Ubuntu is coming back to Dell Laptops(techcrunch.com)
techcrunch.com
Ubuntu is coming back to Dell Laptops
http://techcrunch.com/2012/07/18/dell-gives-linux-laptops-another-chance/
148 comments
The majority of new laptops work out of the box with ubuntu 12.04. The driver complaint, while still fair in many cases, is not nearly as relevant as it used to be. Peripherals can be tough, but built-in hardware has come a long way.
Also, IMHO, weather dell is doing exactly what you want or not, they are continuing to support freedom of choice, freedom of software, and the hacker community in general. I commend them for the effort, and would love to see other vendors follow suit.
Also, IMHO, weather dell is doing exactly what you want or not, they are continuing to support freedom of choice, freedom of software, and the hacker community in general. I commend them for the effort, and would love to see other vendors follow suit.
So, and I'm honestly curious here because I'm in the market, what is the best Linux laptop out there?
I hear people swoon over a particular Lenovo/Thinkpad model, but have no idea which one it is.
I hear people swoon over a particular Lenovo/Thinkpad model, but have no idea which one it is.
Right now I'm on an x220.
IIR I had some acpi driver issue--in fact, had to manually white list my model in it--and power management is mediocre, even with powertop. But it gets the job done decently enough.
IIR I had some acpi driver issue--in fact, had to manually white list my model in it--and power management is mediocre, even with powertop. But it gets the job done decently enough.
I too have a Lenovo x220. I use Jupiter [0] to manually send the computer to "power saving" mode. With that and the extended 9-cell battery, the screen only slightly dimmed, and wifi at full blast, I get around 7 hours of battery doing browsing and coding. I uninstalled Flash, and that gave me back around 2 hours of battery.
[0] YMMV: http://askubuntu.com/questions/98972/does-jupiter-really-imp...
[0] YMMV: http://askubuntu.com/questions/98972/does-jupiter-really-imp...
I have x220i and I needed to fix mic mute button [1] and add a power management script [2] for saving power while on battery. I still get some graphics corruption with gpu accelerated chrome but it's not too common and I can live with it.
It would be nice if Lenovo or Dell would check how well their laptops (or even some model) worked with linux and tried to get this kind of stuff as default on major distros.
[1] http://askubuntu.com/questions/125367/enabling-mic-mute-butt... [2] http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/topic/11954
It would be nice if Lenovo or Dell would check how well their laptops (or even some model) worked with linux and tried to get this kind of stuff as default on major distros.
[1] http://askubuntu.com/questions/125367/enabling-mic-mute-butt... [2] http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/topic/11954
It gets a little complicated. I got a Lenovo g560 with an Ath9k wireless card, and installed Fedora 14 on it and everything worked. I upgraded to Fedora 16 and everything worked except the wireless card. Apparently there is no way to tell the OS anymore that the wireless card is turned on. Filing bugs with Fedora and asking on the ath9k-devel email lists got no help at all.
What worked before no longer works. The card is permanently hardblocked. Supposedly the fix is to install Windows, flip the switch a few times, and then install Linux. I don't want it that badly. I will just figure out ndiswrapper.....
What worked before no longer works. The card is permanently hardblocked. Supposedly the fix is to install Windows, flip the switch a few times, and then install Linux. I don't want it that badly. I will just figure out ndiswrapper.....
I know nothing about non-Thinkpad Lenovos and but with a quick googling I wouldn't put my money in one. As far as I'm concerned they might as well be Acer laptops.
When people say that Lenovo laptops work well with linux they mostly mean Thinkpad series and even then there are some exceptions. Best out-of-box experience will be with one that has intel cpu+intel wireless+intel gpu and was released a year ago. It's about as safe bet for a high quality fully working linux laptop as you can get.
When people say that Lenovo laptops work well with linux they mostly mean Thinkpad series and even then there are some exceptions. Best out-of-box experience will be with one that has intel cpu+intel wireless+intel gpu and was released a year ago. It's about as safe bet for a high quality fully working linux laptop as you can get.
I have x230, and I have to use a custom kernel, as the standard Ubuntu 12.04 kernel (3.2.x) hangs all flavors (standard/Unity, xubuntu, lubuntu).
I've got a Lenovo G770. Not particularly pretty but seems solid and has a nice big 17" screen for a decent price. I dual-boot Windows and Ubuntu without problems.
I have a Thinkpad E325, the AMD version. Everything just worked.
I put it on a relatives Toshiba Satellite. 99% of laptop models are going to be fine with Linux, unless they start implementing secure boot. Drivers wise, the embedded cameras and microphones they put in laptops almost always are from a maker that already has some form of Linux driver.
I bought a generic run of the mill but powerful Sager NP8662 3 years ago. It's a Clevo, and other than the fingerprint reader, I don't need any other custom drivers on Ubuntu. Even the bloody webcam and card reader work out of the box on 12.04, which I'm extremely surprised since I have to install manually drivers on Windows 7.
I'd say, if you have the money to spend buy an OEM laptop.
I'd say, if you have the money to spend buy an OEM laptop.
Dell Inspiron here, was running Ubuntu 10.04 for two years and recently installed 12.04. It's the first time in the last 5-6 years I've been running Linux on various laptops that suspend actually works (out of the box at least).
My previous machine was a Dell Latitude E6500, and it ran (well, still runs) Karmic like a champ. Suspend worked great there too.
I use LinuxMint 13 on Ideapad Y470. It has 8GB RAM, 750GB HDD, slot for mSATA SSD and NVidia 550M GPU.
I run Bumblebee + BBSwitch for NVidia Optimus and it is blazing fast. Sleep works fine and I feel the battery life is much better than running Win7.
I run Bumblebee + BBSwitch for NVidia Optimus and it is blazing fast. Sleep works fine and I feel the battery life is much better than running Win7.
T410 here and no issues.
T430 here. Great machine, but the intel wifi drivers for the 6300 chip are unusably buggy at the moment.
I have a Lenovo X220 and a Lenovo X1. Both work well with Ubuntu.
I have a Dell Vostro v131 that came preinstalled with Ubuntu 11.10. It's not the fastest computer around, but it's decently fast (I develop for Django, App Engine and Plone), reasonably expandable and seemingly well built. Plus, it's cheap enough you can buy one and a Macbook Air for the price of a high-end ugly Windows notebook.
Everything on the V131 works flawlessly.
Everything on the V131 works flawlessly.
I have an 5 year old T60 and love it. What I like about it:
- Durable. I carried it with me on trips and it still works. Its build quality is much better than other laptops.
- Good keyboard. Very important for me as it is my main machine for coding. I like the keyboard better than many full sized ones.
- 4:3 aspect ratio, 1400x1050 non-glare screen (can fit more vertical code).
- Trackpoint device (the "nipple" as some call it). I never liked trackpads (but it has that too, I just disabled it).
Recently my kid tore out some keys off of the keyboard, I started to ran out of disk space on its old 60GB hard drive, and my fan got kind of loud. I considered buying another machine. Looked around. But the more I looked, the more I realized that I just wanted this machine. So I got a 500GB hybrid Seagate Momentus drive, a new fan and a new keyboard. Spent an evening upgrading it and now I am hoping to get more years out of it.
Opening it, it just confirmed the build quality. The components inside, the materials used just seems better than in equivalent HP and Dell laptops I had to take apart.
- Durable. I carried it with me on trips and it still works. Its build quality is much better than other laptops.
- Good keyboard. Very important for me as it is my main machine for coding. I like the keyboard better than many full sized ones.
- 4:3 aspect ratio, 1400x1050 non-glare screen (can fit more vertical code).
- Trackpoint device (the "nipple" as some call it). I never liked trackpads (but it has that too, I just disabled it).
Recently my kid tore out some keys off of the keyboard, I started to ran out of disk space on its old 60GB hard drive, and my fan got kind of loud. I considered buying another machine. Looked around. But the more I looked, the more I realized that I just wanted this machine. So I got a 500GB hybrid Seagate Momentus drive, a new fan and a new keyboard. Spent an evening upgrading it and now I am hoping to get more years out of it.
Opening it, it just confirmed the build quality. The components inside, the materials used just seems better than in equivalent HP and Dell laptops I had to take apart.
I have a System76 Lemur UltraThin it came with 11.04 pre-installed(I'm now running 12.04) and it runs like a dream
HP Touchsmart tm2 here, and not everything works well. It has hybrid graphics (Intel chip for low power, and ATI for more graphically hungry applications) and Ubuntu 12.04 still cannot make any use of the ATI card. Worse, the ATI card is powered together with the Intel GPU at start, making the battery run out very fast and the laptop overheat.
This can be fixed with vga switcheroo, but it's really not an optimal solution. Net, avoid hybrid graphics laptops, usually they don't work well with Linux.
This can be fixed with vga switcheroo, but it's really not an optimal solution. Net, avoid hybrid graphics laptops, usually they don't work well with Linux.
I agree. I have installed 12.04 on an old i5 Toshiba u505 and a 13" MacBook Pro (wiped OS X since I have OS X on my Air, and an old backup MacBook).
I don't remember having any problems.
I don't remember having any problems.
Actually, most of new laptops do not work out of the box with Ubuntu 12.04 - you need to manually compile and/or install a custom Linux kernel in order to avoid hanging, as it is documented here: http://partiallysanedeveloper.blogspot.com/2012/05/ivy-bridg... and here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2005305.
For some reason Canonical decided to sacrifice stability and focus on something most users don't think they need (Unity).
For some reason Canonical decided to sacrifice stability and focus on something most users don't think they need (Unity).
Couple of things - replace "majority of new" with "ivy bridge chipsets ". A lot of people actually buy sandy bridge or even AMD you know.
Second, while I share somewhat common opinions on Unity, this particular example is a kernel bug. Most likely, ubuntu will backport those changes to 12.04 or has already provided a ppa for a newer kernel.
Second, while I share somewhat common opinions on Unity, this particular example is a kernel bug. Most likely, ubuntu will backport those changes to 12.04 or has already provided a ppa for a newer kernel.
Well, I work at a Linux shop, and I don't know anyone who would buy an AMD laptop to run Linux on it. And it's been more than two months since IvyBridge release, so a laptop that runs SandyBridge is probably not technically new (it can be never used, but already morally old... :)
Yes, this is a kernel issue, already fixed in 3.3.x. But Canonical has no intention of backporting it to 12.04 (3.2 kernel). And we are talking here about "just working", not installing an unsupported kernel manually from a dev repository.
Yes, this is a kernel issue, already fixed in 3.3.x. But Canonical has no intention of backporting it to 12.04 (3.2 kernel). And we are talking here about "just working", not installing an unsupported kernel manually from a dev repository.
Sandy Bridge had the same sort of problem. It took a year to get Linux graphics working properly.
Canonical is also very aggressive about ARM support, and they want to be among the very first to support Cortex A15 and then the ARMv8 architecture. They're also making a big play with ARM servers and Ubuntu.
> George said the laptop won’t be able to dual boot Windows. But Dell made available an Ubuntu install image customized for the XPS13, so you could buy the Windows version and install Ubuntu yourself if you require dual booting.
They probably don't mean the laptop "can't dual-boot Windows," but that it requires extra steps in deleting Linux, installing Windows, then installing Linux.
They probably don't mean the laptop "can't dual-boot Windows," but that it requires extra steps in deleting Linux, installing Windows, then installing Linux.
There's almost certainly no need to delete linux first: just install windows and then fix the bootloader.
>If Dell's Windows installs are any indication, that means it's going to be loaded with crapware or custom non-OSS drivers.
I don't know how long it's been since you've bought a Dell Win PC, but they aren't 'loaded' with crapware, not like it used to be. I just got an XPS 8300 from the Outlet, and all I had to do was remove McAffee and the Dell Support Suite. I went into Add/Remove Programs, uninstalled each, and shortly thereafter, it might as well have been a fresh install of Windows.
I don't know how long it's been since you've bought a Dell Win PC, but they aren't 'loaded' with crapware, not like it used to be. I just got an XPS 8300 from the Outlet, and all I had to do was remove McAffee and the Dell Support Suite. I went into Add/Remove Programs, uninstalled each, and shortly thereafter, it might as well have been a fresh install of Windows.
"What I'd like (and I suspect many other developers would too) is a nice laptop that I can install Linux on, and have it Just Work."
Well, the first thing I want is for it to just work. Sleep/Wake should just work. The trackpad should just work. Etc. Oh, and it should all work well.
After that I would love to be able to install some other version of linux and have it just work, but having a Dell version that just works is a big improvement over things not just working.
Well, the first thing I want is for it to just work. Sleep/Wake should just work. The trackpad should just work. Etc. Oh, and it should all work well.
After that I would love to be able to install some other version of linux and have it just work, but having a Dell version that just works is a big improvement over things not just working.
Again, it's all perspective. iPads just work, closed game consoles just work. Linux can just work (until the next update) but a lot of the time it doesn't.
And that's just the way I like it, because in the end (for me), its the only OS I can configure to such a degree that it lets me "just work".
And that's just the way I like it, because in the end (for me), its the only OS I can configure to such a degree that it lets me "just work".
I'd rather have my trackpad, sound, sleep/wake, graphics driver, etc ... work out of the box than to have an extreme degree of configurability.
You are right, this is my perspective, but for Dell it's also a matter of numbers. Which direction, if they can't do both now, will sell more laptops, cause fewer returns, etc.
You are right, this is my perspective, but for Dell it's also a matter of numbers. Which direction, if they can't do both now, will sell more laptops, cause fewer returns, etc.
That stuff works as well as it does on Windows 7 (I'm forced to use Windows 7 at the moment on a contract); everything you named is as reliable, IMHO.
I'm wondering if these might be a better route than what Dell is proposing: http://zareason.com/shop/Laptops/
Thanks for this link - I have been searching for hardware along these lines for quite some time.
Don't forget System76. Their offerings are a bit slim at the moment since the line is being updated to Ivy Bridge:
https://www.system76.com/laptops/
Or Ohava:
http://www.ohava.com/openbook
https://www.system76.com/laptops/
Or Ohava:
http://www.ohava.com/openbook
My only problem with System76 is their focus on Ubuntu. I'm sure it is fine, and I am happy it is out there, but it isn't ideal for me.
Ohava is new to me though - thanks!
Ohava is new to me though - thanks!
I doubt there is any crapware or really, and significant software difference in the Dell version beyond a desktop link. It seems extremely unlikely to me that they're doing much in terms of software customization. I'm sure you could get the laptop to dual-boot -- what are they going to do, modify GRUB2? --, but you'd need somewhere to install the other OS.
What they could do and which would be bad is use some sort of component which requires a non-free driver that's not supported well/anymore (so you're stuck with Ubuntu 12.x) or non-redistributable (ie. only available as part of Dell's iso). Let's say they ship a 100% proprietary and non-redistributable driver for NVIDIA's Optimus. But that seems very unlikely (if somewhat hilarous). And other than that I can't imagine any reason why you'd have any issue installing any other Linux distribution.
What they could do and which would be bad is use some sort of component which requires a non-free driver that's not supported well/anymore (so you're stuck with Ubuntu 12.x) or non-redistributable (ie. only available as part of Dell's iso). Let's say they ship a 100% proprietary and non-redistributable driver for NVIDIA's Optimus. But that seems very unlikely (if somewhat hilarous). And other than that I can't imagine any reason why you'd have any issue installing any other Linux distribution.
Though most laptops I tried worked out of box with Ubuntu, I still agree that there are lot of work that can be done for drivers. I recently got my sister a laptop. She is non-tech but is perfectly comfortable with Ubuntu. The only problem she faced was with driver for the 3G USB data card she had. I'm hopeful if laptop vendors push Linux, it will solve such little issues with time too.
One thing that always bothered me is that its has always been hard to get a decent laptop without Windows. I hate paying for Windows which I had no use of, and got that removed as soon as I bought laptops. Even if I may not use Dell's install of Ubuntu and replace it with my own choice of distribution, I wouldn't mind them shipping Ubuntu, as overall I'm hopeful this would push hardware vendors to get more serious about Linux drivers overall.
One thing that always bothered me is that its has always been hard to get a decent laptop without Windows. I hate paying for Windows which I had no use of, and got that removed as soon as I bought laptops. Even if I may not use Dell's install of Ubuntu and replace it with my own choice of distribution, I wouldn't mind them shipping Ubuntu, as overall I'm hopeful this would push hardware vendors to get more serious about Linux drivers overall.
That's been possible for a long time on Dell laptops.
I've had 3 Dell laptops running Linux and I've never had a problem. Recently I've been using Mint, but before that I used Debian and before that Slackware. The biggest problem I ever had is that some of the wireless drivers had to be installed via module-assistant, which is annoying. Also, I couldn't get accelerated OpenGL on one of them, but that was due to an ancient video card that was unsupported even on Windows at that point.
I will admit they were second hand laptops, so maybe the bugs were worked out in the time between their being released and my buying them.
I've had 3 Dell laptops running Linux and I've never had a problem. Recently I've been using Mint, but before that I used Debian and before that Slackware. The biggest problem I ever had is that some of the wireless drivers had to be installed via module-assistant, which is annoying. Also, I couldn't get accelerated OpenGL on one of them, but that was due to an ancient video card that was unsupported even on Windows at that point.
I will admit they were second hand laptops, so maybe the bugs were worked out in the time between their being released and my buying them.
I got one of the original Linux Dells with Ubuntu on it back in the day, and it was a nice effort, actually. I opened up the box, fired it up, and it was a fairly standard Ubuntu that I kept using without having to fiddle with it all. It was a very pleasant experience, and sold me on Dell. I'll be in the market for a new laptop next summer, so hopefully this goes well. My big worry is finding another machine with a screen like this one (1920x1200, 15"), as I've gotten used to the screen real estate.
I don't think you can buy those anymore, unless you go for an old one. The last Dell with 16:10 screen was M6500, I believe. Now the best you can hope for is 1920x1080.
I bought one of the Dell laptops that came with Ubuntu a few years ago and I'm typing this on it.
I simply installed stock Ubuntu immediately after receiving it due to the same fear of crapware. But still, having it come with Ubuntu preinstalled means I knew all the hardware would work, as it has so far. Also it means I voted with my dollars for wider adoption of Linux by vendors.
I simply installed stock Ubuntu immediately after receiving it due to the same fear of crapware. But still, having it come with Ubuntu preinstalled means I knew all the hardware would work, as it has so far. Also it means I voted with my dollars for wider adoption of Linux by vendors.
This is the differentiation of OEMs at play here, they will just apply the same crapware they have been installing on Windows, on Linux as well.
If the OS and hardware are not from the same vendor, this is always bound to happen.
If the OS and hardware are not from the same vendor, this is always bound to happen.
they provide an iso that will Just Work(tm) on their 13 inch ultrabook today.
They look nice, maybe you should get one.
They look nice, maybe you should get one.
Yeah but that's the problem... I don't want a special mystery Dell ISO, I want to use stock Ubuntu and have it Just Work. Using Dell's ISO locks you in to that certain image (upgrades are very likely dependent on Dell), it locks you in to Dell support (good luck posting in the Ubuntu forums about your super-special Dell ISO), and it almost certainly means they're not contributing back to the OSS community (though that's not so much a pain point as it is a general gripe).
Why do you assume it's so "super-special"? I doubt they'd have the rights to call it Ubuntu if it didn't have the standard package manager configuration pulling updates from Canonical.
The OP's argument is precisely about the fact that they shouldn't provide any ISO at all!
Just make sure your ultrabook is Ubuntu-certified or something and let people install the official version.
Just make sure your ultrabook is Ubuntu-certified or something and let people install the official version.
They could just get the hardware Ubuntu certified, literally. It might actually cost Dell less, too. Of course everyone wants their own "ecosystem", so maybe they'd rather just lose the customers if they can't lock them in.
http://www.ubuntu.com/certification/
http://www.ubuntu.com/certification/
Why can't I just get any computer with no operating system installed whatsoever. This isn't rocket science here, just format the hard drive and give me the computer. Then subtract the money you pay Microsoft for the windows license. If there is some contractual obligation Dell has with Microsoft to not do this then we need to start considering another round of antitrust proceedings.
I don't know what the current situation is for Dell, but a couple of years ago I worked at a company that sold laptops like this, mostly targeted towards businesses but ocasionally catering to regular users. The moment they saw a cheaper option of the same laptop (no OS pre-installed) they went for that and then came bitching the same day that their computer wouldn't boot.
I imagine Dell must suffer from the same problem on their online stores.
I imagine Dell must suffer from the same problem on their online stores.
So put it behind a big scary warning, maybe even in a different section of the site.
That's more or less what they did when they were selling Ubuntu laptops before. It seems that despite the warning, enough people unwittingly bought one to cause headaches for Dell. I imagine their margins are thin enough that even a few returns will get a manager frowning.
My understanding is that the big problem is that the pre-loaded crapware on a Windows PC pays more than Windows costs (in bulk license deals for resellers). In that case just selling it with a wiped disk would be more expensive, not less.
Hi,
I lived in China (Dalian), and laptops are sold with FreeDOS. It's mainly used to boot and to make sure the laptop is working. And to check that you get what you paid for!
People who can pay for Windows don't live in China, that's why :) (well of course a minority can, but they don't buy their laptops in the same stores...).
In US/CA/EU/Japan I think everybody can afford to pay the little extra for a windows licence.
Sure I can afford to pay a little extra for a windows license, but why on earth should I be expected to "pay a little extra" for something I'm not going to use?
My point above, however, was that I might not be paying extra - the crapware pushers might be subsidizing my linux box (with an extraneous tithe to MS).
My point above, however, was that I might not be paying extra - the crapware pushers might be subsidizing my linux box (with an extraneous tithe to MS).
I spend much of the year in China and I find the laptops overpriced or underpowered for the price they are offered for.
Sure, comparing retail price in China to the west usually has China being lower. However, most savvy buyers in the west buy their laptops from deals or outlet and with endless coupons. I haven't found either Dell's or Lenovo's outlet in China yet. Do they exist in China?
Sure, comparing retail price in China to the west usually has China being lower. However, most savvy buyers in the west buy their laptops from deals or outlet and with endless coupons. I haven't found either Dell's or Lenovo's outlet in China yet. Do they exist in China?
I have also heard this. If you're going to install something new anyway, you're just letting them subsidize your new computer. I don't have a problem with this.
Directly, I have a little bit of a problem with MS collecting money when they're not adding anything to the situation. That said, I have less of a problem than if it was my money, and still less of a problem given that I don't exactly have a lot of love for the organizations whose money it is.
Indirectly, I have a somewhat larger problem because it leads to things like fewer cheap Linux laptops available.
Indirectly, I have a somewhat larger problem because it leads to things like fewer cheap Linux laptops available.
In Romania a lot of the laptops come with FreeDOS so there is no Windows tax. Of course, these are usually the cheapest ones since it's expected that people will install pirated Windows.
Although they come with FreeDOS, this is not a signal the hardware is Linux compatible.
Although they come with FreeDOS, this is not a signal the hardware is Linux compatible.
While it's not possible to get the computer without the OS installed, you're allowed to decline the Windows license and get a refund from Dell. http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1073
Of course, it's not as convenient as the ideal circumstance of not having Windows installed by default, but it's the next best alternative nonetheless.
Of course, it's not as convenient as the ideal circumstance of not having Windows installed by default, but it's the next best alternative nonetheless.
I think it's all about demand. You can compare the following two links for yourself. It's really easy to get a laptop without any OS in India.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/OasYWz
Flipkart: http://bit.ly/Q72mcV
Amazon: http://amzn.to/OasYWz
Flipkart: http://bit.ly/Q72mcV
Selling an OS-free website is actually doing the Linux community a disservice. The reason is that it takes time and fidgeting in order to make everything work on Linux (and you can, in fact, screw up your computer if you don't set up fans correctly, for example), and the average developer (and, of course, any other user) doesn't want to waste time making suspend function when they can be working. For this reason, desktop Linux will not gain any significant market share if it is not pre-installed. This project will raise the Linux desktop market share, and thus encourage others to do something similar.
If there is some contractual obligation Dell has with Microsoft to not do this then we need to start considering another round of antitrust proceedings.
There is, that's why some computers come with FreeDOS.
There is, that's why some computers come with FreeDOS.
I would assume that if dell had an easy way to get a laptop with no operating system, it would be a support and consumer trust nightmare. They would then need to support how to install an operating system for every customer, as that's the only thing you'd be able to do when you bought your system.
If the os comes pre-installed, they only have to support drivers, and hackers like you or i can strip it if we want at our own risk.
If the os comes pre-installed, they only have to support drivers, and hackers like you or i can strip it if we want at our own risk.
> Why can't I just get any computer with no operating system installed whatsoever.
Because it's a very small market. Not very many people want to buy something that they can't use out of the box.
Because it's a very small market. Not very many people want to buy something that they can't use out of the box.
> Why can't I just get any computer with no operating system installed whatsoever.
This is illegal in many countries, as a computer isn't bootable in that situation.
This is illegal in many countries, as a computer isn't bootable in that situation.
Citation? I buy all sorts of things that don't do anything until you configure/assemble/connect them.
I heard already several times that if you sell a full PC, then it was to be working when it is bought.
Computer parts are not full PCs.
I'll check if I can find any example.
Computer parts are not full PCs.
I'll check if I can find any example.
yeah what about something like the raspberry pi that doesnt even have built in storage?
[deleted]
When Dell sold Linux laptops before, the problem was always that they treated the Linux version and the Windows version as a separate SKU. So you were buying the Dell Latitude 4100 Linux version or the Dell Latitude 4100 Windows version. You couldn't just go to the Dell Latitude 4100 web page and select Windows or Linux from the Operating System drop-down menu.
The regular price of the Windows version would be $1000 and the Linux version would be $930. The thing is, nobody buys Dell products at full price. They wait for the sale. The Windows versions would be on sale all the time and the Linux ones never were, so the Windows version was often actually cheaper than the Linux version.
The regular price of the Windows version would be $1000 and the Linux version would be $930. The thing is, nobody buys Dell products at full price. They wait for the sale. The Windows versions would be on sale all the time and the Linux ones never were, so the Windows version was often actually cheaper than the Linux version.
Bummer, but not a problem. They are different products targeting different markets. You don't want users being able to switch between windows or linux pre-installed via a simple interface. You want them to know exactly what they're doing. (Or in case they don't know what they're doing, you want them to buy windows)
Dell also needs to be able to promote their laptops using features of the OS, or software that comes with it. They also need to mark down the OS versions to coincide with promotions or market activity.
Plus, if you're a linux guy, and the windows version is cheaper, just buy that and get the ubuntu image or drivers from dell support. It's not like canonical is missing out on a sale.
Dell also needs to be able to promote their laptops using features of the OS, or software that comes with it. They also need to mark down the OS versions to coincide with promotions or market activity.
Plus, if you're a linux guy, and the windows version is cheaper, just buy that and get the ubuntu image or drivers from dell support. It's not like canonical is missing out on a sale.
>Plus, if you're a linux guy, and the windows version is cheaper, just buy that
and get the ubuntu image or drivers from dell support.
This is not an option if you are opposed to the Windows Tax on principle. I am extremely uncomfortable with artificially boosting Windows sales and indirectly supporting a monopoly.
And no, this by no means not a monopoly. Windows comes preinstalled on the overwhelming majority of computers today, and most of the time, there is no way around that. Most manufacturers even deny refunds, even when they are required to do so by law ("whatcha gonna do, sue us?").
For the record, I've been having "fun" with Lenovo trying to get my rightly deserved refund. I'm actually not adverse to taking this to court, but I'm a student and not exactly rich, so I don't know if I could afford that.
It's my firm opinion that forced bundling should be outright illegal, and it somewhat already is. There's a consumer protection directive from the EU that forbids "agressive or unfair practices", which this most certainly falls under.
This is not an option if you are opposed to the Windows Tax on principle. I am extremely uncomfortable with artificially boosting Windows sales and indirectly supporting a monopoly.
And no, this by no means not a monopoly. Windows comes preinstalled on the overwhelming majority of computers today, and most of the time, there is no way around that. Most manufacturers even deny refunds, even when they are required to do so by law ("whatcha gonna do, sue us?").
For the record, I've been having "fun" with Lenovo trying to get my rightly deserved refund. I'm actually not adverse to taking this to court, but I'm a student and not exactly rich, so I don't know if I could afford that.
It's my firm opinion that forced bundling should be outright illegal, and it somewhat already is. There's a consumer protection directive from the EU that forbids "agressive or unfair practices", which this most certainly falls under.
I definitely think that Dell is in a tough position in that they must protect themselves against customers that are dumb enough to choose an operating system that they don't want.
I disagree with your suggestion to buy the Windows version if it's cheaper. It's frustrating to me to see the $1000 Windows laptop marked down to $900 and the Linux one be sold at the original price of $930. I want to buy the Linux version for $830, not the Windows one for $900 :)
In truth, the first thing I would do after buying a Dell Laptop with Linux installed is wipe it clean and install Linux with the settings that I prefer. So the value of the preinstalled Linux for me is really just that I know that the hardware is all supported under Linux and I'm not paying for an OS that I don't want.
I disagree with your suggestion to buy the Windows version if it's cheaper. It's frustrating to me to see the $1000 Windows laptop marked down to $900 and the Linux one be sold at the original price of $930. I want to buy the Linux version for $830, not the Windows one for $900 :)
In truth, the first thing I would do after buying a Dell Laptop with Linux installed is wipe it clean and install Linux with the settings that I prefer. So the value of the preinstalled Linux for me is really just that I know that the hardware is all supported under Linux and I'm not paying for an OS that I don't want.
There seems to be a lot of confusion in the comments about what Dell is doing with this Laptop. Here are some observations that I've made:
* The image is custom, but it is maintained by Canonical, and one can download Ubuntu independently and then enable a bunch of Dell PPAs for hardware support (see http://hwe.ubuntu.com/uds-q/dellxps/).
* Dell is contributing to OSS with this project. They have, with Canonical and the manifacturer, already built open source touch-pad drivers that seem to be working very well (a rarity on Linux).
* Selling an OS-free website is actually doing the Linux community a disservice. The reason is that it takes time and fidgeting in order to make everything work on Linux (and you can, in fact, screw up your computer if you don't set up fans correctly, for example), and the average developer (and, of course, any other user) doesn't want to waste time making suspend function when they can be working. For this reason, desktop Linux will not gain any significant market share if it is not pre-installed. This project will raise the Linux desktop market share, and thus encourage others to do something similar.
* This project started as a pilot in order for Dell to gauge interest, and they deemed it having enough potential to actually launch. The buzz from Dell (really, the "Project Sputnik" blog) is that if it is successful, there might be a follow-up.
With all that said, I will still not be buying this computer. The high-end version that they're selling is too expensive because of a large SSD (still too expensive), while only having 4GB of RAM. In the age of streaming and Dropboxes, I'd rather keep $200 and have 128GB SSD with 8GB RAM. Plus the screen is mediocre (although the keyboard feels amazing, I tried it at Best Buy).
Edit: Added newlines.
* The image is custom, but it is maintained by Canonical, and one can download Ubuntu independently and then enable a bunch of Dell PPAs for hardware support (see http://hwe.ubuntu.com/uds-q/dellxps/).
* Dell is contributing to OSS with this project. They have, with Canonical and the manifacturer, already built open source touch-pad drivers that seem to be working very well (a rarity on Linux).
* Selling an OS-free website is actually doing the Linux community a disservice. The reason is that it takes time and fidgeting in order to make everything work on Linux (and you can, in fact, screw up your computer if you don't set up fans correctly, for example), and the average developer (and, of course, any other user) doesn't want to waste time making suspend function when they can be working. For this reason, desktop Linux will not gain any significant market share if it is not pre-installed. This project will raise the Linux desktop market share, and thus encourage others to do something similar.
* This project started as a pilot in order for Dell to gauge interest, and they deemed it having enough potential to actually launch. The buzz from Dell (really, the "Project Sputnik" blog) is that if it is successful, there might be a follow-up.
With all that said, I will still not be buying this computer. The high-end version that they're selling is too expensive because of a large SSD (still too expensive), while only having 4GB of RAM. In the age of streaming and Dropboxes, I'd rather keep $200 and have 128GB SSD with 8GB RAM. Plus the screen is mediocre (although the keyboard feels amazing, I tried it at Best Buy).
Edit: Added newlines.
I'm posting from one of their old ones right now, and I hope they do a better job this time. Bug city last time, and took a lot of work and a lot of time to pass (and a switch to Debian unstable) to make it completely workable.
I don't know how you ship laptops where the headphone jacks don't work and every update borks the sound completely unless you want them to fail. Did they not have anybody actually turn one on before selling them on their website?
I don't know how you ship laptops where the headphone jacks don't work and every update borks the sound completely unless you want them to fail. Did they not have anybody actually turn one on before selling them on their website?
Dell's commitment to Ubuntu seems to extend only to the extent that it offers them a bargaining chip with Microsoft.
That may be Dell's strategy, but Microsoft doesn't care. Everything about their strategy indicates that they're taking some lessons from Apple with regard to beautiful hardware and vertical integration. Microsoft likely believes that the PC (at least as an upgradable device) is an anachronism that will be wholly replaced by digital appliances like Xbox and Surface.
Dell doesn't fit into that worldview.
Dell doesn't fit into that worldview.
The problem I have here is price. This just doesn't undercut an mbp, and it would have to to get me to buy it
Maybe you're not the target audience then? This seems to be targeted at a relatively specific group of people.
Perhaps. I've run linux year over year til 6 mo. ago when I switched to a mac.
As nice as this is I just doubt the hardware is of a similar quality. Additionally, for a notebook the magsafe connector is a huge deal as it's the thing I've seen die first on notebook after notebook.
I do all my dev on linux VMs at this point, and I'd imagine that's a lot of other devs.
As nice as this is I just doubt the hardware is of a similar quality. Additionally, for a notebook the magsafe connector is a huge deal as it's the thing I've seen die first on notebook after notebook.
I do all my dev on linux VMs at this point, and I'd imagine that's a lot of other devs.
Isn't the mbp pretty annoying for Linux? That's what I've heard, at the very least, and some of my friends have had trouble (at least on slightly older mbps--certainly not the new high-res versions).
Wireless is a problem on some (13' 2011 pro for example if I'm not mistaken). Not being able to remap the fn key is also extremely annoying.
Used to be the trackpad didn't work properly, but I think in the latest version of Ubuntu it might be fixed. Haven't tried it yet, though, only saw things in the "what's new" text that made me think they probably fixed it.
I installed Ubuntu 12.04 without problems on my 2010 Macbook Air (with an external DVD drive). It works well and I am happy with it.
There is a minor problem where the trackpad sometimes thinks I'm double-clicking after the laptop comes out of sleep, but that's being worked on. It rarely happens, and when it does, logout+login fixes the problem. That's pretty much the only quibble I have.
There is a minor problem where the trackpad sometimes thinks I'm double-clicking after the laptop comes out of sleep, but that's being worked on. It rarely happens, and when it does, logout+login fixes the problem. That's pretty much the only quibble I have.
Right, but I think OS X is unix-y enough for most people.
Why do you think that? It lacks most of the killer features.
Care to expand on that? Recall that Mac OS X is a certified UNIX, so I'm not sure what "unix-y" features it's missing.
GPL v3 great purge that Apple is doing in stages means that all UNIX-y software on Mac OS X, including shells, gcc etc are now ancient and will eventually be phased out altogether.
The ability to replace the desktop environment without basically building a new OS from scratch, for one.
Once I've got homebrew or macports installed, I miss very little. What features do you find it lacking?
Without extreme modifications to the operating system and/or expensive third-party solutions:
Disabling the nauseating window-switching animations in Lion (not Snow Leopard), the ability to implement proper tiling window management (think wmii, not Divvy/Shift), focus-follows-mouse, arbitrary remappings of keys, mapping keyboard shortcuts involving the return/enter key, disabling the hardcoded built-in delay in the Caps Lock key, unified package management (homebrew != portage), unified binary package management (pacman != homebrew != portage), launching of 'applications' from a terminal without hunting down the location of the binary[1], renaming Documents/ and Downloads/ to their lowercase equivalents without breaking tab completion (seriously??), getting GNU screen/readline working in Terminal.app without really awkward line wrapping problems, the ability to access basic utilities (like system temperature) from the command line, upgrading system versions of things like the python interpreter (this may have been fixed), changing the resolution and font-size system-wide, scripting arbitrary window behavior in any language (again, think plan9/wmii), mounting /tmp in RAM the way tmpfs in Linux provides...
...that was just off the top of my head, but clearly there's quite a bit. Some of that is because it ships with a version of bash that's on the order of a decade old... but that's a problem in and of itself!
[1] Yet another example of how the concept of applications is broken on OSX - installing an application from a .dmg file is a completely different process from installing something via make install on a traditional (*)NIX.
Disabling the nauseating window-switching animations in Lion (not Snow Leopard), the ability to implement proper tiling window management (think wmii, not Divvy/Shift), focus-follows-mouse, arbitrary remappings of keys, mapping keyboard shortcuts involving the return/enter key, disabling the hardcoded built-in delay in the Caps Lock key, unified package management (homebrew != portage), unified binary package management (pacman != homebrew != portage), launching of 'applications' from a terminal without hunting down the location of the binary[1], renaming Documents/ and Downloads/ to their lowercase equivalents without breaking tab completion (seriously??), getting GNU screen/readline working in Terminal.app without really awkward line wrapping problems, the ability to access basic utilities (like system temperature) from the command line, upgrading system versions of things like the python interpreter (this may have been fixed), changing the resolution and font-size system-wide, scripting arbitrary window behavior in any language (again, think plan9/wmii), mounting /tmp in RAM the way tmpfs in Linux provides...
...that was just off the top of my head, but clearly there's quite a bit. Some of that is because it ships with a version of bash that's on the order of a decade old... but that's a problem in and of itself!
[1] Yet another example of how the concept of applications is broken on OSX - installing an application from a .dmg file is a completely different process from installing something via make install on a traditional (*)NIX.
Thanks for the response - honestly, though, aside from the inability to switch WM I'm not sure most of those things constitute the killer features of linux, so much as issues that will bug a relatively small number of people (with the caveat that for most people's purposes, I think homebrew or macports are good enough). You might group them under a larger heading of 'configurability'. Other bugbears are solved by third party applications (different terminal app, command line temperature app, etc).
It's fair to say that you might reasonably class such configurability as the defining killer feature of linux - and different people will be more or less willing to trade it off in favour of a lower-hassle experience.
It's fair to say that you might reasonably class such configurability as the defining killer feature of linux - and different people will be more or less willing to trade it off in favour of a lower-hassle experience.
Good luck with that Dell. 1366x768 resolution and Sandy Bridge chipset (Intel HD3000), launching soon? It doesn't become a developer laptop just because you've decided to call it that. You need a high DPI screen, and today it also needs Ivy Bridge with Intel HD4000 (or better).
You expect it to have the absolute latest class of CPU, launched only a month ago, or better? Just what do you have in mind?
I just got my system76 laptop today with Ubuntu pre-loaded. Nothing like opening the box, turning on your new laptop, and just having it all work. Can't beat the prices either.
I've been pretty happy with mine too, although it does freeze and require restarting a bit more often than my old MacBook. Then again, the reboot process takes less than 20 seconds, so I can't complain all that much.
A "developer edition" laptop with 1366x768 resolution?
This is why I won't buy a machine from one of the many fine vendors that sell laptops with Linux pre-loaded. In virtually all cases (that I've seen) you have to choose between a low-resolution screen and paying $2,000 or more.
Exactly my thought. When Dell launched it's survey, devs were screaming for 4:3 high dpi screen. Basically that survey was useless.
I'm in the market for a new desktop monitor right now, and I'm finding it really difficult to find a 4:3 aspect ratio at a decent price. I'm not using the computer to watch movies, it's a PC, not a TV, and I value my vertical screen space. It seems the widescreen fad is pushing good old 4:3 out of the market. I'd pick a reconditioned one up, but I want HDMI input, rather than VGA...
I would rather recommend buying a 16:10 screen and rotating it 90 degrees. Works perfect for me.
Okay, how exactly is it not able to dual boot Windows? What is keeping it from being Windows compatible? It seems like an extreme situation where an x86 would be Linux-compatible but not be able to run Windows as well.
The BIOS. Specifically, the installation of Microsoft's signing key in UEFI secure boot - which requires the other parts (drivers, specifically) of the UEFI BIOS are signed with Microsoft's key as well.
Windows 8 is "theoretically" only bootable when secure boot is turned on.
Windows 8 is "theoretically" only bootable when secure boot is turned on.
No - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/09/22/protecting-the...
"Microsoft does not mandate or control the settings on PC firmware that control or enable secured boot from any operating system other than Windows.
[...]
A demonstration of this control is found in the Samsung tablet with Windows 8 Developer Preview that was offered to //BUILD/ participants. In the screenshot below you will notice that we designed the firmware to allow the customer to disable secure boot. However, doing so comes at your own risk. OEMs are free to choose how to enable this support and can further customize the parameters as described above in an effort to deliver unique value propositions to their customers. Windows merely did work to provide great OS support for a scenario we believe many will find valuable across consumers and enterprise customers."
"Microsoft does not mandate or control the settings on PC firmware that control or enable secured boot from any operating system other than Windows.
[...]
A demonstration of this control is found in the Samsung tablet with Windows 8 Developer Preview that was offered to //BUILD/ participants. In the screenshot below you will notice that we designed the firmware to allow the customer to disable secure boot. However, doing so comes at your own risk. OEMs are free to choose how to enable this support and can further customize the parameters as described above in an effort to deliver unique value propositions to their customers. Windows merely did work to provide great OS support for a scenario we believe many will find valuable across consumers and enterprise customers."
That seems to say exactly what I'm saying, please clarify:
"... other than Windows," i.e. Windows 8 itself "theoretically" wants Secure Boot turned on.
I've read the link; there's no indication that the Windows 8 Logo Compliance requirements force Windows 8 to work with Secure Boot turned off. And obviously, ARM-based Windows 8 systems will require it to be turned on:
http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/01/microsoft-mandating-...
"... other than Windows," i.e. Windows 8 itself "theoretically" wants Secure Boot turned on.
I've read the link; there's no indication that the Windows 8 Logo Compliance requirements force Windows 8 to work with Secure Boot turned off. And obviously, ARM-based Windows 8 systems will require it to be turned on:
http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/01/microsoft-mandating-...
1) Windows 8 on PC works (and will work) with Secure Boot off.
2) ARM is not a subject of this discussion.
I'm going to assume they mean they don't condone it. (possibly because of a licencing agreement with microsoft) Obviously if it is a computer, which i think it is, you will be able to install grub.
That's an odd to say. I bought my v131 in March and it came preinstalled with Linux. Dell web store shows a couple machines being sold with Linux.
Of course, the pages show "Dell recommends Windows® 7" because by doing this their OEM licenses cost a little bit less.
The laptops are at http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/laptops.aspx?c=us&l=en...
Of course, the pages show "Dell recommends Windows® 7" because by doing this their OEM licenses cost a little bit less.
The laptops are at http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/laptops.aspx?c=us&l=en...
What is the battery life going to be like? I grudgingly installed Windows 7 on my (Lenovo) laptop after using Unix exclusively for 15 years simply because the battery lasts twice as long on Windows.
For what it's worth, I bought a Dell Inspiron Mini 10v with Ubuntu Hardy preinstalled 2.5 years ago. It didn't suspend/resume properly and video out was flaky. It died after two years of use (with strange electrical problems). I don't think I'll buy a Dell in the future.
For what it's worth, I bought a Dell Inspiron Mini 10v with Ubuntu Hardy preinstalled 2.5 years ago. It didn't suspend/resume properly and video out was flaky. It died after two years of use (with strange electrical problems). I don't think I'll buy a Dell in the future.
I run Arch on my 9-cell-equipped T430 and get ~8 hours with wifi, reasonable screen brightness, and light load. That's very close to the advertised life.
On my E520, I was getting about 2 to 2.5 hours under similar conditions (I have the 6 cell battery, however) in Debian; under Windows I get 4-5 hours.
I think the recent kernels have had improved power management. I've certainly noticed an improvement on my laptop running Fedora a while back.
Which laptop? I desperately want to replace my MBP with the highest quality Fedora-supporting hardware I can find.
I have a Sony Vaio Z-series. I really like it, but it's rather expensive.
Also, it comes with a weird dock thing that has an external graphics card. Ideally, you would plug this in and have better graphics processing when you're at home. I haven't been able to get this to work on Linux. However, I haven't been able to get it to work on Windows 8 either :/.
So for me, the whole dock thing is just an overpriced external dvd drive. I really like the idea of having an external graphics card like that, but the implementation just isn't great.
Out of all the laptops I've read about online, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon[1] really stands out. If I was looking for a new one, that's probably what I'd get. I'm not sure how well it supports Linux, but it just seems really awesome.
[1]: http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/laptop/thinkpad/x-series/x...
Also, it comes with a weird dock thing that has an external graphics card. Ideally, you would plug this in and have better graphics processing when you're at home. I haven't been able to get this to work on Linux. However, I haven't been able to get it to work on Windows 8 either :/.
So for me, the whole dock thing is just an overpriced external dvd drive. I really like the idea of having an external graphics card like that, but the implementation just isn't great.
Out of all the laptops I've read about online, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon[1] really stands out. If I was looking for a new one, that's probably what I'd get. I'm not sure how well it supports Linux, but it just seems really awesome.
[1]: http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/laptop/thinkpad/x-series/x...
The X1 does look nice, and it would be great to ditch the aluminum without settling for cheap-feeling plastic.
My old Sharp MM10 had a magnesium alloy case... I still miss that one.
My old Sharp MM10 had a magnesium alloy case... I still miss that one.
The Vaio Z-series is also made partially from carbon fiber. Mine also has the same resolution (1600x900) in a 13" screen.
That said, if the X1 carbon was out when I was buying my laptop, I'd probably have gone for it. The low resolution of the old X1 was what really turned me off. Also, I think a 14" screen is a better compromise than 13" between portability and convenience.
That said, if the X1 carbon was out when I was buying my laptop, I'd probably have gone for it. The low resolution of the old X1 was what really turned me off. Also, I think a 14" screen is a better compromise than 13" between portability and convenience.
I run Fedora on a fairly new Toshiba laptop and the battery life is pretty good. I used it on a flight the other day, watching video for about an hour and twenty minutes, and the battery meter showed more than 50% remaining when I shut it down.
Maybe it doesn't match a MBP, but if I can get 3 hours or more out of a charge, I'm pretty happy. There aren't many times that I'm going to be away from power longer than that. Now someone who's flying coast-to-coast on a routine basis and needs to get all the productivity they can out of 6+ hour flight, may need something different.
Maybe it doesn't match a MBP, but if I can get 3 hours or more out of a charge, I'm pretty happy. There aren't many times that I'm going to be away from power longer than that. Now someone who's flying coast-to-coast on a routine basis and needs to get all the productivity they can out of 6+ hour flight, may need something different.
I wonder if this actions is a result of a need to diversify just in case Windows declines much more rapidly than expected? Hedging their bets if you will.
A $1500 laptop with Linux is hardly a game changer.
At first I thought this sort of thing would be perfect for a student market, but then I looked at the price. The price point is just too high. I'd love to see something cheaper targeting Engineering students. At this price, if I were a student, I may as well wait for a decent internship and buy an MBP.
Welcome back Dell, now if HP and Lennovo join in people will start to remember the power and elegance of a laptop over a table and a laptop running Ubuntu is unreal.
Except...Unity sucks (the UI). Gnome 2 rocked.
Except...Unity sucks (the UI). Gnome 2 rocked.
I hope they test the laptops more thoroughly this time. The Dellbuntu laptop i bought last time was returned because there was a bug with the graphics drivers that prevented X from working.
Recently 125,000 Dell Laptops with Ubuntu pre-installed were distributed for free among Pakistani students by the Government.
Heh. Yeah. Microsoft makes hardware and starts to compete with you. Doesn't seem insane to start backpaddling a little bit.
1080p screen on a 13" lcd and you got me. god. i'm a programmer and i like my fonts crisp.
Then the Zenbook Prime is definitely for you sir.
He's a programmer. I think he wants his keyboard to be not completely crap, too.
The reviews say that the Prime has a pretty good keyboard.
I'm so tempted to buy this one, but I decided to skip this and wait for Haswell instead. I'm reasonably sure I can pull my Core 2 Duo/Penryn for another year.
I'm so tempted to buy this one, but I decided to skip this and wait for Haswell instead. I'm reasonably sure I can pull my Core 2 Duo/Penryn for another year.
Not the reviews I've read. In fact, they say just the opposite.
Link? Or a name?
I'm talking about review from Mobiletecreview. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVK-9cPRTLw
I'm talking about review from Mobiletecreview. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVK-9cPRTLw
Does battery life still suck?
Will Newegg let you return these?
What I'd like (and I suspect many other developers would too) is a nice laptop that I can install Linux on, and have it Just Work.
What it looks like Dell is providing is a nice laptop, but with a custom build of Ubuntu installed. If Dell's Windows installs are any indication, that means it's going to be loaded with crapware or custom non-OSS drivers. This is just speculation, but the fact that you can't dual-boot Windows on it is a big hint. Who knows what crapware they're going to load up on it, and then you'll be tied to their special brand of Ubuntu if you want upgrades or support.
What Dell should do instead is work with hardware manufacturers to iron out Linux driver bugs for just one nice laptop. Then sell that laptop with a stock Ubuntu build and let developers go to town. I'd pay a lot of money for something like that. Instead, today I have to buy a cheap Dell laptop, install Ubuntu, and deal with the driver headaches that exist to this day. (And don't tell me Linux is a magical fairy land because it Works For You, because it doesn't Just Work for me. It hasn't for years and it still doesn't today.)