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What? So XPS 13 which you can buy with Ubuntu preinstalled still has parts of the hardware not working after "a few hours configuring everything"? I can't unde

What? So XPS 13 which you can buy with Ubuntu preinstalled still has parts of the hardware not working after "a few hours configuring everything"? I can't understand how that's acceptable to anyone. Literally every laptop I've installed Linux on had a litany of driver problems.

rawoke083600 8y ago
I want to downvote you and shout/hope it aint so.. but your right :(
- yanonymous2 8y ago
  * you're
androidgirl 8y ago
It's possible they don't mean hardware, but rather Ubuntu does not save the settings properly. I have had that issue with the Unity WM
jammygit 8y ago
I have an xps 13 dual booted with ubuntu and windows without any driver issues. Everything works great besides the lousy keyboard and trackpad, and that's all Dell. Actually, there are a few problems: windows can't render fonts clearly a lot of the time for some reason, and it keeps losing the current time, and it keeps erasing GRUB after windows updates. Ubuntu itself runs great
- strmpnk 8y ago
  It is probably "losing" time because it assumes the system clock is set to local time while Linux assumes it is UTC. If either use a network time service to reset the clock, the other will look wrong between reboots. The easiest solution is to use localtime on Linux. Windows can run with the system clock set to UTC but I hear it is rare so it my not be well supported. See more here: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/System_time#Time_standard https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/System_time#Time_standa...
  - qu4z-2 8y ago
    I prefer using UTC for both because I live in a timezone with Daylight Savings and multiple OSes always step on each other's feet and each adjust the time on their own and then you're three hours ahead.
yanonymous2 8y ago
Compared to installing Windows, which often lacks drivers for the network adapters, installing Linux is a breeze. Good luck getting those Windows drivers without a working internet connection. And good luck explaining your solution to the average, non-technical user.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 8y ago
  The situation is pretty similar for both. If your driver isn't part of the install, you have to go find it on the internet. With Windows, this usually isn't too bad because it has stable driver ABIs, but with Linux you may have to compile the driver to get it to work. That said, it's been a long time since I last saw this situation on either OS.
- donttrack 8y ago
  What? That doesn't make any sense at all. Someone goes through the trouble of developing a network adapter and doesn't provide a Windows driver??? What DO they provide drivers for then??
  - qu4z-2 8y ago
    The issue is (used to be) that they'd develop the Windows drivers, and publish them... on their website. Whereas the Linucies would bundle pretty much all the supported drivers on the install disk. Precisely because the vendors only write Windows drivers, if it's supported on Linux it's probably in the kernel tree.
bhhaskin 8y ago
You are assuming the XPS is the developer edition. I am also running Ubuntu on my XPS, but it came with windows orginaly. I also don't have any hardware issues to speak of.
- dilatedmind 8y ago
  How is your battery life? I also installed ubuntu on my xps, and I'm only getting about 2 hours max, although I always keep it plugged in, so it's not a real issue for me. As for hardware issues, I had to download wireless drivers, which was a slight pain since there is no ethernet port. I was able to get my video card working with optimus, but that wasn't non trivial. I wound up disabling my track pad and using a mouse since I couldn't type without the cursor doing something, and it seems like one of the trackpads buttons broke after a days use.
  - cdiddy2 8y ago
    Just got the XPS 13 developer edition here so still brand new. I am getting 10 hours or so with web browsing
  - cdiddy2 8y ago
    Its a bit hard to read the times, but its more than 8 hours with 17% left as I plug in for the charge. https://imgur.com/a/C7rCKeK https://imgur.com/a/C7rCKeK
  - bhhaskin 8y ago
    My battery life is pretty fantastic. Around 8 hours or so with docker running and doing development. https://i.imgur.com/xYkGRdJ.png https://i.imgur.com/xYkGRdJ.png I had zero hardware issues. it all just worked. I would say installing Ubuntu was a little tricky due to UEFI, but other than that no issues. I have a XPS13 so no dedicated video card. No issues with the track pad other than the dumb middle mouse button past.
rbanffy 8y ago
> I can't understand how that's acceptable to anyone. The other day Microsoft had to pull an OS update because it deleted all user files. Without warning. Even on Windows, hardware support is kind of hit and miss, with manufacturer, supplier and Microsoft bugs piled on top of each other. Everything is "supported" but sometimes things break or stop working, you reboot the computer and continue using Windows.
- emptyfile 8y ago
  >Everything is "supported" but sometimes things break or stop working, you reboot the computer and continue using Windows. That's right, I reboot and continue working. On Ubuntu it just doesn't work. Period.
  - rbanffy 8y ago
    > On Ubuntu it just doesn't work. Period. You are, clearly, doing something very wrong.
bigger_cheese 8y ago
When I purchased my XPS 13 from Dell's website (Australia) only choice I was given was Windows There was no option at all to get the version with Ubuntu preinstalled. For whatever dumb region Dell decided to region lock the choice of Operating System. It took me about a few hours too to scrub Windows and get my distribution of choice running and fully configured (hooray for sub par Australian internet speeds).
rospaya 8y ago
It's not the developer edition but the regular one and I installed Ubuntu myself. A vanilla install is good enough for regular use, but I've got a multi-display setup, unofficial dock and other tweaks because of my workflow. The audio bug is Ubuntu's and it basically means that I have to select the output device after every reboot, a 5 second task. I can definitely live with that. > Literally every laptop I've installed Linux on had a litany of driver problems. I'd agree with you at one point, but various distros work fine on a whole range of hardware, this isn't the 90s anymore.

rawoke083600 8y ago

I want to downvote you and shout/hope it aint so.. but your right :(

yanonymous2 8y ago
* you're

androidgirl 8y ago

It's possible they don't mean hardware, but rather Ubuntu does not save the settings properly. I have had that issue with the Unity WM

jammygit 8y ago

I have an xps 13 dual booted with ubuntu and windows without any driver issues. Everything works great besides the lousy keyboard and trackpad, and that's all Dell. Actually, there are a few problems: windows can't render fonts clearly a lot of the time for some reason, and it keeps losing the current time, and it keeps erasing GRUB after windows updates. Ubuntu itself runs great

strmpnk 8y ago
It is probably "losing" time because it assumes the system clock is set to local time while Linux assumes it is UTC. If either use a network time service to reset the clock, the other will look wrong between reboots. The easiest solution is to use localtime on Linux. Windows can run with the system clock set to UTC but I hear it is rare so it my not be well supported. See more here: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/System_time#Time_standard https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/System_time#Time_standa...
- qu4z-2 8y ago
  I prefer using UTC for both because I live in a timezone with Daylight Savings and multiple OSes always step on each other's feet and each adjust the time on their own and then you're three hours ahead.

yanonymous2 8y ago

Compared to installing Windows, which often lacks drivers for the network adapters, installing Linux is a breeze. Good luck getting those Windows drivers without a working internet connection. And good luck explaining your solution to the average, non-technical user.

AnIdiotOnTheNet 8y ago
The situation is pretty similar for both. If your driver isn't part of the install, you have to go find it on the internet. With Windows, this usually isn't too bad because it has stable driver ABIs, but with Linux you may have to compile the driver to get it to work. That said, it's been a long time since I last saw this situation on either OS.
donttrack 8y ago
What? That doesn't make any sense at all. Someone goes through the trouble of developing a network adapter and doesn't provide a Windows driver??? What DO they provide drivers for then??
- qu4z-2 8y ago
  The issue is (used to be) that they'd develop the Windows drivers, and publish them... on their website. Whereas the Linucies would bundle pretty much all the supported drivers on the install disk. Precisely because the vendors only write Windows drivers, if it's supported on Linux it's probably in the kernel tree.

bhhaskin 8y ago

You are assuming the XPS is the developer edition. I am also running Ubuntu on my XPS, but it came with windows orginaly. I also don't have any hardware issues to speak of.

dilatedmind 8y ago
How is your battery life? I also installed ubuntu on my xps, and I'm only getting about 2 hours max, although I always keep it plugged in, so it's not a real issue for me. As for hardware issues, I had to download wireless drivers, which was a slight pain since there is no ethernet port. I was able to get my video card working with optimus, but that wasn't non trivial. I wound up disabling my track pad and using a mouse since I couldn't type without the cursor doing something, and it seems like one of the trackpads buttons broke after a days use.
- cdiddy2 8y ago
  Just got the XPS 13 developer edition here so still brand new. I am getting 10 hours or so with web browsing
- cdiddy2 8y ago
  Its a bit hard to read the times, but its more than 8 hours with 17% left as I plug in for the charge. https://imgur.com/a/C7rCKeK https://imgur.com/a/C7rCKeK
- bhhaskin 8y ago
  My battery life is pretty fantastic. Around 8 hours or so with docker running and doing development. https://i.imgur.com/xYkGRdJ.png https://i.imgur.com/xYkGRdJ.png I had zero hardware issues. it all just worked. I would say installing Ubuntu was a little tricky due to UEFI, but other than that no issues. I have a XPS13 so no dedicated video card. No issues with the track pad other than the dumb middle mouse button past.

rbanffy 8y ago

> I can't understand how that's acceptable to anyone. The other day Microsoft had to pull an OS update because it deleted all user files. Without warning. Even on Windows, hardware support is kind of hit and miss, with manufacturer, supplier and Microsoft bugs piled on top of each other. Everything is "supported" but sometimes things break or stop working, you reboot the computer and continue using Windows.

emptyfile 8y ago
>Everything is "supported" but sometimes things break or stop working, you reboot the computer and continue using Windows. That's right, I reboot and continue working. On Ubuntu it just doesn't work. Period.
- rbanffy 8y ago
  > On Ubuntu it just doesn't work. Period. You are, clearly, doing something very wrong.

bigger_cheese 8y ago

When I purchased my XPS 13 from Dell's website (Australia) only choice I was given was Windows There was no option at all to get the version with Ubuntu preinstalled. For whatever dumb region Dell decided to region lock the choice of Operating System. It took me about a few hours too to scrub Windows and get my distribution of choice running and fully configured (hooray for sub par Australian internet speeds).

rospaya 8y ago

It's not the developer edition but the regular one and I installed Ubuntu myself. A vanilla install is good enough for regular use, but I've got a multi-display setup, unofficial dock and other tweaks because of my workflow. The audio bug is Ubuntu's and it basically means that I have to select the output device after every reboot, a 5 second task. I can definitely live with that. > Literally every laptop I've installed Linux on had a litany of driver problems. I'd agree with you at one point, but various distros work fine on a whole range of hardware, this isn't the 90s anymore.