Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition Now Available With Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition Now Available With Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

With Dell's seventh-generation XPS 13 Developer Edition laptop it has shipped with Ubuntu 16.04 LTS up until now, but beginning today in the US there is now the option for Ubuntu 18.04 LTS...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Dell-XPS-13-Preloads-Ubuntu-18

[kaprikawn]

I've not been a fan of Ubuntu for a long while now, but I can understand why companies like Dell would use that distro for their Linux offerings. It makes sense for them and I haven't questioned their choice. But since Canonical have pretty much abandoned the consumer desktop and now have desktop Ubuntu in maintenance mode, I really wish companies like Dell could find another distro to rally around.

Each Ubuntu release is so pedestrian these days, 'hey, here's our new release, this package has a version bump, that package has a version bump, isn't it amazing...'. There's absolutely no reason for Ubuntu to be the standard bearer for Linux amongst the uninitiated these days.

Trouble is I'm not sure I can think of a viable option, it's not like Dell is going to slap Fedora on their laptops. Mint might be a good choice, it's solid, has an LTS underpinning and is desktop focussed. Though I'm not sure it's popular enough to overcome the inertia which keeps the likes of Dell sticking with tired old Ubuntu.

[nils_]

I'd rather have it without an OS preinstalled at all. However you can return the OS in the EU for a refund.

[kaprikawn]

You'd want a refund on a free OS?

[mskarbek]

I'd rather have it without an OS preinstalled at all. However you can return the OS in the EU for a refund.

Nope, buying XPS/Latitude/whatever with Ubuntu is a way to tell Dell (and other vendors) that there is a sense in supporting Linux. Sure, I will immediately format that disk after unboxing and install whatever I want but Ubuntu is the only shopping choice for now and it is better than buying without OS or with Windows just to throw it away.
After all buying with Ubuntu cost you nothing extra.

[numacross]

Nope, buying XPS/Latitude/whatever with Ubuntu is a way to tell Dell (and other vendors) that there is a sense in supporting Linux. Sure, I will immediately format that disk after unboxing and install whatever I want but Ubuntu is the only shopping choice for now and it is better than buying without OS or with Windows just to throw it away.
After all buying with Ubuntu cost you nothing extra.

Buying the Linux version also guarantees hardware that will work well with it. In case of the XPS it means not having a non-working fingerprint reader (since it's not even an option for the Ubuntu variant) or a barely working Broadcom WiFi card instead of the well supported Intel.

[nils_]

Nope, buying XPS/Latitude/whatever with Ubuntu is a way to tell Dell (and other vendors) that there is a sense in supporting Linux. Sure, I will immediately format that disk after unboxing and install whatever I want but Ubuntu is the only shopping choice for now and it is better than buying without OS or with Windows just to throw it away.
After all buying with Ubuntu cost you nothing extra.

Yeah, just the selection of models is rubbish. I'd rather have a 15", been eyeballing the Precision or XPS 15 recently, although I could do without the GPU (Intel graphics is enough for me). Getting the Windows license refunded is probably an ever greater Incentive for Dell since it costs them money and customer interaction is a hassle.

Also, even if you want Windows, why would you ever go with the pre-installed monstrosity that usually sometimes comes with Spyware, untrustworthy CAs, useless Software pre-installed and hopelessly outdated? Most corporations wipe them anyways.

[nils_]

Buying the Linux version also guarantees hardware that will work well with it. In case of the XPS it means not having a non-working fingerprint reader (since it's not even an option for the Ubuntu variant) or a barely working Broadcom WiFi card instead of the well supported Intel.

The good thing about Dell is that you can usually replace those components, especially since any upgrade (SSD, RAM) costs more at Dell than somewhere else.

[Venemo]

Buying the Linux version also guarantees hardware that will work well with it. In case of the XPS it means not having a non-working fingerprint reader (since it's not even an option for the Ubuntu variant) or a barely working Broadcom WiFi card instead of the well supported Intel.

I wish this were the case.

The XPS 13 9370 has several things that don't work that well under Linux, see this wiki page: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Dell_XPS_13_(9370)
Don't get me wrong I'm a happy XPS 13 owner myself and these are not deal breakers, but the experience just could be smoother.

[Spooktra]

Each Ubuntu release is so pedestrian these days, 'hey, here's our new release, this package has a version bump, that package has a version bump, isn't it amazing...'.

You literally just described every single distro ever made. It's extremely rare that you find any distro, from any vendor, that offers anything unique, especially these days, though I do remember a time when it seemed that distro vendors were truly interested in providing a unique experience.