Still pre-installing 8.04?

[Mason Whitaker]

So I was considering buying a Dell Netbook, but then was surprised to see that they're still selling their Ubuntu computers with 8.04

What's up? Why not upgrade?

[snowpine]

Ubuntu 8.04 is the current "Long Term Support" release. It will be supported through April 2011, longer than any other current Ubuntu release, so it is an excellent choice for a pre-installed operating system.

8.10 and 9.04 are easy enough to install, if you prefer. Good tutorials at this site: www.ubuntumini.com

[bruno9779]

It is not a big deal.
Just run update manager and click the "update to 8.10" button on top.
All Ubuntu releases are upgradable to the current one (except for Wubi installations) just by running update manager

[overdrank]

It is not a big deal.
Just run update manager and click the "update to 8.10" button on top.
All Ubuntu releases are upgradable to the current one (except for Wubi installations) just by running update manager

From the Wubi docs
"Upgrading from 7.04 to 7.10 is NOT supported. Upgrading from 8.04 to later versions is fully supported. "

[snowpine]

It is not a big deal.
Just run update manager and click the "update to 8.10" button on top.
All Ubuntu releases are upgradable to the current one (except for Wubi installations) just by running update manager

This is not true for Dell Mini 9 users. The Dell "remix" of Ubuntu 8.04 is specially designed for the Mini, and can't be upgraded to 8.10 by the usual methods. You have to do a fresh install if you want 8.10 or higher "vanilla" Ubuntu.

[sirebral]

The point is it 8.04 is Long Term Support. There is a lot of comfor in LTS distros that a company can gain.

Also, if you want to install 8.10 on a Mini 9 I was to.d of a trick using an external HD case. I plug a CD Rom drive into the and it worked great.

[Ryback]

Sirebral, you were one of the mini9 users who was an exponent of dellbuntu 8.04 on this forum...what's the deal with the quote in your sig? how come you went up to 8.10? Just wondering as I've always been tempted to get to 8.10, but it's risky with this being my only comp.

[sirebral]

Sirebral, you were one of the mini9 users who was an exponent of dellbuntu 8.04 on this forum...what's the deal with the quote in your sig? how come you went up to 8.10? Just wondering as I've always been tempted to get to 8.10, but it's risky with this being my only comp.

I was a pretty big fan of 8.04 because it worked with little trouble at all. But when I wanted to modify some of the installed software I found that the DELL version of 8.04 has its problems. For me it was Maximus.

Maximus is the software that runs and then forces all of the windows to open maximized. I grew tired of it and tried to remove it. Unfortunately, every time I removed maximus it would kill my WiFi. It had become insanity as I tried to remove maximus with no success.

8.10 works just as good too. I've removed all of the software I don't plan on using, and I don't start software that I wont use (Orca, Bluetooth). I think DELL did a good job, but I think they could have done better.

[anjilslaire]

Just curious, sirebral:
Are you running the Netbook Remix on 8.10? I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

[Ryback]

Interesting...I understand the frustration. Whenever I've hit problems which I KNOW I wouldn't have to run into if I was using regular ubuntu (like eclipse not being available due to lpia architecture, or really slow downloads from the dell repositories) I've wanted to upgrade. But it passes, and then I remember everything "just works" and I should be more grateful. :) Perhaps I'll see how jaunty pans out...

BTW did you opt for the lpia or x86 architecture with your 8.10?

[sirebral]

Just curious, sirebral:
Are you running the Netbook Remix on 8.10? I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

Nah. I'm just using Vanilla 8.10. I like it. What does the remix provide that Vanilla doesn't? Is it LPIA?

I have my reservations about LPIA. It seems like a waste of resources so far after I have run both the Vanilla 8.10 and the LPIA 8.04 versions. I might go and get XFCE on here again now that I am running 8.10. Maybe the 8.10 XFCE is something I would like.

Honestly, LPIA still confuses me why they decided on creating a new architecture. If they had been trying to make a CE platform, such as a PDA, then I could I grasp the reasoning. But researching LPIA shows you that the architecture restructures the way the data is computed, and this preserves battery power.

XFCE vs LPIA in my eyes. (XFCE is Xubuntu and has a 2.5 GB foot print)

[sirebral]

Interesting...I understand the frustration. Whenever I've hit problems which I KNOW I wouldn't have to run into if I was using regular ubuntu (like eclipse not being available due to lpia architecture,

I have never faced one of these problems that I can remember. I thought the LPIA was working with everything. I had eclipse working. Of course I no longer use Eclipse. Geany is much lighter, more universal, and all round better, I think.

Try Geany.

[anjilslaire]

Nah. I'm just using Vanilla 8.10. I like it. What does the remix provide that Vanilla doesn't? Is it LPIA?

I have my reservations about LPIA. It seems like a waste of resources so far after I have run both the Vanilla 8.10 and the LPIA 8.04 versions. I might go and get XFCE on here again now that I am running 8.10. Maybe the 8.10 XFCE is something I would like.
No LPIA on mine. I"m running the standard vanilla x86 Ubuntu 8.10, plus the snazzy Netbook Remix GUI on top, tweaked a bit to my liking. Its just a nice simple environment, but I have full access to the standard Ubuntu system menus, etc.

The netbook GUI just seems to use the screen real estate a bit better, IMO. That's all. The howto is here:
http://www.ubuntumini.com/2008/10/installing-ubuntu-netbook-remix.html

Just omit installing maximus ;)

[sirebral]

Just omit installing maximus ;)

Agreed. Check my sig.

[Ryback]

Of course I no longer use Eclipse. Geany is much lighter, more universal, and all round better, I think.

Try Geany.

Way ahead of you :) and I agree, it's great. A tutorial I was following used Eclipse and I wanted to try out. Ah wait, it wasn't Eclipse that was the problem, my mistake - it was code::blocks. That wasn't available in the repositories, would have meant some hassle compiling from source.

[feranick]

Maximus is the software that runs and then forces all of the windows to open maximized. I grew tired of it and tried to remove it. Unfortunately, every time I removed maximus it would kill my WiFi. It had become insanity as I tried to remove maximus with no success.

I disabled maximus in services and everything works like a charm in 8.04 (i.e. no WiFi drops).

[starcannon]

So I was considering buying a Dell Netbook, but then was surprised to see that they're still selling their Ubuntu computers with 8.04

What's up? Why not upgrade?

My guess would be that they are maybe working within the LTS schedule, 8.04 is an LTS release.