Review: My Ubuntu PC from Dell
Introduction
Ever since Dell announced that they would be selling computers with Ubuntu pre-installed, I have wanted to buy one. This is not because I was unable to install Ubuntu myself, but because I wanted to reward Dell for choosing Ubuntu. I also wanted to make a statement that there was consumer demand for Linux to be pre-installed on computers.
Secondly, I have read Walt Mossberg's review of his Ubuntu laptop from Dell and I wanted to see how my experience compared to his. It is important to keep in mind that both Dell and Ubuntu have stated that the current versions of Ubuntu are intended for advanced users only.
This is the reason why Dell does not advertise Ubuntu more on their website. Dell knows that advanced users will be able to find the place to order their Ubuntu computer, while main-stream users are simply offered Windows operating systems. I have a feeling that Dell will promote Ubuntu more once the 8.04 LTS release comes out in April of 2008.
Ordering the computer
I want to share one minor issue that I ran into while ordering my computer. This probably happened only because I was ordering the computer through a special employee-discount program on the Dell website.
While walking through the configurator to select my hardware and software, I was offered many different Windows-only applications. It made me laugh as I imagined a Dell employee trying to install anti-virus, graphics, and productivity software on my Ubuntu machine.
I didn't take of screenshot of this, and it looks like you can't duplicate this by configuring an Ubuntu computer from Dell.
Screen Resolution
I ordered my computer with a 22-inch LCD screen from Dell. While waiting for my computer to arrive, I wondered how Dell would handle the drivers and settings for this monitor. I had heard that Dell includes some additional software that is not part of a default Ubuntu install, so I assumed that they setup my computer to handle this monitor correctly.
However, once I booted up my computer it came up with a resolution of 1024x768. This was not right, since the monitor came with a large label that said to use a resolution of 1680x1050. I pulled up the screen resolution settings (System -> Preferences -> Screen Resolution). This tool showed that I only had three resolutions to choose from.
"That's strange", I thought. It appeared to me that Ubuntu was not using the proper NVIDIA drivers. To confirm this, I fired up the Ubuntu Restricted Drivers Manager. This tool quickly told me that "Your hardware does not need any restricted drivers."
Wow, did I miss the news that NVIDIA had released their drivers as open source? If not, then why doesn't Ubuntu offer to install the NVIDIA drivers? My monitor is plugged into the NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT card that came with my computer. Has anyone else ran into this problem? I am going to search Launchpad for bugs associated with the Restricted Drivers Manager.
Installing Updates
Soon after booting up, Ubuntu had automatically connected to my network using DHCP. I opened Firefox to verify that I had access to the internet. Within a few minutes, Ubuntu notified me that there were updates to be installed.
As it turns out, I had 164 updates to install which required downloading 198.4 MB of files. This may sound like a lot to Windows users, but you must keep in mind that Ubuntu updates are not just for the operating system, but they also include all of the applications and utilities that are installed on your computer.
I want to point out the amazing download speeds of Ubuntu updates. Can you imagine getting a download speed of 500+ kB/s from Microsoft updates?
Firefox using the wrong language
The first thing I did on this new computer was creating this blog post. I started typing the post using the Blogger interface and I noticed that Firefox was marking every word as misspelled. I started second guessing myself, thinking that I had typed the words wrong. I soon realized that Firefox was using the wrong language to spell-check my post! It appears that Firefox was set to the "de_AT" language.
Where should I report this bug? Is it a Dell or Ubuntu problem? Does Dell even provide a place to report bugs?
Conclusion
I have not spent any of this post talking about the plethora of things that worked correctly on my Ubuntu computer from Dell. If I had, this post would be dozens of pages long. Instead, I have listed the few issues that came up. These issues were few, but I can understand the frustration that Walt wrote about.
Can you imagine what a new computer user would think if they bought a nice video card and never realized that Ubuntu wasn't even using it? I hope these problems are being taken care of and will be corrected in the new version of Ubuntu (7.10) that comes out in 12 days.
In fact, I am currently upgrading this system to Ubuntu 7.10 Beta to see if that version will correctly detect my hardware. Take a look at the size of that download! I would hate to try to upgrade this over a dial-up connection! I wonder if the download would complete before the next version of Ubuntu came out, six-months later? :) I guess that is why Ubuntu provides free CDs!
Ever since Dell announced that they would be selling computers with Ubuntu pre-installed, I have wanted to buy one. This is not because I was unable to install Ubuntu myself, but because I wanted to reward Dell for choosing Ubuntu. I also wanted to make a statement that there was consumer demand for Linux to be pre-installed on computers.
Secondly, I have read Walt Mossberg's review of his Ubuntu laptop from Dell and I wanted to see how my experience compared to his. It is important to keep in mind that both Dell and Ubuntu have stated that the current versions of Ubuntu are intended for advanced users only.
This is the reason why Dell does not advertise Ubuntu more on their website. Dell knows that advanced users will be able to find the place to order their Ubuntu computer, while main-stream users are simply offered Windows operating systems. I have a feeling that Dell will promote Ubuntu more once the 8.04 LTS release comes out in April of 2008.
Ordering the computer
I want to share one minor issue that I ran into while ordering my computer. This probably happened only because I was ordering the computer through a special employee-discount program on the Dell website.
While walking through the configurator to select my hardware and software, I was offered many different Windows-only applications. It made me laugh as I imagined a Dell employee trying to install anti-virus, graphics, and productivity software on my Ubuntu machine.
I didn't take of screenshot of this, and it looks like you can't duplicate this by configuring an Ubuntu computer from Dell.
Screen Resolution
I ordered my computer with a 22-inch LCD screen from Dell. While waiting for my computer to arrive, I wondered how Dell would handle the drivers and settings for this monitor. I had heard that Dell includes some additional software that is not part of a default Ubuntu install, so I assumed that they setup my computer to handle this monitor correctly.
However, once I booted up my computer it came up with a resolution of 1024x768. This was not right, since the monitor came with a large label that said to use a resolution of 1680x1050. I pulled up the screen resolution settings (System -> Preferences -> Screen Resolution). This tool showed that I only had three resolutions to choose from.
"That's strange", I thought. It appeared to me that Ubuntu was not using the proper NVIDIA drivers. To confirm this, I fired up the Ubuntu Restricted Drivers Manager. This tool quickly told me that "Your hardware does not need any restricted drivers."
Wow, did I miss the news that NVIDIA had released their drivers as open source? If not, then why doesn't Ubuntu offer to install the NVIDIA drivers? My monitor is plugged into the NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT card that came with my computer. Has anyone else ran into this problem? I am going to search Launchpad for bugs associated with the Restricted Drivers Manager.
Installing Updates
Soon after booting up, Ubuntu had automatically connected to my network using DHCP. I opened Firefox to verify that I had access to the internet. Within a few minutes, Ubuntu notified me that there were updates to be installed.
As it turns out, I had 164 updates to install which required downloading 198.4 MB of files. This may sound like a lot to Windows users, but you must keep in mind that Ubuntu updates are not just for the operating system, but they also include all of the applications and utilities that are installed on your computer.
I want to point out the amazing download speeds of Ubuntu updates. Can you imagine getting a download speed of 500+ kB/s from Microsoft updates?
Firefox using the wrong language
The first thing I did on this new computer was creating this blog post. I started typing the post using the Blogger interface and I noticed that Firefox was marking every word as misspelled. I started second guessing myself, thinking that I had typed the words wrong. I soon realized that Firefox was using the wrong language to spell-check my post! It appears that Firefox was set to the "de_AT" language.
Where should I report this bug? Is it a Dell or Ubuntu problem? Does Dell even provide a place to report bugs?
Conclusion
I have not spent any of this post talking about the plethora of things that worked correctly on my Ubuntu computer from Dell. If I had, this post would be dozens of pages long. Instead, I have listed the few issues that came up. These issues were few, but I can understand the frustration that Walt wrote about.
Can you imagine what a new computer user would think if they bought a nice video card and never realized that Ubuntu wasn't even using it? I hope these problems are being taken care of and will be corrected in the new version of Ubuntu (7.10) that comes out in 12 days.
In fact, I am currently upgrading this system to Ubuntu 7.10 Beta to see if that version will correctly detect my hardware. Take a look at the size of that download! I would hate to try to upgrade this over a dial-up connection! I wonder if the download would complete before the next version of Ubuntu came out, six-months later? :) I guess that is why Ubuntu provides free CDs!
I don't believe that the version of the binary driver in Feisty supports the 8000 series cards properly - though I could be wrong. If I'm right though, that will be why you had the restricted manager problems.
ReplyDelete>I have a feeling that Dell will promote
ReplyDelete>Ubuntu more once the 8.04 LTS release
>comes out in April of 2008.
is there a reason why you think / feel so?
I had the same problem with my own Geforce 8600. I'm pretty sure the problem is that the Nvidia driver in the Ubuntu repositories does not support it, therefore restricted-manager does not offer to install a driver.
ReplyDeleteMono and Tom,
ReplyDeleteDon't you think it is strange that Dell would sell an Ubuntu PC with a video card that is not supported by Ubuntu?
Tristan
A friend of mine had the same issue with his 8000-series Nvidia card - it became so much of a nightmare that he returned the computer. We were both very dissapointed in Dell's choice of hardware for the system.
ReplyDeleteThe Intel network card required him to build drivers from source every time he install Ubuntu, and it took Dell 4 hours on the phone to figure this out.
His video card refused to install the correct drivers, and never displayed the correct resolution on his LCD. We fought with it for two days, and then I convinced him to just build his own computer where he can guarantee his hardware will work. I just found it absurd that my Nvidia card was recognized immediately by Ubuntu, the drivers were installed and I had the correct resolution without any help from me.
Now while I haven't bought a system from Dell personally i still have some issued with Ubuntu Feisty. I have a Geforce4 MX 4000 and Ubuntu will not allow me to set the resolution and refesh rate other then manually configure xorg.cong (i belive), it only let me set refresh rate to 59hz while in windows xp it allows me to use 75hz. The same thing with resolution. It only goes up to 1024x760 and thats it. In windows i can set it higher.
ReplyDeleteseems like a typical Ubuntu experience to me. I don't think it has much to do with dell, it's not there fault that Ubuntu and linux in general requires a user to be a masochist. Windows desktop just works and everyone else is chasing the dream. I tried Ubuntu and suse but I don't have time to mess around with stuff that doesn't work out of the box. Call me when it works otherwise,
ReplyDeletetitle windows
makeactive
boot
Well,
ReplyDeleteYou can't say that Dell is taking the Linux Universe by storm can we?
I run a Linux Site with Google AdSense code, and I've yet to see a Dell Ad for Linux. Wasn't Ubuntu to do the marketing?
I'm confused here. It is sort of testing the water here with these offerings right. I mean I can take my Compaq to Linux with a heart-beat. Do we call this support for Linux. C'mon!
JJMmacey
www.jjmacey.net
The current situation with the nvidia
ReplyDeleteproprietary drivers is simply nuts.
Every time the kernel is upgraded I have
to recompile the driver. If I plan to
boot from multiple kernels, I just give
up on hardware 3d altogether for a while
and go back to the "nv" driver.
I've been a nvidia customer on various
flavors of linux for many years now,
but as soon as native 3d drivers for
ATI based graphics start to appear, it's
hasta-la-vista baby to nvidia for me.
Since this is their 'trail run' on GNU/Linux desktop sales, we can forgive them at the moment. But I expect lots of change in future once Gutsy is released.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, now that the hardware manufacturers agree to keep GNU/Linux in mind (well, not there yet, but mostly), I am sure the GNU/Linux desktop experience will get better.
But I will be happy on the day when DELL (or any hardware distributor) puts the GNU/Linux advertisement in the Home page like they do for Windows.
But for that to happen, they need some solid assurance that GNU/Linux sells, which will be answered in coming months.
I can't wait DELL start selling GNU/Linux pre-installed in my location (I am living in Middle East - U.A.E at the moment) so that I can advocate people to buy it directly from DELL than me installing for them every time (it's good, but since I am not that technically strong, I have problems with certain hardwares at time and the moment they see me typing some commands, they get panicked).
Have wonderful day.
Anonymous: I will call you when Linux is perfect. You call me when ANY operating system is perfect. :)
ReplyDeleteJohn Macey: Yeah, Dell is not pushing Ubuntu very hard. They are probably waiting for more customer demand. Yes, they are testing the waters and refining the process. It only took them a few months to prepare for selling Ubuntu 7.04.
I heard dell came out with a CD, either a special dell distro, or some kind of hardware compatibility CD. Did you try that?
ReplyDeleteI think they rolled out the first computers with straight Ubuntu, but after having so many problems they came up with some fixes for the consumer.
I agree with the update size being huge. I installed a Gutsy beta I downloaded last week and the updates I installed took 4 hours over my work's T1 connection.
ReplyDeleteStill, it's worth it.
If Ubuntu is for an advanced user, why is it preinstalled? How can Dell get to know how large the /var and /home partitions should be? Why not to just put an Ubuntu DVD into the box, possibly with another DVD that just mirrors some repository, as off shipping date?
ReplyDeleteThe review does not tell what happened when the driver has been downloaded from nVidia and installed. I miss that info.
The 8000 series NVidia cards are not supported well by Feisty. The only way to use them (IME) is to download the drivers from the NVidia site, but then you have to reinstall the drivers after each kernel update.
ReplyDeleteThis problem has been fixed in Gutsy. Why they didn't push this fix down to Feisty, I don't know.
Even though this is a trial run, I think Dell could have pulled this off much better. Many of the problems I've seen people run in to are trivial in nature and could have easily been avoided.
Liam J. said, "I agree with the update size being huge. I installed a Gutsy beta I downloaded last week and the updates I installed took 4 hours over my work's T1 connection."
ReplyDeleteLiam, you either have a heavily throttled or heavily trafficked connection at your work, because I was able to download 700MB worth of Gutsy in well under an hour via a throttled T1.
I ordered a Dell Inspiron 6400n (with Ubuntu 7.04 preinstalled), and it also had an issue with the screen resolution. The problem was that 1024x768 was hard-wired in /etc/X11/xorg.conf. I replaced that with 1280x800 and all was well.
ReplyDeleteSounds something strange..It want to increase its sales without looking at such bugs ! I have Macbook with Unix and www.rhubcom.com for conferencing purposes. The combination is going great and frankly I am interested in having Ubuntu but not in Dell's idea.
ReplyDeleteMy mom and I both bought Ubuntu Dells, my Insipron 1420n with 7.10 and my mom's Inspiron 1525n with 8.04.
ReplyDeleteSame language problem in firefox, but your screen res thing-- that puzzles me. Everything seems to be working great on both machines now, except my webcam with 8.10, but we should get a new kernel in week or so..
My main problem was the defective nVidia graphics chips and the incompetent support and tech crew. I sent it in fricking THREE times and they must have been choosing which part they replaced with a blindfolded manager and a dartboard.
Plus they're like, afraid of Ubuntu users.. all those techs want to do is get you off the phone.. Maybe it's the same with Windows users, I really don't know-- do Windows problems get sent to Microsoft like Ubuntu users get sent to Canonical phone support?
My new Dell Inspiron 530n + added on NVIDIA 9400gt PCIExpress - AWESOME!!!
ReplyDeleteThis system shows how awesome a GNU/Linux system can be!!