[ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Pre installed - HP 'standard images' 'may not work' WTF

[alan c]

On 07/06/15 11:23, Colin Law wrote:
> On 7 June 2015 at 10:50, alan c <aeclist at candt.waitrose.com> wrote:
>> I was very interested in the HP laptops on EBuyer - Ubuntu pre installed.
>> '..HP ProBook 455 Notebook PC is powered by an AMD A10-7300 APU with AMD
>> Radeonâ„¢ R6 Graphics. ..'
>> http://www.ebuyer.com/705955-hp-455-quad-core-laptop-l8b56es
>>
>> then I came across the caviat on the official certification site
>> ==================
>> 2) Standard images of Ubuntu may not work at all on the system or may not
>> work well, though Canonical and computer manufacturers will try to certify
>> the system with future standard releases of Ubuntu.
>> ==================
>> Mmm. Not so keen now.
>>
>> I dont mind mmc cards not working or some specific slowness, but 'Standard
>> images of Ubuntu may not work at all' For heavens sakes?
>> Looks like a no deal, and something of a poison pill?
>
> My interpretation of that would be that the system will work as
> supplied but if you replaced the supplied system with a standard
> Ubuntu one there is no guarantee.  I don't see that is unreasonable.
> One cannot expect them to guarantee that the machine will work with
> all future versions of Ubuntu any more than if you buy a Windows
> machine it is guaranteed to work with all future versions of Windows.
>
> You are still better off than buying one without Ubuntu pre-installed,
> as that is not guaranteed to work at all with Ubuntu.
>
> However I think I would want one with 14.04 not 12.04.
>
> Colin

Interesting, thanks. My take on it is that even a 12.04.4 live session 
may not work, nor in fact any live session....  'may not work at all' 
that sounds like graphics etc. Certainly there does not seem to be a 
background of happy close cooperation between HP and [Ubuntru]. I have 
posted a question on EBuyer site about the caviat. Unfortunately such 
a public question is already an adverse sign. But, I am very glad to 
have found out about this before spending money. On a machine with no 
pre install, I would first confirm from other users that things were 
sensible before buying, Ubuntu does usually 'work'.....

Look at the mess we will probably see when people buy this (G2 
version???) and ask the community for help with live sessions or going 
to a new release. It is likely to give Ubuntu a bad name. How is it 
that HP, a Ubuntu-friendly company has managed to release such 
machines in a situation where the formal Ubuntu comment includes 'may 
not work at all'? Have we got any inside information or community 
knowledge, that may suggest this situation will get responsibly 
supported without undue damage to Ubuntu reputation? Anyone please?

I am also concerned that there is no mention of a support comment on 
the sales site - with specific software one would hope that HP at 
least would have a support comment.
tia
--
alan cocks