2 ms·
The unfortunate fact of the matter is that if you want to run a Linux computer with a seamless experience you need to do a bit of research on hardware in advanc
by jiggy2011 14y ago
The unfortunate fact of the matter is that if you want to run a Linux computer with a seamless experience you need to do a bit of research on hardware in advance, at least this problem is nowhere near as bad as it used to be.
You could argue that you would have the same problem with OS X, it's just made easier for you because they designed the OS not to run at all on anything that wasn't 100% compatible. Running Ubuntu on random hardware is really more like running a hackintosh.
Now you could argue about who's "fault" this is. Canonical's for not making clearer which hardware is supported or pushing for better support, Yours for not doing the research or the hardware manufacturers for not providing better drivers out of the box but it is basically academic.
I actually remember an interview with Linus somewhere where somebody asked him "why is Linux not more popular on the desktop?" and his response was that the desktop is hardest because you have to try and support every printer that somebody might happen to plugin.
FWIW Lenovo and System76 computers seem to be the ones that people have best results with for running Ubuntu.
- drivebyacct2 14y agoI haven't even found that to be the case. I have several ARM boxes including Raspberry Pi, several desktops, a few Macbooks, etc, and have yet to have to build a driver from source. Worst thing I've had to do is go wired to install Broadcom stuff in Fedora because it didn't do it for me.
- hippee-lee 14y agoYou make good points. My choice not to upgrade is more pragmatic than anything else ... Work to do and so many hours to do it in. And I agree, knowing about the certification makes it more like running hackintosh - one dev does that here and he has had several issues with Xcode that I do not on my mpb. I also learned Linux on the command line mainly interacting with the typical LAMP app running on AWS. They were mainly Red arhat or CentoS and I never had to interact with a Linux desktop until about six months ago and I guess I just assumed that it was 2012 - surely the desktop/upgrade issues of the ninety's and aughts. I don't think it is anyone's 'fault' it is just a difficult problem to solve. Knowing that there are Ubuntu certified desktops out there is useful info I can pass along to my boss before they buy an new device box.