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Thread: Starling Netbook (star3) to Remain on Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.04 LTS

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala

    Starling Netbook (star3) to Remain on Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.04 LTS

    At System76 we take a holistic approach to creating products. Our PC's aren't simply pieces of hardware with software loaded on them. They're an entire customer experience. A customer should be surfing the web within minutes of receiving their computer. Every System76 computer, from the Starling Netbook to the ultra high-end Serval Professional, should be responsive and snappy. Common task and applications should be easy to access and use. Finally, if you need help, you have System76, Canonical, and the exceptional Ubuntu community available to you.

    System76 services a very broad range of customers. Our customers include fellow computer geeks, businesses, schools, government, and many people that have never used Ubuntu. We love attracting newcomers. They've learned that Ubuntu is a better option and, with their System76 PC, they're experiencing that better option. The Open Source universe expanded just a bit.

    This brings me to Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.10 and Unity. Unity is a new netbook user interface incubated and released by Canonical in May 2010. The interface is designed to maximize vertical pixel availability on small screens while considering the needs of future touch technologies and user experiences. I started using the software via ppa in Ubuntu 10.04. As was to be expected, the edges were rough. Unity has improved considerably over the last few months and is now the default user interface for Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.10.

    Unfortunately, many of Unity's rough edges remain apparent. The interface is slow and in many ways confusing to use. Applications launch slowly, the Starling Netbook's fan runs high for a while then dips, and Mutter crashes. Searching for the word “Update” displays Gwibber Social Client, Update Manager, as well as Adept, Akregator, and sometimes Amarok. Sometimes installed applications are visible. Sometimes only available applications. It's difficult to tell what's going to happen when an icon is clicked. Will an application launch? Will Ubuntu Software Center prompt to install software? Will a separate category open?

    Given our holistic approach to building products and the broad range of customers we serve, System76 will give Unity another release cycle to reach it's maximum potential. We have every confidence in the ability of Ubuntu developers to create the world's finest software. Unity needs a bit more time. Until then, the System76 Starling Netbook will remain on Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.04 LTS.

    Carl Richell
    President
    System76
    To err is human, to forgive is very ... dog-like.

    Thomas Aaron
    FetchMasters, LLC

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
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    19

    Smile Re: Starling Netbook (star3) to Remain on Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.04 LTS

    Thank you so much for the promptness and clarification.

    I was wondering why my Star3 netty was not finding any 'important updates' no matter how many times I clicked on the "check for updates" button... now I know why.

    Thank you again!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    91

    Re: Starling Netbook (star3) to Remain on Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.04 LTS

    You made the right choice. New software can take a long time to mature completely, and with a nice LTS like Lucid, there's no need to ship with the young and restless Unity.
    Windows Vista-- $70
    Professional virus scanner-- $120
    Ditching that expensive malware box for Ubuntu-- priceless!


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    Ubuntu 12.10 Quantal Quetzal

    Re: Starling Netbook (star3) to Remain on Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.04 LTS

    just wondering ...
    Quote Originally Posted by thomasaaron View Post
    Carl Richell
    President
    System76
    ... how come bossman can't post for himself ?-)

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Aurora, CO
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    Ubuntu

    Re: Starling Netbook (star3) to Remain on Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.04 LTS

    Quote Originally Posted by tlroche View Post
    just wondering ...

    ... how come bossman can't post for himself ?-)
    I think Tom got around to posting it first! Carl originally posted it on facebook.
    Ian Santopietro - System76 Technical Support.
    Open a Support Ticket!
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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    New York, United States
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    Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot

    Re: Starling Netbook (star3) to Remain on Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.04 LTS

    Is the original starling netbook (start1) good to upgrade?
    i was thinking on doing it but not sure...
    "Video games are bad for you? That's what they said about Rock n' Roll". -Shigeru Miyamoto

  7. #7
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    Re: Starling Netbook (star3) to Remain on Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.04 LTS

    The big problem we have with 10.10 Netbook Edition right now is unity, and since that is a constant across all installations of netbook edition, I'd say it would be best to wait.

    That said, 10.10 does fix a number of issues with the Star1. Wireless is supported out of the box, and opening te system monitor does freeze the system. So, if you want to give Unity a shot or you want to use desktop edition instead, there's no problem with that. It's actually a similar situation with Star3's, since users can do whatever they like with their systems anyway.

    In a nutshell, there are no technical issues with 10.10 on any of our systems (anymore). There are some usability issues in unity, but if you're okay with that, go ahead!
    Ian Santopietro - System76 Technical Support.
    Open a Support Ticket!
    Ask a Sales Question!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    Seattle
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    Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat

    Re: Starling Netbook (star3) to Remain on Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.04 LTS

    I upgraded my wife's star3 to 10.10 when it was still in beta. Since then she had had some grips about using it. How would you recommend reverting back to 10.04 LTS? I'm thinking a clean install.

  9. #9
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    Re: Starling Netbook (star3) to Remain on Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.04 LTS

    Hi.

    A clean install is definitely the way to go. There is no easy way to downgrade Ubuntu, only the other way around.

    (I suppose you could go through and change all of you repositories to Lucid, then manually set every package to remain at the latest Lucid version, upgrade, then manually remove the version hold from every package, but that sounds a bit tedious! )
    Ian Santopietro - System76 Technical Support.
    Open a Support Ticket!
    Ask a Sales Question!

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Re: Starling Netbook (star3) to Remain on Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.04 LTS

    I have some information for people curious about trying Ubuntu 10.10 on their Starling systems.

    The USB Startup Disk Creator in Ubuntu 10.10 is not capable of making LiveUSB drives for Ubuntu 10.04 due to an incompatibility with a few key underlying system components. If you do install Ubuntu 10.10, you will not be able to make a LiveUSB for Ubuntu 10.04, and thus will not be able to downgrade your system in the event you do not like the new Unity netbook environment.

    If you want to give 10.10 a try, you can test Unity out from the LiveUSB before installing. I recommend you test it out very thoroughly before installing, because it is very difficult to go back from 10.10 to 10.04 via USB.
    Ian Santopietro - System76 Technical Support.
    Open a Support Ticket!
    Ask a Sales Question!

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