Category Archives: Dell

IdeaStorm for Ubuntu

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Slashdot has posted an article about a site that could be one of the best ways for new ideas to be included in future Ubuntu releases. The new site is called Brainstorm. It has been inspired by IdeaStorm, a site put up for submitting ideas to Dell. Although there is no official announcement on either Ubuntu, or Canonical’s websites, it has been announced on The Fridge website, which is an Ubuntu and Canonical sponsored site.

All you need to do is sign up with a user name to submit your own ideas and vote for others.

Happy Brainstorming!

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Here Come Ubuntu Servers

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I believe we’re about to see Ubuntu reach another tipping point, this time on the server. While thousands — perhaps, millions? — of users discover Ubuntu desktops, the Linux operating system is beginning to gain traction on servers as well.

The latest example: System76 Inc., a small but well-respected Ubuntu PC supplier, has announced a line of  systems certified for Ubuntu 7.10 Server Edition. You can find more info about the rack-mount servers at http://system76.com/servers.

This isn’t an isolated event. It’s safe to expect some big name companies to evangelize Ubuntu servers sometime this year — especially as Ubuntu 8.04 (code named Hardy Heron) approaches its April 2008 release. Continue reading →

How I Shopped for An Ubuntu Laptop

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So, I’ve been shopping for a new laptop for a few months. I’ve got an old Thinkpad T23 that is showing it’s age — both in terms of performance and functionality. It has developed a number of minor quirks over the years, as most well-loved laptops do. Numlock is flaky, the PCMCIA port is flaky, everything is just broken enough to be annoying — but not broken enough to fix.

Well, that changed recently when the optical drive failed. It was time to go shopping for an Ubuntu laptop. Here’s a recap of my decision process. Continue reading →

The State of Ubuntu Laptops: Looking Good

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What is the state of Ubuntu on laptops? Two bright spots come to mind: Dell’s support of Ubuntu, and the rise of ultra-portables at the sub $500 price point. Many folks argue ultra-portables are the future of laptops and mobile computing. I am referring to the Asus eee PC, the Everex CloudBook, and the OLPC. Here’s a look at the rapidly changing Linux Laptop landscape. Continue reading →

Ubuntu: Three Things to Watch for In 2008

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It has been quite some time since I updated this blog. Frankly, I’ve been swamped at my day job. But I’m still using Ubuntu on my Dell PC at home. And I expect big things from Ubuntu and Canonical’s backers in 2008. Here are three Ubuntu trends worth watching in 2008.

3. Dell Servers: Rumors continue that Dell plans to certify its servers to run Ubuntu. Watch for an announcement in the first quarter of 2008 or so. The announcement will likely involve a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP, etc.) small business suite.

2. Managed Services: Back in July, Canonical employees hinted to me that the company would aggressively promote remote administration services for Ubuntu. The services will allow hardware partners, integrators and Canonical to more easily manage Ubuntu servers from afar.

1. Internet Handhelds: Intel and Canonical are working on a mobile Ubuntu edition. I expect it to land on Internet handhelds that support WiFi. However, Google Android — a Linux-based mobile environment that will run across numerous handhelds and smart phones — has largely stolen the spotlight from the Intel-Canonical work.

Landmark Day for Desktop Linux

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Sure, everyone in the Ubuntu community knows Gutsy Gibbon arrives today. But what about the mainstream media? And what about everyday consumers who know Mac OS and Windows — but don’t even realize Linux is an option for them? Here’s a blog entry I just wrote over on TechIQ. It explains the importance of Gutsy Gibbon to the broader PC market. Take a look… Continue reading →