Marvellous install, missus very happy!

**BigSilly** · September 21st, 2012

The missus got a new laptop the other day, and being a good Linux user she demanded I put one on for her. It's a fairly new model with an integrated ATI graphics chip, and I was a bit worried about how the install would go, being a bit conscious of the history of Linux and AMD GPU users on laptops.

Despite a couple of niggles trying to install the post-release update, it all went extremely well and I have completely set it up for her now. Have to say, once the thing is on, Unity is just stellar on a laptop. It looks so fantastic and runs so smoothly. And this is from someone who was a bit negative about it recently. It's so impressive. Props to the devs for this one. 12.04 is stunning and performs really well.

Hardware vendors - why haven't you approached Canonical by now to get Ubuntu pre-installed on your gear? Why have we had to buy a Windows laptop and manually put Ubuntu on it ourselves? It's a crazy situation that I just don't understand at all.

But otherwise, a massive thank you to Ubuntu and its team of superheroes for making a laptop useful! Awesome, and so easy.

**tehcavil** · September 22nd, 2012

Originally Posted by BigSilly

The missus got a new laptop the other day, and being a good Linux user she demanded I put one on for her. It's a fairly new model with an integrated ATI graphics chip, and I was a bit worried about how the install would go, being a bit conscious of the history of Linux and AMD GPU users on laptops.

Despite a couple of niggles trying to install the post-release update, it all went extremely well and I have completely set it up for her now. Have to say, once the thing is on, Unity is just stellar on a laptop. It looks so fantastic and runs so smoothly. And this is from someone who was a bit negative about it recently. It's so impressive. Props to the devs for this one. 12.04 is stunning and performs really well.

Hardware vendors - why haven't you approached Canonical by now to get Ubuntu pre-installed on your gear? Why have we had to buy a Windows laptop and manually put Ubuntu on it ourselves? It's a crazy situation that I just don't understand at all.

But otherwise, a massive thank you to Ubuntu and its team of superheroes for making a laptop useful! Awesome, and so easy.

great to hear your wife likes ubuntu so much, a bit of a tip: dont ever install the post release updates from ATI, they mess up your computer and there's usually no need.

**BigSilly** · September 22nd, 2012

Originally Posted by tehcavil

great to hear your wife likes ubuntu so much, a bit of a tip: dont ever install the post release updates from ATI, they mess up your computer and there's usually no need.

Thanks for that. Yes I discovered you're right! The laptop freezes with this driver enabled. Passing lurkers with ATI graphics - take note!

Thanks again.

**Elfy** · September 22nd, 2012

Originally Posted by BigSilly

...

Hardware vendors - why haven't you approached Canonical by now to get Ubuntu pre-installed on your gear? Why have we had to buy a Windows laptop and manually put Ubuntu on it ourselves? It's a crazy situation that I just don't understand at all...

There are companies in the UK that sell pre-installed linux systems.

http://www.linuxemporium.co.uk/ for instance - pretty sure there are some threads in the cafe - not easy to find as they soon get overrun with references to system76 etc.

On the other hand there a companies like Novatech that will sell machines with no OS installed - bonus there is a linux forum so you can ask before you buy and the online chat sales people are good with conversations that do not revolve around windows too

**Chdslv** · September 24th, 2012

Originally Posted by Elfy

There are companies in the UK that sell pre-installed linux systems.

http://www.linuxemporium.co.uk/ for instance - pretty sure there are some threads in the cafe - not easy to find as they soon get overrun with references to system76 etc.

On the other hand there a companies like Novatech that will sell machines with no OS installed - bonus there is a linux forum so you can ask before you buy and the online chat sales people are good with conversations that do not revolve around windows too

In my country, no computer shop would sell only pre-installed Windows computers, if they want to have business. Some of the laptops have Ubuntu logo pasted on them by the sellers. Ubuntu is the widely known Linux here. Most people have never heard of Linux, but have heard of Ubuntu.

**tehcavil** · September 24th, 2012

Originally Posted by Chdslv

In my country, no computer shop would sell only pre-installed Windows computers, if they want to have business. Some of the laptops have Ubuntu logo pasted on them by the sellers. Ubuntu is the widely known Linux here. Most people have never heard of Linux, but have heard of Ubuntu.

what country is that?

**exploder** · September 25th, 2012

BigSilly, sounds like your wife is really happy with the new laptop and Ubuntu 12.04, not to mention you for installing it for her.

Chdslv, I am also interested in what country you live in.

**Chdslv** · September 25th, 2012

Originally Posted by exploder

BigSilly, sounds like your wife is really happy with the new laptop and Ubuntu 12.04, not to mention you for installing it for her.

Chdslv, I am also interested in what country you live in.

I live in few countries. Right now, I am in Sri Lanka. You can buy any kind of a laptop without MS Windows. The general term is "with Linux." The most known term is "with Ubuntu." I have seen two countries in Europe, where you can buy a "Linux" computer/laptop/netbook, without any OS in it. If you live in the USA, the best place to get a "Linux" computer/laptop/netbook is just across the border in B.C, Canada. These "Linux" computers without any OS are all over the place.

**Galgotha** · September 26th, 2012

I moved my wife over this weekend. She is actually commented a few times each day on differences she finds from Win 7 that she likes on Ubuntu over Win 7. She is a very novice user but Ubuntu Unity UI is working great for her. I couldn't believe the speed increases I saw in app response time over Win 7.

**BigSilly** · September 26th, 2012

The missus didn't need any convincing at all. She's very anti-Microsoft and doesn't like to feel she isn't in control, even though she isn't especially a power user or anything like that. She says she always gets the feeling that Windows is running things in the background that she doesn't understand and aren't transparent.

We both absolutely love Ubuntu and Unity on the laptop. It just seems to fit the form perfectly and works so well. Myself I'm using Mint Cinnamon again after two weeks with openSUSE, but I'll be trying 12.10 out for sure. Unity is now very much ahead of Gnome Shell for me.