Dell updates to Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon, adds DVD playback
By Thomas Ricker 
posted December 19th 2007 8:38AM
posted December 19th 2007 8:38AM
Dell continues to tread lightly in the inviting waters of Linux with newly announced support for Ubuntu 7.10 -- AKA, Gutsy Gibbon. Available now in the US on Inspiron 530 desktops or Inspiron 1420 laptops. The new systems also include built-in DVD movie playback. Our friends in England, France, and Germany will get their Gutsy Gibbon fix later in the week but only on Inspiron 530 systems. So why the two month delay since 7.10's release? Dell says, "they take the time to do extensive testing on our systems to make sure that customers have as few issues as possible." Fair enough.[Via Desktop Linux]
"they take the time to do extensive testing on our systems to make sure that customers have as few issues as possible."
Ohhhh, so that explains why Vista on Dell XPS machines is /sooo/ good!
the key words in that statement are "as possible". Dell can do all the testing and tweaking they want, but the problems with Vista are probably mostly on Microsoft's end. Not that I'm defending Dell or anything, because there's no way XP should be as unstable as it is on most Dells.
Vista isn't unstable. I've had it for 6 months now and haven't had a problem with it. It hasn't crashed at all. My XP computer crashed at least a dozen times in a ~2 year time frame.
I think all you people who bash Vista are Mac users, and have never used Vista.
Same here, i've had Vista for almost a year now.
I got it free through my university and the Microsoft Academic Alliance...
I installed it on my laptop at first, then later bought a dell desktop that came with vista.
never had a problem, it's only ever crashed maybe once,
compared to my XP machine that used to blue screen all the time.
Vista works well and the interface is nice.
I think for the most part, people don't like change, and either haven't tried it or wont try it because someone else says its no good.
I for one am quite happy with Vista.
I use it daily at work, there are many small irritations with it.
It's not as bad as a lot of people make out, but that doesn't make it good either!
(For the record, I don't own a Mac)
@ johnathan bergeron
I had Vista installed since launch on a 4 year old Inspiron 8600. Ran slow, but ran very reliably and never crashed. Thinking the naysayers were liars I went ahead and got it for my brand new computer. Games could NOT stop crashing at full resolution (1920x1200) with an 8800 ultra - the drivers were just CRAP. So it really depends on your system whether you're going to have a good Vista experience or not.
I have Ubuntu 7.04 on my laptop, and Vista on my desktop -- each for about 6 months. As delighted I am with Ubuntu, I have to admit it has locked up a few times requiring a reboot. Though the stray program has stopped responding once or twice on Vista, I've never had it completely lock up, and it has never required a reboot in the six months I've been using it. Of course -- I paid a lot more for Vista than Ubuntu. (understatement)
Vista is not perfect. But it is pretty good. Much better than people give it credit for.
I bought a vista-loaded machine earlier this year, and many problems that were present in XP still happened in Vista. Additionally, it was super-slow considering the hardware. I would think that, given 4 years, MS could have done better. I am very thankful that I had this experience on Vista, because it caused me to look to Linux. It really opened my eyes to the quantity and quality of open-source programs out there. Linux is not without its frustrations/limitations, but IMHO it's better than Vista, especially when you factor price in.
I've got Vista on my Dell notebook for half a year already, and I have no issues. Dell does a good job in qualifying products before they consider them ready to be shipped.
Yeah keep hailing Dell...
My Inspiron 9400 Fucked up today because those idiots cant keep my GF 7900 GS from overheating all the time.
It's not just dell laptops that have problems, I have a Sony which I had to send off because they included faulty ram. I wish it were easier to custom build laptops... I never have problems with my custom desktop :(
You are damn right Ted.
I just seem to have catched the right time to send that (d)hell thing in. Its fucking christmas - meaning it will take me over 1 month to get it back ... and my warranty is gone too. Not even a 2 year warranty is standard. (Over here in Switzerland you expect at least 2 years).
Do PMPs work on Ubuntu? Specifically Sansa and Creative?
Assuming these Sansa's are UMS, yes. If they're MTP, you'll need Amarok, which is just a quick download.
Creative players work as well. I've used my Zen Vision: M (which is MTP, as is the Zen, Zen V/+, and Zen Vision:W) with Fedora for years. And the Zen Stone/+ are UMS, so they can work with any OS.
Exaile for GTK+, based on Amarok
My Cowon PMP works fine with Ubuntu.
Sorry for being dense here but who exactly is buying these? When DVD playback is touted as a feature I have been enjoying for over a decade then I start to wonder.
Do people that buy Linux PCs not buy them for more serious purposes than DVD watching?
If someone can give me their perspective on the use of these it would be appreciated.
Craig
I'm a candidate for a Dell Linux PC. That way I don't have to pay MS tax for something that would be purged on the system's first boot anyway.
Your DVD comment reeks of troll. Why would I not want the ability to play DVDs on my Linux machine? Just because I do other things with it doesn't mean I don't want the option of playing DVDs on it.
However, if I were buying a system I'd probably go with system76 as another person mentioned. At the moment however, I have enough computers.
It's obvious you've never used Linux.
The "tax" that you think you're getting with Windows is in the form of lots of your free time and sanity when it comes to Linux. Simple things I can do with Windows requires me to look at half a dozen website message boards and tons of fiddling with config files and terminal commands when it comes to Ubuntu! And the latest example was just to get a desktop clock program to work.
No I never got it to work.
But I'm sure you will uninstall Windows, install Linux and come back pretending you are just having a blast just to save face. God only knows I've met a few people that pulled the same act, and are now dual-booting into Vista when nobody's looking.
@Optimus:
after just spending some time on Dell's site, I asked myself the same question. Get this: the same 530 Inspiron computer (E2140 processor, 1 GB, 250 GB, CD/DVD combo drive, integrated audio and video...) costs $429 with Vista, and with Ubuntu? $499! They are charging MORE for the Linux boxes. I'm all for not paying Microsoft for their software, but why in the world would I pay more money to do so?
That sam Ubuntu box would make a great $299 extra computer- I'd buy that, and it would compete great with those green things that Wally World is selling...
DVD playback in an opensource world was hindered by the wonderful DMCA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decss). DVD has been possible on linux for years, but just as windows won't let you watch your DVDs until you install a dvd player software or buy the plug-in for windows media player It won't play your DVDs. All Dell is saying now is that they will ship their Ubuntu boxes with some software to watch DVDs (something that you had to download on your own before due to licensing issues.) I have been watching DVDs on my linux computer for years.
@fred,
don't you remember having to download all the basics like itunes+quicktime, realplayer, flashplayer, {firefox or opera}, and now VLC for anyone who doesn't have bundled DVD software.
Linux has it's problems and it's mainly to do with hardware support, no one who has windows should flat out delete it and switch, mult-boot is more ideal, and you don't need linux to run opensource software there is plenty on available for windows.
I find it isn't so easy a kid could do it, and no computer laymen should install it on a working windows machine without some help. I find it is best suited for anyone who just needs to do everyday computer stuff like and E-mail and Internet.
The main attraction IMO is the ability to do low cost computing do-it-yourself project: do the research (make sure the hardware you will buy works with Linux), buy the hardware OEM, put it together, ad free {is in beer} OS. It would be simple to create a setup for 100 computers (all with the same hardware) slap in your custom distro and wallah army of clones (great for business).
I'm a hypocrite because I can't live {as in enjoy my computing experience} without my games or Adobe.
@Marduk
yup, and its 1) easy to use, 2) fully pre-installed, 3) offers SOMETHING that Windows does not, and 4) it's cheaper.
problem is, it's really a different product category...
"@Marduk
yup, and its 1) easy to use, 2) fully pre-installed, 3) offers SOMETHING that Windows does not, and 4) it's cheaper.
problem is, it's really a different product category..."
Sorry, that was a reply to a wrong comment...
@nd
How did you get $429 with Vista? I'm getting $649 with Vista...
What did they do, slap a copy of VLC in there?
I thought that's generally all it took! LOL
Actually no. VLC won't necessarily play dvds. You need to hunt down the proper codecs to make dvd playback useful. And I DO mean hunt down because the drivers that worked in Fiesty Fawn does not work in Gutsy Gibbon. So in a way it's nice that Dell went to the trouble of making something a little less bothersome to folks opting for Linux.
Oh my god, so hard to hunt for drivers in Ubuntu....open up the add/remove programs window and type in "codec"...so much hunting, don't know if I can handle it. That must be a whole lot harder than going online and downloading ffdshow and ac3filter myself in Windows.
This is a great move by Dell. However, be forewarned that their notebooks do not come with an integrated webcam. Yes, all the pictures show an integrated webcam but this option is not available for their Linux offerings. Also, the fact that they're using essentially free software on their notebooks hasn't really caused the price of the systems to drop. If you really want an Ubuntu system, complete with integrated webcam, at a decent price, you're better off with System76 (http://www.system76.com). Their offerings are much better than Dell's and include several models of desktop, laptop, and server, all with Ubuntu pre-installed.
the system76 stuff looks decent, but a system similarly spec'd to Dell's $499 box costs $696....wrong direction...
I really believe that for any Linux distro to truly succeed and even make a small dent in Microsofts pocket book, it's going to have to be 1) easy to use, 2) fully pre-installed, 3) offer SOMETHING that Windows does not, and 4) be cheaper.
@nd
I think ASUS already figured out how you can make linux sell.
@Marduk
yup, and its 1) easy to use, 2) fully pre-installed, 3) offers SOMETHING that Windows does not, and 4) it's cheaper.
problem is, it's really a different product category...
I'm actually very curious about what they mean by "built-in DVD playback." What a lot of Mac and Windows owners do not realize is that DVD playback for most (practically all) commercially released disks require a licensed decoder due to encryption (which is included in the cost of those OSes). Most Linux solutions skirt around this by using a widely known brute force exploit which may or may not be legal based on the region you live in. Having an actual licensed solution is a nice feature.
I just took a peak at the article linked from this post and they are using LinDVD as the licensed solution.
> Dell says, "they take the time to do extensive testing on
> our systems to make sure that customers have as few issues
> as possible."
I wonder how many right after reading that said immediately "what'a stinking load of B.S."?
+1. Me did.
P.S. On-topic, it is really hard for bigger companies to change something fast. I think they have updated to newer version as soon they have sold out older systems.
I've been a Linux user since the early 90's. I've been also using Windows since the 80's. I've also used MAC's but only for short times (sorry engadget fun boys), MAC II times actually. I guess that turns me into a good source for comparison opinions...
I agree Linux sometimes leads to frustrating experiences with some particular hardware. Most of the times this occurs because people are used to buy a computer with the OS already installed and ready to work, and thus never came across the experience of installing an OS. This frustration is thus understandable. I do not blame the Linux community as it is of course much more easy when the hardware manufactures are willing to provide all necessary details to get a proper driver, as they do to MS. Still, I see a very positive trend in recent years namely with the Ubuntu family of distributions, regards hardware recognition.
Just to make things short I currently would not dare to say to some naive user: forget about Windows, you can do the same with Linux. Still, I'm almost there... ;-)
Nevertheless, for those of you that thing you are safe on the Windows side just let me share with you a recent experience I had with Vista (and also XP) on my recently bought Vaio TZ (what a wonderful machine!!).
This real (= light and long battery) notebook came with Vista. My first step was to dual boot it with Kubunt 7.10. The installation ran smoothly and Kubuntu worked almost 100% with this hardware (most things worked out of the box, though not all). The second step was to try to setup a NTFS partition with the user data that I could use from both sides (Linux and Windows). I browsed a bit the net and noticed that Vista came with a tool (called Disk Management or something similar) that could resize partitions and stuff alike that I was used to carry out with Partition Magic (excellent I thought, I could do everything without installing more software). I've looked at Microsoft documentation and checked the steps I need for what I wanted: shrink the current windows partition by 20Gb and then create a new partition on the freed space and format it in NTFS. I followed all steps mentioned on MS documentation. Guess what? In the middle of the shrinking operation a message box with a strange error message appeared. Tried again, same result. Reboot. Guess what? Computer stopped working! Never again was I able to run my legal copy of Vista! Linux? Well the linux partition stopped working too because the boot loader was spoiled by Windows. However, inserting a Linux live CD I was able to run smoothly and I even was able to see all my files on the Windows partition from the Linux side. As I had a legal copy of XP I thought that maybe I was facing one case for all those complaints about Vista, and thus maybe I should install XP on my new notebook. Inserted the CD, but guess what: blue screen in the middle of the installation process with some complaint about drivers for the hard disk...
So in the end I've asked Sony to send me the DVDs that could put the notebook in the factory state and that worked out (after 4-5h hours of wait). In the end I decided that this was way too bad from Microsoft and formated all disk and installed Kubuntu+VMWARE. On top of VMWARE I've used the same CD that had failed previously, to install a working version of Windows XP on top of my Kubuntu for the rare occasions I really need it.
So in summary, don't be so fast saying (fred above) that things are not easy on the Linux side as they are on the Windows side. If it was not for Linux I would have an expensive notebook not working as I wanted, simply because a legal XP installation CD was not able to recognize my hardware, whilst Linux ((K)ubuntu) worked like a charm on the same hardware. Moreover, it as a Microsoft system tool that "destroyed" the hard disk.
I would recommend new users to check Linux before they jump into Windows. If you do not have any particular needs that are not currently available in Linux (things like games and the like), and if you do not have some strange (or incredibly new) hardware that is not currently supported (just because hardware manufactures do not collaborate with the Linux community), then maybe Linux is the right choice for you: stability, safety (I never had a virus problem since almost 20 years of use of Linux and I never had an anti-virus on my Linux distribution), free, thousands of software packages installable with a single click, etc.
So I think if more manufacturers followed the path of DELL, we would all have something to gain. So congratulations to DELL on this move and I only hope they extend this to all their systems and not to only a small fraction of their offer. All these sort of complaints on Linux would disappear if the computers already came with Linux pre-installed as they now come with Windows. So in a way it is our (users) fault that Linux does not recognize all hardware as good as Windows. If we penalize manufacturers that do not have good Linux support, by not buying their systems, we will soon see things improving! So it is up to us to change things. If we think "Linux" is a good idea and we do not want to pay the MS tax, then start asking for Linux when we buy computers!
lt
"If you do not have any particular needs that are not currently available in Linux (things like games and the like), and if you do not have some strange (or incredibly new) hardware that is not currently supported (just because hardware manufactures do not collaborate with the Linux community), then maybe Linux is the right choice for you:"
If your needs dont go beyond Word processing and web browsing, THEN Linux is perfect as that stuff is set up for you. If you have no idea how to fiddle with your system confidently, then dont pull this without "adult" supervision.
And I guarantee you will run into issues. That's just the cold truth.
fred,
"And I guarantee you will run into issues. That's just the cold truth."
Pretty sure that's the case with any OS. No one has had a PERFECT experience with their OS of choice.
Fred, you must not be talking serious right?
I've Synaptic (the software used in Ubuntu to install other software) opened in front of me and I see around 20000 applications available. Do you seriously think all those are word processors and web browsers??!!
If you do not like Linux that's OK, but play a fair game and do not throw noise on other people faces. I've been doing research for the last 20 years and my work framework is mainly Linux-based and I can ensure you I do not work on word processing and browsers!
lt
Finally Legit!
Now I can get the Micro$oft Mafia off my bac...........
Jonathan Bergeron.
I have a Sansa E260 and it works like a charm, all I need to to is plug it in, I can drag and drop my media into the folders on the sansa and it works fine. Don't know about a PMP, but my guess is that it should work fine.
Linux Isn't a rough operating system designed for servers anymore, Linux has been refined so that it looks and feels very clean and user friendly, it looks better than any other operating system and when configured correctly it will out perform anything in it's path.
And another beauty of Linux is that it's interface can be changed to look like anything, there are so many ways you can customize it to your own needs or desires :D
I use Ubuntu 7.10 on all my computers and it runs much better than vista, and believe me I have been using windows since 3.1 on my old AST laptop, that was my first windows experience, from there on out it's been 95,98, ME (They should have included a gun to shoot yourself), XP, vista.
By far vista has been one of there worst blunders, ME was terrible and I would say vista ranks about the same.
Aside from that the ram usage in Linux VS windows is like night and day, With my browser and full compiz fusion 3D enabled it's using all of 478MB of my ram, vista would use nearly half of my 2Gigs.
So, if you get a Linux PC from Dell does it still have a load of bloat-ware installed? Like, Dell Messaging or Dell Updates or something along those lines?
Identical spec'ed out Inspiron 1420's. One with Windows Vista Home Prem. and one with Ubuntu. The Windows one came out more expensive but had instant savings of $190 bringing the price to $45 below that of the Ubuntu model.
To save $45, would it be just as easy to get the Windows model, wipe it, and install Ubuntu from a downloaded ISO? Is Dell's install custom (drivers or media apps configured to use the integrated media buttons, etc.) any easier on that hardware?
Just wondering...