Linux distro for new Dell XPS17?
 

Hi,

I'm expecting a new Dell XPS17 to be delivered tomorrow.

i7
1.5TB 7200RPM Hard Drive(750GB X2)
3GB NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M With Optimus

I would really like to jump on the linux bandwagon and was wondering if it is worth attempting on this new laptop. What would be the least hassle free distro, if such a thing exists? Would a dual boot on each hard drive be recommended?

I've played with unbuntu in the distant past on a HP laptop and just encountered too many problems, so I settled back to windows. I liked many of the features and the look but had too many compatibility issues with sound and touchpads, etc.

Usage: Light use for work and home. Internet. Music, movies, photos organising. The occassional game. Currently playing D3 but unless it gets better I think it'll get old quickly and since quitting WoW gaming is somewhat less appealing to me.

Any advice, help, opinions, experiences appreciated.

Ubuntu
 

I've used a number of distributions over the last 6 years. I started using Ubuntu 10 early 2011. I have just gone from 11.10 to 12.04, and I am happy to continue. It's the most ready-to-use with the least amount of fiddling of all the distributions I have tried.

Ubuntu came factory-installed and ran fine on my two Dells. Since then, I've put Slackware--Current on one and Salix on the other (the netbook). The only quirk was getting the Broadcom wireless working, which took a bit of research, but, after the research and little help from LQ on the Slackware--Current machine, they both run like champs.

I would suggest downloading some Live CDs of various distros that you are considering and trying them out in live mode. That would give you a good test of the capabilities of the machine.

Thanks for the suggestions...I was looking into the latest Ubuntu or Mint. The impression I got was Unbuntu (particuarly this latest edition) is a little better for laptops, Mint for desktops. I've read that PClinuxOS is also ok. I think I'll try your suggestion of a live CD with Ubuntu, Frank - thank you, that's good advice. I'm a little hesitant of trying some of the other distro's at this stage as I'm a new user and all the info I've read points to them as requiring a little more experience in linux than Ubuntu/Mint. If that isn't the case, I'm open to trying something recommended as user friendly.

Right now I'm on a XPS 17. I installed Slackware and like it, but that's me. One thing you will want to do is install bumblebee. There is no native support for optimus in Linux, and without bumblebee battery life is poor at best. There is plenty of info/help to get it up and running.....
Good luck and have fun!!!

Hi mate,

Im all for you trying Linux, but id download Virtualbox on your windows machine and then run Linux on that first. Especially if your only new. I've heard good reports with the new Linux Mint and i've never been been a fan of ubuntu since the whole 'unity' move. Your spot in with Mint/Ubuntu being the most friendly though. Dont forget windows is fine for all those things you said plus gaming on Linux is not the best by far. Conclusion, run linux in virtualbox from your windows machine and see how you like it, if you do, run dual boot and hopefully you might find an interest in coding/development.

Good luck which ever way you go but if you need any help just drop LQ a line.
P.S --> i've never had a problem with any Linux running on a Dell, especially ubuntu/mint.

++++++++

I just put Slackware on a XPS15z (runs great!) and bumblebee doubled the battery life. Very much worth the effort.

Thanks for the Bumblebee suggestion, ceh383. I mostly use my laptop on AC power, but I'll be looking into Bumblebee tomorrow.

Hi,

Thanks everyone for the great feedback and please excuse any naivety in this following post. I wanted to get onto linux because it seems much more convenient. When you get a new computer you generally only get evaluation copies of everything and you get no windows install disks. Even if you have bought a copy of the latest windows and office, they're only good for one machine generally. It's a lot of stuff you have to buy just to get what you need happening after buying an expensive piece of hardware. And homes these days generally have more than 1 PC.

Anyway, I had a play with the latest Ubuntu and Mint. I couldn't get onto the slackware website all day yesterday. This morning I got on but it looks like there hasn't been any news (realeases?) in over a year? I didn't look past the main page though so maybe I'm missing something - I'll look into it again when I have time.

Ubuntu: I din't like it much. The dashboard/sidebar thing might as well be a 'quick launch' only it's on its own bar. Then to run programs not on your bar...It seems more like a step backwards than a step forwards - GUI's came about to reduce the amount of typing required and to make finding things easier - ok so they tried making it easier to find things with the dashboard search but it's still got a ways to go...it doesn't seem very intuitive, for (1) example, I typed 'game' and only get 2 pre-installed games showing when there are several more and nothing in the web suggestions. To search what is pre-installed (because you don't know what is) is a step backwards also. You can do it, but you have to go through everything, not just a certain category. I thought the whole idea of an OS was to make things easy for everybody? Fair enough if you're only trying to target specific users, like programmers or developers and what not, but I thought Ubuntu was trying to appeal to a wider audience. I appreciate that they are trying something different and there are certainly some good points but it seems like they're changing things just so they can be different despite whether it's better or not. This is all my opinion and limited experience, of course.

Mint (Cinnamon): Of course, the transition from windows to mint is a lot easier, the interfaces being somewhat similar. But it's not windows. And it comes with many things pre-installed. Some people (and I'm usually one of them) might prefer to install their own programs rather than have all this 'bloat'. But as a new user to linux, it doesn't feel like 'bloat' and it's easy enough to uninstall and install what you like. This is a much better OS for a new linux user. Maybe, eventually, when one becomes more adept at linux and it's terminal style of doing things they can explore some of the other distro's but it is a better place to start than ubuntu. It also has all the codecs pre-installed. I can just play/run everything 'straight out of the box'. It's what the majority of people need. If you're a more experienced user, well it's still linux, based on ubuntu, based on debian...I'm sure you can still do all the things you need/want to do on it your way. IMO a product should be complete and do everything you need it to do without having to do hours of research to find out how to get something to work or run. Mint is taking a step forward in trying to do this, it seems to me.

IMO, Linux in general seems more suited to older PC's, to get more life and better performance out of them and for more basic/general operations. It struggles to keep up with the latest technology because the people making these new technologies aren't making them to suit linux. I don't see a lot of benefit running it on a new powerful system. It is a shame. The support you get with linux is awesome along with the wealth of free software. It's much easier to find, download, install and update programs or applications (as it all seems to be going to or referred to these days). There is a lot to say for linux but it often feels like it's playing catch up. I know one of the good points people go on about is he lack of viruses. Linux can still get them, it just requires the people to target them. Windows, now at least, offers its own free virus software (and so it should) but viruses are seldom an issue that concern myself as I'm always careful about what I introduce to my computer.

I think I'll play with mint some more and try to get bumblebee (thanks for that advice) working with it. But even bumblebee seems very limited - to be able to use your high graphics performance you have to run your programs from the terminal with a 'optimus' command. What programs that need the graphics performance are even worth running in linux? The rest of the time it's just 'switched off'.

On a side note, another problem I encountered was with Google Chrome. There are points for and against it, I know, but I like the syncing it incorporates and I have other google devices and accounts so it seems the logical choice for me. The problem I encountered was with the adobe flash plugin. In Mint it kept saying it was out of date, and instead of downloading the latest I was always directed to troubleshooting telling me I needed to enable the flash plugin, even though it wasn't disabled. In Ubuntu it didn't even show the plugin as being installed and just directs me to the same adobe page if I try to 'install the plugin'. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling from a different location and then I had not even 1 plugin installed and the same issues when trying to install the flash plugin. I assume this is a package issue and not a linux one or the fact I was running a 'live' copy off my thumbdrive? or that I was running the 64bit distro's??

Thanks again for the feedback.

I agree with what you say about the Unity desktop in Ubuntu. I have too many things now on my quickstart panel (whatever it's called), and all because the Programs menu (and classification of programs) is now gone.

It's been good to read your stuff about other distros. I might have a look at slackware and Mint in the future.

The Slackware website is having server problems at the momnet.

The last official release was about a year ago but the -current branch is constantly updated and is quite recent. You can find the releases, when the main site is down, at slackware.osuosl.org (official mirror). 13.37 was the last Official release, -current is the most recent development release (but still quite stable). Check the changelogs for update details on both.

This post will give you Slackware links:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...-users-943088/

As for releases, Pat releases a new version when it's ready, and not before--Slackware values stability over arbitrary release schedules, much as does Debian. I know that Slackware -Current is alive and well--a bunch of updates have been pushed out the last two weeks.

Just my opinion, but Linux will always be playing catch-up...It's the nature of the beast. In any business you go where the money is, and in computing Microsoft is the 800lb gorilla. So the majority of hardware/software developers as well as hackers/script kiddies look in that direction first. It's a double edged sword, it keeps us somewhat safe from the hackers & script kiddies, yet puts us last on the up to date driver & software list.

Personally, I like the way it is. I don't need the latest, greatest hardware or software. So, not being first has virtually no impact on me. I also like not having to worry (to much) about viruses and such.

My desktop and laptop are both fairly new, not the top of the line newest hardware...But, they both run Slackware_64 13.37, function perfectly, and do everything I need them to do....