Next major PC company to go Linux will be HP

Linux Watch ^ | Steven J Vaughan Nichols

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

People used to think the very idea that a major PC vendor would offer desktop Linux was beyond a joke.

HP will soon be joining Dell in offering at least one Linux desktop line in its SKU sales listing. Here's why I believe this.

First, Dell successfully broke the Windows-only wall when it added Ubuntu Linux 7.04 to three systems in its consumer line in May. While Dell hasn't released any sales numbers, its Linux sales must be doing well. You don't start offering Ubuntu on another brand-new laptop line and announce that you'll soon be selling Ubuntu to SMBs (small to midsize businesses) and internationally unless you're making money from it.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

I think that's all that matters. Dell is hearing CHA-CHING so naturally HP would end up joining the fray.

[smith288]

I threw on Ubuntu on my laptop last night and color me unimpressed.

Im a pretty savvy computer users being in web/app development so im no ignoramous. But I shouldnt have to open up a x11/xconf file to edit the InputDevices section to turn off touchpad clicking or fight with some other conf file to enable use of my netgear MA111 usb 802.11 stick.

Still a ways to go in my opinion to catch up to the ease of use with Windows in terms of just getting up and running.

I like the direction of Ubuntu but still not for mass use yet.

[ShadowAce]

[sionnsar]

Still a ways to go in my opinion to catch up to the ease of use with Windows in terms of just getting up and running.

Kubuntu 6.10 on my desktop. Just installed and ran (first time I've seen that, though SuSE 10 came very close). Even runs a Winprinter, though without calibration support.

[Clara Lou]

I switched from XP to Kubuntu. What’s the problem with using X11? Trust me, if I can use it to alter my monitor settings, anybody can use it—and I don’t know Linux. If I need it, I get help from forums.

[TChris]

I like the direction of Ubuntu but still not for mass use yet.

I agree. My experience with Kubuntu is similar to yours.

Two "Must Have" features which Linux (or, perhaps, KDE and Gnome. I'm not Linux savvy enough to know...) currently lacks:

1. A standardized, centralized hardware configuration model similar to Windows' "Device Manager"
2. Network configuration tools at least as powerful and user-friendly as Windows' (Wireless, especially)

As it is, my experience with Linux's hardware configuration model feels more like Windows 3.1. It's just not all within reach from the GUI yet.

[martin_fierro]

It didn't like my "network mouse".

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

LOL

[smith288]

I switched from XP to Kubuntu. What’s the problem with using X11? Trust me, if I can use it to alter my monitor settings, anybody can use it—and I don’t know Linux. If I need it, I get help from forums.

You shouldnt need to mess with conf files. Thats my point. All that jazz should be handled from a GUI so that any level of use can use their machine without digging too deep but still leave it up to the user to dig deep.

There is no way my mom would want to type in "sudo gedit /etc/x11/xconf" (or whatever) to edit the InputDevices. Its just asking too much to be considered a broad market OS.

[bigdcaldavis]

I love Ubuntu 7.04. Dial-up and wireless work perfectly. And with Automatix, you can install a lot of cool programs and multimedia codecs. I have QDVDAuthor and Avidemux installed, and I used both programs along with GIMP to make an anti-CSPI (the “food police”) video slideshow that I may put on YouTube.

The one area where Linux needs to improve is support for TV tuners such as AVerMedia’s TV tuners and Hauppauge’s WinTV line. The lack of support for my AVerTV TV tuner card makes me keep Windows 2000 on my desktop, but that’s okay. I’ll just use the Windows 2000 desktop as a PVR and DVD creator (using TMPGEnc DVD Author), and I’ll do everything else on Linux.

BTW, my girlfriend Aja recently bought a used laptop with Kubuntu, so I’ll be helping her learn Kubuntu (she’s used to Mac and Windows).