[ubuntu-uk] Choice of laptop

[TT Mooney]

Guys --

Just FYI, like a lot of other people, I bought a Dell with Ubuntu
pre-loaded. In my case, it's the Sputnik 3 (XPS 13 9333) 'Enterprise'
with HD5000 graphics.

It shipped with a Dell-approved build of 12.04, which worked well
enough, but had a funky boot process during which it was pretty much
impossible to enable LUKS. So I upgraded, and now on 14.04, there are
wireless issues which are pretty annoying, which Dell is very quiet about.

So, really, unless a vendor is going to commit to Linux, don't fool
yourself into thinking that everything will be peachy. I spent quite a
lot of my personal money on this laptop, and frankly the support from
Dell is non-existent. Ubuntu ran better on my Thinkpad (although the
laptop itself wasn't as nice), and on my eeepc 10".

Whatever you do, check every component for current kernel support, and
hope for no vendor abandonment or driver regressions.

I really hate to say it, but I've been looking at Macs again after 10+
years as a Linux on the desktop user. For the money I paid for this
Dell, I could have bought the similar Mac. And I bet wireless would work
pretty much all the time.

I've been thinking about how we ALMOST had a real Linux on the desktop
movement. But it's the little details that count, and if Dell and
Canonical can't keep a flagship product supported in the mainline
release, well, I can't say that I'm optimistic.

travis

PS -- I know this is a little bit of a hi-jack, but my friend that
recently started at Google was offered his choice of environment. On the
desktop: Linux or Mac. On the laptop: ChromeOS or Mac. What happened to
Gubuntu on the laptops?

PPS -- And the funny part? I kind of LIKE Unity. So there.

On 04/11/14 17:44, Gareth France wrote:
> Now this I like! I shall be attempting to get a refund for windows in
> the near future I think.
> 
> On 04/11/14 17:17, Alan Lord (News) wrote:
>> On 04/11/14 15:54, Liam Proven wrote:
>>> On 4 November 2014 16:42, Gareth France
>>> <gareth.france at cliftonts.co.uk> wrote:
>>>> Thanks. I've seen what I'd like but it's in PC world. I really don't
>>>> think I
>>>> can make a purchase if it is effectively an endorsement of Windows 8!
>>>> I'm
>>>> sure there must be another way.
>>>
>>> The real reason doesn't get talked about much.
>>>
>>> It costs money to /not/ preload Windows.
>>
>> Liam is right.
>>
>> The only way you can "try" to make a point is either by:
>>
>> 1. Buying a machine from somewhere that sells then sans OS or with Linux.
>> 2. Attempting to get a refund for the "Microsoft Tax"...
>>
>> If you search google you will find cases where suppliers have refunded
>> the license cost - and in doing so it arguably gives you an even better
>> platform for broadcasting about it rather than just quietly buying a PC
>> with Linux or no OS...
>>
>> (Here's my story from July 2009 - and note the comments):
>>
>> http://www.theopensourcerer.com/2009/07/getting-your-microsoft-tax-refunded-1010-for-amazon-uk/
>>
>>
>>
>> But it doesn't always work...
>>
>> Al
>>
>>
>