Comments on: Ubuntu Linux Netbooks: What Dell Can Learn From ZaReason

By: watcher

watcher — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 08:48:22 +0000

not to sound mean but, why not just buy some ubuntu stickers from Canonical and put one over the windows logo key? it might work in a pinch.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:45:13 +0000

BTW, can anyone recommend a good netbook with a great keyboard for prolonged typing with Linux (I have no distro prefs)? Oh, I need it before Oct. 6th, my honeymoon and I’d like to get some writing done.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:39:39 +0000

I’m kinda upset at Dell right now actually. Sure, they “released” a Ubuntu mini, but as the site says “Pre-order Ubuntu” when selecting the linux mini 9. Further clicking the links lead to a “15 day delay on Ubuntu orders”.

Shocked I contacted Dell directly to ask about the ship date. The rep said “That date is wrong, the Ubuntu mini won’t ship till Oct. 20th.” I contacted two more reps both through my company discount chat, the retail page and over the phone confirming that the Ubuntu model won’t be available till Oct. 20th.

So, yes, in a way this is a triumph for Linux, however, not just yet. Wait till we can actually see one in person verses the minis in the online reviews.

I linked my blog on my account here. It has more details on this release date mess.

By: aikiwolfie

aikiwolfie — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:09:53 +0000

I’m happy to see Dell go to market with a new version of Ubuntu a little late. Maybe a few weeks. But months is ridiculous for a company that claims to be involved and working closely with Canonical and Ubuntu developers.

It’s not even as though Ubuntu has a closed super secrete development strategy. The alpha releases are always available, the beta releases are always out there and the release candidates are easy enough for ordinary folk to find.

Why is it then that Dell, the company that’s involved and working closely with the developers always seems to be last to the party? It doesn’t make sense.

But the VAR guy is right. Dell needs to start paying attention to the details. But not the detail in a keyboard button. Before Dell gets that persnickety it needs to make Ubuntu systems more visible. Get them out of the basement! The new Mini 9 is the first Ubuntu system to my knowledge to actually feature on the main site!

By: The blipping radar « Cathy Malmrose

The blipping radar « Cathy Malmrose — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:22:18 +0000

[...] Thanks to Joe Panettieri, The VAR Guy, and now Works with U ZaReason blipped on the radar this week. Joe is a large, respected voice in the tech sector. His latest piece caught my attention: Ubuntu Linux Netbooks: What Dell Can Learn From ZaReason. [...]

By: Joe Panettieri

Joe Panettieri — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:44:18 +0000

@Vexorian: You don’t need to sell your soul; just use your credit card.

By: Vexorian

Vexorian — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:20:50 +0000

Oh my god! ubuntu logo at the keyboard, I now might sell my soul to get a ZaReason…

By: FreeBooteR

FreeBooteR — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:01:05 +0000

I’d like to buy one from Zareason but they won’t ship them outside the US.

By: Jim B

Jim B — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:45:22 +0000

I just went to the Dell.com site and sure enough the Mini9 Ubuntu model can be built to have the same memory and SSD (drive) size and the other OS models. Just pick the Ubuntu model and build it the way you want it. Thanks Dell!

By: Vadim P.

Vadim P. — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:14:43 +0000

System76 fixed their “logo bug”: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=5733298

Though as a current customer of system76 this really doesn’t bother me much. It’s just a key, wrong picture, so what :\

By: Joe Panettieri

Joe Panettieri — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:09:53 +0000

@Triplell: You are absolutely correct. And the credit goes all the way to the top, to Michael Dell. Yes, other small evangelists like ZaReason and System76 deserve our respect and kudos. But Dell also deserves some praise for finding a way to promote Ubuntu systems that could greatly upset Microsoft.

By: TripleII

TripleII — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:58:21 +0000

Let’s give DELL a HUGE Kudo’s here folks. They have broken another barrier here. Show of hands, how many people find the normal Ubuntu Dell offerings when they arrive at Dell.com. {A sea of lowered hands}. That’s right, it is in a hard to find sister site. We only find it because we know about it. Now, and here is the breakthrough. Go to Dell.com (like Mr and Mrs Joe Average), click on Inspiron Mini One. Look at that. Ubuntu right there, right beside the XP versions.

Not hidden on a sister site. Right there, mainstream, you see Ubuntu competing right alongside the Windows versions. Trust me, this is a breakthrough. It means, over time, we will see the sister site integrated (so long as MS doesn’t backlash, which it won’t) into the main site.

Despite DELL seeming to place less emphasis on the Linux versions, this is really really cool, and a huge breakthrough. For any other OEM vendor’s site you know, where does the average consumer ever get presented with the choice of non Windows at the main site(s)

TripleII