Remastered Ubuntu 7.10 from Dell!

[Dark Star]

Dell announced two months ago, before the final release of Ubuntu 7.10 on 18th October, that they will start working immediately on an updated version for their selected desktop and laptop computers. Last evening, Dell announced the immediate availability of Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon) on their Inspiron 530N desktop and Inspiron 1420N notebook PCs.

"Dell Inspiron 530N desktop and Inspiron 1420N notebook PCs are now available with Ubuntu 7.10 pre-installed. Possibly in the 'more importantly' category, we are now pre-installing

Ubuntu 7.10 brings new features to all users:

• Cool 3-D visual effects that make your system fun to use;
• An easier desktop search engine to find documents or applications;
• Ability to quickly switch between users and easily share a system with family members;
• Pre-installation of Flash for a better web experience (Dell added this by the way);
• Improved recovery options with a full factory restore from hard drive and the ability to burn the system-specific recovery image to DVD media right from the user's desktop (Dell-developed as well);

If you are one of those who still wonder why did it take a month for Dell to update their systems to Ubuntu 7.10, then the answer is very simple: "With any operating system, we take 'gold' code and take the time to do extensive testing on our systems to make sure that customers have as few issues as possible."

Make sure that you check out below the interview Dell made with Mark Shuttleworth, CEO and Founder of Ubuntu, and John Hull, chief Linux engineer at Dell.

Source : Direct2Dell - Dell's Blog

[QwertyManiac]

DVD movie playback - Neat

[coolpcguy]

Nice. Hope they've updated alsa to 1.0.15 else lot of people are going to be without sound.
and wonder will they bring a Linux option for Indian customers

[MetalheadGautham]

I hope we soon get Ubuntu Machines in India too. And I hope Dell Ships with PulseAudio pre-installed instead of ESD. They can send a modded Ubuntu for their machines, to look better and adjust better to the computers they are given free with. It only takes a few hours, but its definitely worth it, due to the image it creates on the buyer.

Look at the MacBook. The OS looks tailored to the NoteBook. Similarly, even Ubuntu can be abusively tailored and customised. I wonder why they don't tailor the Ubuntu for each of the PCs they sell. They could call it Dellbuntu and create headlines.

[~Phenom~]

where can I get that Dell customised 7.10 DVD to be used on my 1520 laptop ??

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by ~Phenom~

where can I get that Dell customised 7.10 DVD to be used on my 1520 laptop ??

dell has hardly customised their Ubuntu. Just get the offitial release and Install libdvdcss, java, etc etc and customise it yourself. Creat a Live CD using Live CD Creator if you want.

[praka123]

india may be a good market for Ubuntu preinstalled PC's.
..and afaik dell is not offering libdvdcss!some other "legal" method
yes,pulse audio is very goood.i am using pulseaudio on debian sid custom-2.6.23 kernel(SLUB allocator!)

[infra_red_dude]

Anyone used/tried this release? I head OOo has been stripped down to accommodate those 'extra' things and keep it under 700mb.

[~Phenom~]

Originally Posted by MetalheadGautham

dell has hardly customised their Ubuntu. Just get the offitial release and Install libdvdcss, java, etc etc and customise it yourself. Creat a Live CD using Live CD Creator if you want.

but Dell ubuntu will be having all the drivers for 1520 laptop which normal ubuntu might lack . I am too lazy to install drivers myself.

[FilledVoid]

I need a copy of this so I can install on my cousin sisters 1520 too . hat would men easy configuration fo all h/w devices for the laptop.

[infra_red_dude]

Why don't you guys give it a try and let us know how it works?

Here is the recovery ubuntu DVD:http://linux.dell.com/wiki/index.php...n_7.10_DVD_ISO

Be warned that it'll delete all partitions and perform a fresh install!!!

One thing did anyone notice? Dell provides Pre-Loaded Linux Machines in China!!! Thats a heaven for piracy.. Why don't they give Linux option for Indian customers then??!!

One more thing, the blog boasts of Compiz and also says Intel x3100 are supported??!!! Wow!!! Can anyone confirm that??? Also they say they haf a repo for updating dell systems' bios thru ubuntu!!!

EDIT: Lotsa issues still left to be sovled

[coolpcguy]

Originally Posted by ~Phenom~

but Dell ubuntu will be having all the drivers for 1520 laptop which normal ubuntu might lack . I am too lazy to install drivers myself.

You _don't_ have to install any drivers. Everything worked out of the box with the standard distro for me(except for the sound problem, which I fixed).

@Infra_Red_Dude Compiz Fusion works fine on x3100, provided you remove the blacklisted PCI IDs. Will post a tut on that soon.

[infra_red_dude]

^^^ Yeah I know that but people haf reported a lot of issues.

[coolpcguy]

^^ Yeah, video playback goes belly up
http://wiki.compiz-fusion.org/Hardware/Intel

[infra_red_dude]

Actually even video playback can be obtained but that requires a technology (exa arch.) not supported by ubuntu.

[coolpcguy]

Oh OK. I'd helped out a friend in getting Compiz Fusion up n running in openSUSE 10.3, he didn't seem to have any problems(yet, that is)

[~Phenom~]

Originally Posted by coolpcguy

You _don't_ have to install any drivers. Everything worked out of the box with the standard distro for me(except for the sound problem, which I fixed).

thanx. I just finished installing 7.10 on my 1520. as u said everything worked except sound which I also fixed using ur third solution( though I saw it on ubuntu forums). But the sound is not as loud as it was in Vista or XP, any specific reason ???

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by ~Phenom~

thanx. I just finished installing 7.10 on my 1520. as u said everything worked except sound which I also fixed using ur third solution( though I saw it on ubuntu forums). But the sound is not as loud as it was in Vista or XP, any specific reason ???

no idea. same in my case. I think it tries to do away with software amplification and produces only that sound which the sound card can use normally. But softwares like VLC also have amplification...

I certainly do look forward to seeing Hardy Heron with PulseAudio, KDE4, Gnome 2.4, etc. Being LTS, I predict it to be a landmark release.

[coolpcguy]

@Phenom & Gautham:
Check mixers. Ensure that Front In is also at max volumes. By default, PCM is the master channel, while it should be Front In

[~Phenom~]

^^thanx , it worked.

[coolpcguy]

^^ Welcome