The love affair between netbooks and Ubuntu continues, this time with Hewlett-Packard (pictured) and Toshiba launching new Ubuntu-driven portables. However, not all Ubuntu netbooks are created equally — especially when it comes to the graphical user interfaces. Here’s why.
HP says it is releasing a new version of their Mini 1000 netbook computers. This new version is powered by Ubuntu’s Netbook Remix and has been customized with a skin (or graphical user interface) specifically designed by HP.
HP called the new skin Mobil Internet Experience or MIE. I realize HP wants to put a good face on Linux, I think they are selling this whole concept short. From what I can tell, which is not a lot from their site, it looks like the entire desktop has been limited to a few simple capabilities. If I were a regular Joe comparing the models, I would definitely go with the XP edition because it can do everything that XP can do (or so it would seem). By putting a straight jacket on Ubuntu, HP has taken the value out of the Netbook Remix and shown just how badly Linux can be treated.
HP’s Windows Legacy
Well, that out of the way, let’s look at it from another perspective. HP as an organization is very Windows centric. The majority of their support resources are built around supporting Microsoft’s products. So, if they were to give a user an unfettered Ubuntu desktop, I would be willing to bet that they would have real support nightmares the first time someone ran “rm -rf /*” or the equivalent. So, for them, the safe road is to put the shackles on and take a very powerful operating system and turn it into a toy.
OK, now we’ve looked at this from both side of the issue, but what’s the final tally? Is this good for Linux overall or bad? I have to say that it’s baby steps of progress. Where many of us who use Linux regularly have a modicum of understanding about how to properly operate (nice alliteration ‘eh?) an Ubuntu machine, some people don’t.
This device is aimed at those people, and if you are not one of those people you can always install your own Ubuntu desktop afterward, right?
Here Comes Toshiba
Toshiba has also started shipping an Ubuntu Netbook as well, this one called the NB100-11R.
The Toshiba device offers an unmodified Ubuntu Netbook Remix desktop, which I must say is a better option than HP’s approach. No straight jackets required! And somehow, Toshiba is able to sell these little lovelies at a better price than HP’s crippled version. At 212£ (~310USD), it’s nearly 20% less expensive than the HP Mini 1000, plus you get the benefit of Ubuntu application repositories and updates. Very nice indeed!
The bottom line: If you have been waiting for an Ubuntu option before buying a netbook, the wait is over. Whether you want HP’s simple, yet functional, Mini 1000; or the whole enchilada embodied in the Toshiba NB100-11R: Your wait is over.
Contributing blogger Deven Phillips is a senior systems administrator and software engineer for a major manufacturing company based in Louisville, KY. He has used Linux since 1997, and Ubuntu in both desktop and server settings since 2006. WorksWithU is updated multiple times per week. Don’t miss a single post. Sign up for our RSS and Twitter feeds (available now) and newsletter (coming in 2009).
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I think Toshiba (and Sylvania) are the smartest of them all really by not thinking that the netbook remix is not “consumer ready” and attempting to fix that.
The first thing I did when I got my Asus Eee 4g PC home is install Easy Peasy Ubuntu.
I am glad all these vendors are going to using Ubuntu in their install. I hope someone is getting all these netbook hardware drivers added to the next version of Ubuntu that is being worked on right now.
I also hope that when I am installing Ubuntu I get a choice of interfaces to install, so that I get a proper window manager for either desktop or netbook with the same install disk.
The news isn’t all good for Ubuntu netbooks. A ZDnet report says HP doesn’t plan to offer Ubuntu-based netbooks in Europe…
I have replaced the WinXP with Intrepid Ibex with no problem and have a fully functional system with the full system on a 16 GB SSD model. Remember to download the XP driver for the Wireless function, which will be found on opening and installing the NDISwraper. Once this is done, the wireless works fine, at least for me!
The only problems, after all of this, being:
1) a known problem with a rather dim webcam module (though not as dim apparently as the routine XP users have had as per the HP site forum users would note (Confirmation by another user low in the forum listings who has shown comparison XP and Ubuntu images.
2) Headphone plug does not transmit to headphones.
For the balance all the rest works.
How’s that?
The main problem is that HP doesn’t advertise that their MIE is Ubuntu. I was talking up HP for their great Linux support and preloaded Ubuntu options the other day and got called on the carpet for it.
I think it is great that HP isn’t promoting that their backend is Ubuntu. If they did, people might expect such a limited interface is the norm with Ubuntu.
Let it get recognized for being Linux and rock-solid, but don’t wish for them to publicize it as Ubuntu. I think Ubuntu would lose face in that situation.
HP have apparently decided not to offer the Linux version of their netbooks in the UK. So HP can stuff their netbooks where the sun doesn’t shine.
“properly operate (nice alliteration ‘eh?)”
Sorry to pick nits, but I think you mean ‘assonance,’ not alliteration:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assonance
[Wikipedia couldn't possibly have incorrect info...
]
You know, most people would be offended by that correction, but I am a strange bird and I thank you sir!!
The HP MIE interface is gorgeous and nowhere i’ve read states that it limits functionality, it just presents Ubuntu in a different manner- in the same way the NBR Launcher in most NBR versions do.
Also, the HP MIE interface can be installed on any ubuntu netbook and works flawlessly.