Shaky liftoff for Sputnik: Dell's Linux lappie runs its own cloud, ish
In 8GB of RAM and 256GB flash. And don't mention the Bluetooth
Review Want a laptop running Linux? You could do worse than Dell's XPS 13.
This svelte model began life a year or so ago as a Windows Ultrabook. More recently it was updated with Intel Ivy Bridge processors and a 13.3" 1080p screen. The XPS 13 Developer Edition - because only software developers use Linux, right? - uses a high-end Core i7 chip to run Ubuntu Linux 12.04.2 LTS (Long Term Support), also known as Precise Pangolin.
Why is Dell making a Linux Ultrabook? Well, it's part of Dell's project, codenamed Sputnik after the Russian satellite, to sell a laptop with Linux and various tools to programmers.
The machine comes with two bits of open-source software: Sputnik Profile, which saves the state and contents of your laptop in a remote repository allowing it to be replicated as needed; and Sputnik Cloud Launcher, which lets you build a simulated cloud system on your machine using Juju, the Ubuntu project that abstracts the deployment of services on cloud platforms. These test-tube babies can be rolled out to a production cloud.
Sputnik is a cool project, but remains in an early stage of development with limited activity evident on its Github repository. Nevertheless I installed some of it and tried to get started, but hit errors.
Dell directed me to the people who know about Sputnik: Barton George, who is director of developer programmes and the brains behind Sputnik, and Mario Limonciello on Dell's Ubuntu team.
"At this point there isn't a lot there so I wouldn't try to get that part of it working. Watch this space," George told me. "It's been frustrating for me. Last week we just re-engaged with the guy who's helping us with this."
Forget Sputnik then, at least for the moment. It turns out that Dell's main effort has been to deliver a premium Linux notebook on which all the hardware works out of the box. "We went above and beyond with the hardware enablement we did with this," said Limonciello. "We got the touchpad to be full multi-touch, we went and got drivers from all the vendors we deal with in the laptop. It should really be a first-class experience."
Is it a first-class experience? Time to look at the hardware. Here are some key specifications:
- Processor: Intel Core i7-3537U (up to 3.10 GHz with Turbo Boost)
- RAM: 8GB DDR3 1600MHz (soldered to motherboard, not upgradeable)
- Chipset: Intel QS67
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000
- Display: 13.3in 1920x1080 LED
- Webcam: 1.3MP
- Storage: 256GB SSD
- Wireless: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230 802.11a/g/n with Bluetooth 3.0
- Keyboard: Backlit, no numeric keypad
- Touchpad: Cypress multi-touch
- Ports: Two USB 3.0, one mini DisplayPort, and a 3.5mm headset jack
- Ethernet port: Nope.
- Battery: 6-cell Li-Polymer
- Size: 18 x 316 x 205mm
- Weight: 1.36kg
First impressions are good. The machine looks great with its aluminium finish and slim, lightweight design, though the screen is high-gloss which is a disadvantage in my book. Ubuntu boots from cold in under 15 seconds. There are neat touches, such as the hardware battery status button on the right, which indicates the remaining charge by illuminating up to five LEDs.
There are some puzzles though. There is an Ubuntu sticker on the palm rest and an Ubuntu logo etched into a metal plate on the underside, but there is still a Windows key and the only documentation in my review sample is a "Getting started" leaflet for the XPS 13 with Microsoft Windows 8.
I also notice that although the GNU GCC compiler is installed, there is little sign otherwise of Dell's promised preloaded developer tools. What is meant to be there? "The initial list that was there in version 1 changed for version 2," Limonciello told me. "The tools that we preloaded for version 2, I don't know if there's actually a public list out there, but it's basically LXC, a compiler tool chain, Juju, and a few other smaller tools."
I have yet to see this list, but neither LXC nor Juju was installed on the review sample.
Next page: Hardware where it counts
COMMENTS
Re: What a surprise! Linux is STILL not ready for the desktop!
Or to put it another way: "Dell still not capable of deploying Linux".
Hibernate works fine on my linux-running laptop, desktop and sundry virtual machines. If Dell cannot get an operating system of their choosing working on a machine which they specced, then surely they are to blame... Ubuntu didn't choose Dell's hardware, so why is their underlying platform even remotely relevant in the face of Dell's inability to test or correctly configure their own products?
Re: What a surprise! Linux is STILL not ready for the desktop!
Generally speaking, I've always had more luck with Linux on Dell hardware than Dell has had. It's almost as if they don't know what they're doing and don't much care either.
Not impressed
I compare-
"It turns out that Dell's main effort has been to deliver a premium Linux notebook on which all the hardware works out of the box"
with-
"Shutdown can be problematic; sometimes it shuts down, sometimes it only logs out. Hibernation fails with a "device failed to thaw" error message. I had no success with Bluetooth; neither a keyboard nor an audio streamer would connect. Perhaps the biggest annoyance was when I connected a Canon camera and got the error message "unable to lock camera" and no access to my pictures."
I am a fair noob to linux. I use it on my work machine, my home desktop and my laptop but it is only recent I migrated. However my £300 laptop runs mint (ubuntu version) with no problems with all control keys, camera, bluetooth, sound and most important shutdown. It is a dell machine btw.
I also dont understand this-
"I could not resist installing Valve's gaming platform Steam for Linux, which runs perfectly after a bit of fiddling with dependencies."
I installed this on my home desktop with no issues. My fiddling with dependencies I believe it mentioned having to install some (do you want to install them 'yes' 'no'). It is still less installation screens than the windows install (I have it on my winbox too).
As a developer I would be happy that the basics were installed and I can use the very simple install centre to add my choice in tools (purists can use apt-get if they wish). Also what happened to the dell selling point of choice? What if I dont want an SSD? And what the hell is wrong with them?!? Soldered memory!!! 8G is enough for what I do but for other developers this is an absolute minimum or even not enough.
A feature like "such as the hardware battery status button on the right, which indicates the remaining charge by illuminating up to five LEDs" is worth little if the audio, camera, bluetooth and shutdown doesnt work properly.
As a linux machine I find this shocking and embarrassing. Ubuntu/mint are great desktops and this offering is expensive and yet only seems to perpetuate the myth that linux isnt ready for desktop. Yes linux has problems with some hardware, often the seriously closed and poortly supported by manufacturer.
When samsung made a mess of their secure boot it took little time for the clueless to blame linux. So assembling a poorly constructed machine as a linux offering is shameful and should reflect badly on the manufacturer. Just as providing a poor windows machine would be typically blamed on the manufacturer not the OS.
I am not sure why Tim Anderson felt the need to mention some of the features of ubuntu itself (multiple windows, office already installed) unless he was trying to make up for a poor laptop by highlighting good features in the OS.
Offering such a high price tag which compares with the windows version just because it gets upgraded support is also poor. What if we dont want the upgraded support, just some working drivers? If Tims experience with this laptop was my first experience of linux I would never use it. Lucky for me I have had few problems with various linux on any of my machines.
Re: What a surprise! Linux is STILL not ready for the desktop!
I have a [work issued] HP mini 311; it refuses to hibernate properly and will not awake requiring power cycling - every time. It runs WinXP; conclusion : after 30+ years Windows is not ready for the desktop.
(FWIW: SAME machine runing Linux [stock Ubuntu 10.04] hibernates and reawakes perfectly: Conclusion Linux is ready for netbooks?)
I have many other examples with WinXP and wireless cards - and before you say "bad/misconfigured drivers" - that is EXACTLY what you are bleating about
FIX THE SCREEN!!! WUXGA FTW!
What all of us Linux folks want is a 4:3 video screen.
1920x1200 on 15.something inches is nirvana for us Linux geeks
1680x1050 on a smaller screen in ok too.
But get rid of these BluRay video screens. We geeks don't want them. We don't care if we get black bars at the top/bottom of movies being played back.
What we geeks what is rows upon rows of text. And since we all wear glasses and have laptops 15" from our faces, the text is not too small. Ever.
IF Dell came out with a WUXGA "Linux" laptop that was under $1000 with i3 or i5, it'd sell faster than they could make them. Every Linux geek wants one.
