4 ms·

So is the MBA totally unsuitable for running Ubuntu (e.g. wireless won't work), or just a bit more of a hassle to get working properly?

by jwingy 15y ago

w0utert 15y ago
The linux compatibility argument is entirely moot, the MBA will run linux just as well as the Lenovo, there basically is no difference in how hard it would be to install or setup. Every part in the MBA has Linux drivers, which isn't surprising in any way, since there are no magical parts made by unicorns in there, just the typical combination of generic PC components you will find in other laptops. What sets the MBA apart is the way the body is constructed and how it holds all the stuff inside together in such a small enclosure.
- blinkingled 15y ago
  Ooh, no, I beg to differ. Reality is quite different. Lenovos are near perfect Linux machines - everything including power management, various buttons, suspend/resume etc. works great. MBA is far from ideal Linux machine - Apple's EFI implementation is well known to be crappy to the point Linux kernel developer mjg59 routinely blogs about it. Power management sucks - for example - it runs hotter, battery dies in 2-3 hours tops. On my X220 I can get 6+ hours and it never gets hot. [EDIT]: Check this out http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1810275 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1810275 for the pain involved. In comparison my X220 had one minor issue that occurs under heavy load but can be easily fixed.
  - thoughtsimple 15y ago
    I have to wonder about the Linux requirement though? What do you do on Linux that can't be done with OS X underlying BSD? If you are a linux developer then I can see it but if you are doing almost any other development or design, there is little to recommend Linux over BSD and many reasons why OS X is superior as a desktop OS.
    - wazoox 15y ago
      > many reasons why OS X is superior as a desktop OS. I'm posting this from my MacBook, but I'd say only one thing: Focus follows mouse. That's the one true way.
    - blinkingled 15y ago
      > I have to wonder about the Linux requirement though? Matter of personal preference really. My "Desktop" machine is Windows 7 which happens to work better for my needs than OS X - Blu-Ray, AnyDVD, Hulu/Netflix without fan noise etc. That's where I do all my media/email/browsing/chat etc. Linux is primarily a development machine - I find it better for OSS development than OS X. (Plus in my case I hack on the kernel some times so that's another compelling reason.)
gojomo 15y ago
Ubuntu runs great inside VMWare Fusion on my MBP, so that's always an option if a bare install or dual boot is giving problems. (Still wish there was an Air with 8GB. Hmm, could one make a RAM peripheral that attached through Thunderbolt, to serve as a big 'outboard virtual memory', even faster than a usual SATA SSD?)
yule 15y ago
According to what I read it's a hassle to get it installed and then working. Also, I don't know how it behaves on updates. The Ubuntu help page linked in the article mentions something about a post-install script which might needed to be run more than once...

So is the MBA totally unsuitable for running Ubuntu (e.g. wireless won't work), or just a bit more of a hassle to get working properly?

by jwingy 15y ago

So is the MBA totally unsuitable for running Ubuntu (e.g. wireless won't work), or just a bit more of a hassle to get working properly?

w0utert 15y ago

The linux compatibility argument is entirely moot, the MBA will run linux just as well as the Lenovo, there basically is no difference in how hard it would be to install or setup. Every part in the MBA has Linux drivers, which isn't surprising in any way, since there are no magical parts made by unicorns in there, just the typical combination of generic PC components you will find in other laptops. What sets the MBA apart is the way the body is constructed and how it holds all the stuff inside together in such a small enclosure.

blinkingled 15y ago
Ooh, no, I beg to differ. Reality is quite different. Lenovos are near perfect Linux machines - everything including power management, various buttons, suspend/resume etc. works great. MBA is far from ideal Linux machine - Apple's EFI implementation is well known to be crappy to the point Linux kernel developer mjg59 routinely blogs about it. Power management sucks - for example - it runs hotter, battery dies in 2-3 hours tops. On my X220 I can get 6+ hours and it never gets hot. [EDIT]: Check this out http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1810275 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1810275 for the pain involved. In comparison my X220 had one minor issue that occurs under heavy load but can be easily fixed.
- thoughtsimple 15y ago
  I have to wonder about the Linux requirement though? What do you do on Linux that can't be done with OS X underlying BSD? If you are a linux developer then I can see it but if you are doing almost any other development or design, there is little to recommend Linux over BSD and many reasons why OS X is superior as a desktop OS.
  - wazoox 15y ago
    > many reasons why OS X is superior as a desktop OS. I'm posting this from my MacBook, but I'd say only one thing: Focus follows mouse. That's the one true way.
  - blinkingled 15y ago
    > I have to wonder about the Linux requirement though? Matter of personal preference really. My "Desktop" machine is Windows 7 which happens to work better for my needs than OS X - Blu-Ray, AnyDVD, Hulu/Netflix without fan noise etc. That's where I do all my media/email/browsing/chat etc. Linux is primarily a development machine - I find it better for OSS development than OS X. (Plus in my case I hack on the kernel some times so that's another compelling reason.)

gojomo 15y ago

Ubuntu runs great inside VMWare Fusion on my MBP, so that's always an option if a bare install or dual boot is giving problems. (Still wish there was an Air with 8GB. Hmm, could one make a RAM peripheral that attached through Thunderbolt, to serve as a big 'outboard virtual memory', even faster than a usual SATA SSD?)

yule 15y ago

According to what I read it's a hassle to get it installed and then working. Also, I don't know how it behaves on updates. The Ubuntu help page linked in the article mentions something about a post-install script which might needed to be run more than once...