. I have a PC running XP, and a PC running Ubuntu. I use my XP machine more only because it has all my music on it. If not for that distinct advantage, I'd probably use the Ubuntu machine more.
(Plus . . . my XP machine has the big, nice screen, whereas my Ubuntu one ain't so big.
)
(Plus . . . my XP machine has the big, nice screen, whereas my Ubuntu one ain't so big.
)
Gideon MacLeish
Reply #3 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 4:48 PM
Reply #3 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 4:48 PM
I would absolutely choose it. Ubuntu is a wonderful O/S, and developments over the past few years in open source make it much more promising than it might have been in earlier releases. I, for one, wouldn't hesitate to buy one.
Thanks for the update.
Thanks for the update.
whatwhere
Reply #4 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 5:06 PM
Reply #4 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 5:06 PM
well i checked out some of the stuff on the OS...looks pretty damn good...i'm downloading it right now
Philly0381
Reply #5 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 5:10 PM
Reply #5 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 5:10 PM
Thanks for the replies. It would appear that Dell is installing the right version of Linux.
What Office or Graphics etc. software would you want/need to install?
So far we only have the Linux side, can't wait for the MS and Apple/Mac people to comment.
Just for the record I have a PC the has Windows XP Home on it. I think for practical reasons competion is not only good it's needed.
What Office or Graphics etc. software would you want/need to install?
So far we only have the Linux side, can't wait for the MS and Apple/Mac people to comment.
Just for the record I have a PC the has Windows XP Home on it. I think for practical reasons competion is not only good it's needed.
Armbut
Reply #6 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 5:38 PM
Ubuntu comes with OpenOffice.ORG and The GIMP
Reply #6 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 5:38 PM
What Office or Graphics etc. software would you want/need to install
Ubuntu comes with OpenOffice.ORG and The GIMP
SanChonino
Reply #7 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 5:40 PM
Reply #7 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 5:40 PM
Ubuntu comes with OpenOffice installed, which means you get all the functionality of Microsoft Office for a much better price . . . free!
And besides OpenOffice Draw (which is a pretty okay vector drawing program) you can install a Linux version of GIMP or GIMPshop if you need something more powerful . . .
Again . . . all free! I love that price.
And besides OpenOffice Draw (which is a pretty okay vector drawing program) you can install a Linux version of GIMP or GIMPshop if you need something more powerful . . .
Again . . . all free! I love that price.
whatwhere
Reply #8 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 6:20 PM
Reply #8 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 6:20 PM
ok...here it goes, after downloading and burning th ISO of ubuntu 32 bit and trying to install it on a HP 6630 (which used to run 98 but i formatted the drive and installed XP)i formatted the drive to blow XP out and tried to install ubuntu, the OS doesn't support the video card (which is onboard) on the HP...i tested it on that system cause there was no way i was going to install it on my 64 bit system just to find out it doesn't support my hardware.it seems like in order for this OS to be installed you have to do some home work on the hardware it will accommodate to.that really sucks too, i really wanted to try this OS out 
now alot of people know why linux is a free download,you have to go thru a live sh*t binge and purge just to install it where as winblows you pay for it and it does what it's exactly supposed to do and that's to accommodate to every major software and hardware on the planet..no offense to linux users.
now alot of people know why linux is a free download,you have to go thru a live sh*t binge and purge just to install it where as winblows you pay for it and it does what it's exactly supposed to do and that's to accommodate to every major software and hardware on the planet..no offense to linux users.
Philly0381
Reply #9 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 6:30 PM
Reply #9 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 6:30 PM
whatwhere - Well that's a bummer.
What you point out though is really some of the same problems people have voiced with older PC's and attempting to upgrade to Vista. What hardware didn't it like in your HP? Was it just drivers and can you go get them? If the HP ran 98 and than XP you would think Linux would run.
What you point out though is really some of the same problems people have voiced with older PC's and attempting to upgrade to Vista. What hardware didn't it like in your HP? Was it just drivers and can you go get them? If the HP ran 98 and than XP you would think Linux would run.
Gideon MacLeish
Reply #10 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 6:47 PM
No, Windows supports hardware for which it has drivers. As for software, I could tell you several software apps that will not run on some Windows machines.
What you need to do is find Linux drivers for your motherboard and video card (even when it is part of the chipset, it is still identified as a video card), and make sure you have those on hand. Go to www.linuxquestions.org, and see if you can find help there.
Windows has to deal with driver issues to, it's just that since many of those drivers are preinstalled, you don't SEE these issues.
Reply #10 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 6:47 PM
you have to go thru a live sh*t binge and purge just to install it where as winblows you pay for it and it does what it's exactly supposed to do and that's to accommodate to every major software and hardware on the planet
No, Windows supports hardware for which it has drivers. As for software, I could tell you several software apps that will not run on some Windows machines.
What you need to do is find Linux drivers for your motherboard and video card (even when it is part of the chipset, it is still identified as a video card), and make sure you have those on hand. Go to www.linuxquestions.org, and see if you can find help there.
Windows has to deal with driver issues to, it's just that since many of those drivers are preinstalled, you don't SEE these issues.
Jafo
Reply #11 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 6:47 PM
Reply #11 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 6:47 PM
Okay lets see a show of hands, given a choice, if you where buying a new computer for any purpose, would you choose first a Dell, and then one with Linux OS installed over any other computer (includeing home built) and MS?
Jafo keeps his hand down.....twice...
whatwhere
Reply #12 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 6:51 PM
whatwhere - Well that's a bummer.
What you point out though is really some of the same problems people have voiced with older PC's and attempting to upgrade to Vista. What hardware didn't it like in your HP? Was it just drivers and can you go get them? If the HP ran 98 and than XP you would think Linux would run.
it basically supported everything but the vid card, it showed me a list of errors that pointed at the vid card..i guinea pigged the HP cause the last time i wiped out my system was to install mandrake and of course it didn't support my hardware...at the time i looked on the mandrake site and my hardware wasn't listed...i should of looked on thier site first but being that i really want to give linux a shot i figured what the hell i do it and see what happens
Reply #12 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 6:51 PM
whatwhere - Well that's a bummer.
What you point out though is really some of the same problems people have voiced with older PC's and attempting to upgrade to Vista. What hardware didn't it like in your HP? Was it just drivers and can you go get them? If the HP ran 98 and than XP you would think Linux would run.
it basically supported everything but the vid card, it showed me a list of errors that pointed at the vid card..i guinea pigged the HP cause the last time i wiped out my system was to install mandrake and of course it didn't support my hardware...at the time i looked on the mandrake site and my hardware wasn't listed...i should of looked on thier site first but being that i really want to give linux a shot i figured what the hell i do it and see what happens
Philly0381
Reply #13 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 6:56 PM
Reply #13 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 6:56 PM
Jafo - I take it the thought of a Dell with Linux installed is not what you want as a gift!!!!
whatwhere
Reply #14 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 7:01 PM
No, Windows supports hardware for which it has drivers.[/quote]true, but then again they are more dirvers out there for winblows then any other OS that i know of
Reply #14 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 7:01 PM
No, Windows supports hardware for which it has drivers.[/quote]true, but then again they are more dirvers out there for winblows then any other OS that i know of
Go to www.linuxquestions.org, and see if you can find help there.
cool thanks man i'll give that a tryWindows has to deal with driver issues to, it's just that since many of those drivers are preinstalled, you don't SEE these issues.
yeah i know...i was playing HL2 with my old system which was a P4 with HT with a ati radeon x850xt pe vid card...for some reason the game locked and winblows carashed...as alwaysAs for software, I could tell you several software apps that will not run on some Windows machines.
yeah tell me bout it...LOL xp ran winamp with no problems...i go to install winamp on vista and it tells me "it's not compatible with this version on windows" which sucks cause winamp is about on of the best players i ever used
Philly0381
Reply #15 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 7:02 PM
Reply #15 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 7:02 PM
whatwhere - Well then it's not as bad as it could have been.
Are you going to try the link that Gideon identified in reply #10?
Are you going to try the link that Gideon identified in reply #10?
Philly0381
Reply #17 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 7:25 PM
Reply #17 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 7:25 PM
whatwhere - If and when you do check out the link come back and post the out come.
MasonM
Reply #18 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 7:47 PM
Yeah, right. Try installing Vista on that old machine and come back and tell us how great it worked. Oh, and go ahead and use some of your old Xp software on Vista and again tell us how well they all worked. I know far too many people for whom either their machines, software, or both aren't compatible with Vista.
Windows doesn't "accomodate" every piece of hardware on the plant. There's a reason why the ship with a drivers disc; Windows can't make the hardware work without it. Well, neither can Linux (although quite often you'll find that Linux already has built in drivers for a huge range of hardware).
I think Dell is making the right choice of distros to ship on their Linux machines (I'm sure Novell is losing sleep over it too). Ubuntu is user friendly and is well put together. While a Windows user will still have a bit of a learning curve with Ubuntu or any other Linux distro Ubuntu would be an easier transition for them and someone who isn't very familiar with any OS would find it quite easy and enjoyable.
Reply #18 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 7:47 PM
now alot of people know why linux is a free download,you have to go thru a live sh*t binge and purge just to install it where as winblows you pay for it and it does what it's exactly supposed to do and that's to accommodate to every major software and hardware on the planet..
Yeah, right. Try installing Vista on that old machine and come back and tell us how great it worked. Oh, and go ahead and use some of your old Xp software on Vista and again tell us how well they all worked. I know far too many people for whom either their machines, software, or both aren't compatible with Vista.
Windows doesn't "accomodate" every piece of hardware on the plant. There's a reason why the ship with a drivers disc; Windows can't make the hardware work without it. Well, neither can Linux (although quite often you'll find that Linux already has built in drivers for a huge range of hardware).
I think Dell is making the right choice of distros to ship on their Linux machines (I'm sure Novell is losing sleep over it too). Ubuntu is user friendly and is well put together. While a Windows user will still have a bit of a learning curve with Ubuntu or any other Linux distro Ubuntu would be an easier transition for them and someone who isn't very familiar with any OS would find it quite easy and enjoyable.
Jafo
Reply #19 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 7:53 PM
Reply #19 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 7:53 PM
Jafo - I take it the thought of a Dell with Linux installed is not what you want as a gift!!!!
Oh....GIFT?...yes...I'm all for it...but the Linux wouldn't stay on for long...not unless it came with a whole SWAG of propeller hats...
MasonM
Reply #20 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 8:00 PM
Err, that should be planet and "why they"
That's what I get for trying to eat and type at the same time
Reply #20 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 8:00 PM
hardware on the plant. There's a reason why the
Err, that should be planet and "why they"
That's what I get for trying to eat and type at the same time
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Reply #1 Tuesday, May 1, 2007 2:21 PM
Dell offering it can only be good for the consumer.
{Having said that, most folks that play with linux buy from Dell I think. They build their own PCs}