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Recommending Linux With Confidence: Where We Need To Go
It is not uncommon for people to ask me my opinion on operating systems or ask for help with computer issues. If I wished to recommend Mac OS X to someone, I can tell them to buy a Mac and be confident they wouldn’t run into issues with it. I know that if they take my advice for their next computer, they will pull it out of the box, turn it on, and it will work. Apple, even if I don’t like everything they do, has made it very easy for me to recommend their computers. (Ever wonder why there are so many people promoting Apple for free?) If I feel that Linux would be a better fit for the person in question, though, it is less clear what I should recommend. Ubuntu is, of course, a given for me, but how?
Do I recommend a pseudo-install with Wubi, that they install it normally on their existing computer, or that they buy a new computer pre-installed with it? I am not going to advise most people to go through partitioning on their own. Even if the Ubuntu installer makes it easy, there is too high a risk they destroy their data by accident or end up with a non-booting system. (And you know who gets to fix it, right?) Wubi isn’t a real install, so it is a good transition, but it runs more slowly than a real install. Plus, like the standard installer, there is always the risk of incompatible software. Ubuntu might be compatible with 90% of what’s out there, but that means 10% of the hardware will cause problems or require advanced setup.
So what about buying it pre-installed. Great! Just find me a vendor that pre-installs legal media and DVD playback codecs, makes all the hardware work out of the box without issue, and promptly ensures their hardware is compatible with the latest release. See that’s the problem. I can’t tell someone to go buy a <vendor name> computer and be confident that everything will work as soon as they turn it on.
Am I suggesting Canonical needs to get in to the hardware business? No. A partenership might not be a bad idea, but no, I do not think it would be smart for them to make their own hardware. I do think that there is a market for Linux-powered computers that are guaranteed to work as soon as they come out of the boxes. If a solution like this existed, I would be a lot more confident recommending Linux to everyone.
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So, would you recommend buying an Apple with OSX on it for someone who never used apple before? I wouldn’t. Neither would I recommend a switch to linux to someone who haven’t used it before.
Rather give people a liveCD to check out and take things from there if they like what they see.
Linux is about choice, not world domination.
Everyone – I think Manny said it best. System76, ZaReason, and Dell all have part of what I am looking for, but not all of it.
As far as Dell, I have a Dell Ubuntu computer, but they have still not bothered to update to Ubuntu 8.10. Also, I had a few little issues out of the box.
If you’re from the USA then you should have a look at the Dell’s. They come pre-installed with Ubuntu, with DVD playback and codecs, and everything works out of the box.
For me here in Australia, I’ve got to wait for Dell to cut loose from Microsoft before they’ll offer it here.
Any newbie who is installing a new operating system of any kind is going to have trouble. I wouldn’t recommend Vista or Apple either. Your point is moot. Ubuntu is quite simple to install anyway.
what is wrong with dell.com?
Dell Inspiron 530N
Intel® Pentium® dual-core processor E5200 (2MB L2, 2.5GHz, 800FSB)
Ubuntu 8.04 with DVD Playback
Just checked Dell’s website, and they sell Ubuntu installed machines, and I believe they imply that multimedia works out of the box.
Those netbook thingys that I read about have all that pre-installed codec whizbang, right? What about recommending one of those?
http://www.ubuntu.com/dell
Er, you know Canonical works with Dell and other OEMs with their Ubuntu installs (even when they end up not being called ubuntu)
For instance Dell’s Ubuntu computers come with DVD support and media codecs. There were still a confusing issue with getting skype and such, but then that should really be sorted out by the OEM or Canonical.
I’d recommend a Dell with Ubuntu on it for anyone buying a new machine. Their support guys may be pretty new to ubuntu, but a least they have people specially picked out to support it, instead of expecting the community to support their customers.
“I do think that there is a market for Linux-powered computers that are guaranteed to work as soon as they come out of the boxes.”
Your two best choices for hardware are System76 and ZaReason. They build Linux-powered systems that work out of the box.
And for codecs, Canonical has you covered, .
You could always recomend a ZaReason built computer, they build custom machines with preinstalled Linux, generally Ubuntu.
http://www.zareason.com/shop/home.php
for netbooks HP MIE and Dell mini
for laptops system76 has the most compatible hardware (even fingerprint reader), specially new gazelle ultra
http://www.system76.com/
for good variety, zareason has an upper hand
for legal codecs preinstalled (lindvd), = Dell