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View Full Version : Would you buy ubuntu pre installed hardware from canonical



Shpongle
March 5th, 2010, 11:07 PM
Say if Canonical was to sell hardware to users like apple do with the macbook etc, ensuring compatibility

they would still have to os available to download but now you could buy laptops , desktops , servers printers etc

do you think this would be a good / bad idea . Id like to hear your opinions on this ?

also if we had a studio like suse studio you could make your custom remix online and get it delivered on your laptop etc

just a thought that came to me

samalex
March 5th, 2010, 11:15 PM
Say if Canonical was to sell hardware to users like apple do with the macbook etc, ensuring compatibility

they would still have to os available to download but now you could buy laptops , desktops , servers printers etc

do you think this would be a good / bad idea . Id like to hear your opinions on this ?

also if we had a studio like suse studio you could make your custom remix online and get it delivered on your laptop etc

just a thought that came to me

I like the separation between the hardware and software manufacturers. Even if they were to use completely open standards it's too easy for them to wrap their software around their hardware instead of keeping it heterogeneous.

Not that Apple has ever openly licensed OSX to other hardware vendors, but that's the kind of conundrum I don't want to see happen with Canonical and Ubuntu.

Sam

Shpongle
March 5th, 2010, 11:17 PM
I like the separation between the hardware and software manufacturers. Even if they were to use completely open standards it's too easy for them to wrap their software around their hardware instead of keeping it heterogeneous.

Not that Apple has ever openly licensed OSX to other hardware vendors, but that's the kind of conundrum I don't want to see happen with Canonical and Ubuntu.

Sam

thats a good way of looking at it , i hadnt thought of it like that

Swarms
March 5th, 2010, 11:18 PM
I think it would be a great concept. But the lineup had to be minimalistic like Apples productline.

teet
March 5th, 2010, 11:18 PM
Bad idea. The computers would be too expensive.

Dell/HP can get away with it because they can reuse the same machines and just slap ubuntu on them instead of windows.

Don't get me wrong, it would be cool to see, but I would not buy a canonical laptop unless it was within $50 or so of a comparable Dell/HP/whatever.

-teet

Shpongle
March 5th, 2010, 11:24 PM
well assuming the hardware vendors were working with canonical but the products would be sold through canonicals website , kind of like the dell deal except it wouldnt say dell recommends windows 7 or only offer a very limited choice

samalex
March 5th, 2010, 11:30 PM
Per my prior post, I have to say I am very much Pro vendors who sell Ubuntu or Linux of any caliber pre-installed. My primary system is from System76, and I have nothing negative to say about them or the hardware. It's great, and contrary to what some say their prices are very competitive compared to Dell and other big-box vendors.

Sam

Shpongle
March 5th, 2010, 11:32 PM
yea i have heard that alright, but it would be good as money would be going to canonical too . im sure it would take off if it was implemented

samalex
March 5th, 2010, 11:38 PM
yea i have heard that alright, but it would be good as money would be going to canonical too . im sure it would take off if it was implemented

You'll always have the fanboys who'll buy it, but as to whether they can create from ground up a sustainable hardware presence to really put money in their pockets is debatable. Even Microsoft has never ventured into the desktop, laptop, or server hardware market other then making peripherals (keyboards, mice, etc). Heck I'm typing on a Microsoft ergo keyboard now :) It's great, but I wouldn't by a Microsoft branded computer.

At any rate I think Canonical needs to put more money into marketing Ubuntu and helping companies like System76, ZaReason, and even Dell make systems that are 100% compatible with Ubuntu outta the box. I don't see what benefit they'd get from rolling their own hardware.

Sam

swoll1980
March 5th, 2010, 11:43 PM
If the price remained inline with comparable hardware then I would by a laptop from them. I would never buy a desktop off of anyone now that I can build my own.

Bachstelze
March 5th, 2010, 11:49 PM
No. Chances are that the Ubuntu install would be a default desktop one, which means that I would have to wipe it and do a clean install anyway. I might recommend it to others, though.

katie-xx
March 6th, 2010, 12:04 AM
I sometimes buy bits and pieces such as wireless cards etc from a company in the UK.

http://www.linuxemporium.co.uk/products/laptops/

This company does sell laptops etc already configured with the distro of your choice.

I would guess there must be other companies doing the same so I wouldnt think Canonical would have an easy time entering what must be a competitive market due to the small number of users who would want such a product.

Kate

aysiu
March 6th, 2010, 12:05 AM
It depends on the execution. Will the computers be custom-designed and slick-looking? Or will they basically be Asus rebranded laptops? Will Ubuntu devs do extensive testing on those units so that there are never regressions (Oh, suspend used to work on that model but not it doesn't)? Will that actually have any hardware innovations (like Apple's magnetic power cord)?

Bottom line: there's no way, based on economies of scale, that the Canonical line of Ubuntu laptops could be priced competitively, and as this forum community has shown only a small minority of users will pay more for a Linux-preinstalled laptop on principle (most will buy Windows preinstalled and then install Linux themselves). So these Canonical machines would have to offer something else--custom hardware that offers advantages other hardware doesn't... or a real guarantee that all components will always work with all future versions of Ubuntu.

It can't just be done. It has to be done correctly.

Post Monkeh
March 6th, 2010, 12:43 AM
a real guarantee that all components will always work with all future versions of Ubuntu.


i'd pay a bit extra for that.

fatality_uk
March 6th, 2010, 10:36 AM
No. It would interfere with my business plans for 2010/11

ssj6akshat
March 6th, 2010, 11:46 AM
It would be better if they ensure support from the big players

audiomick
March 6th, 2010, 03:10 PM
I think an on going close co-operation with companies like Dell, system 76 and whoever is a better idea.
Canonical would have so much ground to catch up to even get on a par with Dell that it must be effectively prohibitive. I think trying to get up to a point where they could offer "exclusive" products along the lines of Apple's marketing claims, which I think would be almost mandatory in order to secure a solid market foothold, would be such a giant step that it is practically infeasible.
Better, in my opinion, to stick at what you're good at, and use your expertise to help partners get better at what they are good at.