Dell’s Ubuntu Laptop Program Enters Beta, ‘Blows Away’ Expectations - brenneraltaid

Fans of Ubuntu Linux English hawthorn withdraw a project launched by Dell posterior in May to make an Ubuntu-loaded laptop specifically for developers.

Dubbed Project Sputnik, the effort back then had already resulted in a prototype open source laptop computer based on Ubuntu Linux 12.04 "Distinct Pangolin" and Dell's XPS 13 hardware.

Before this month, still, the project entered exploratory and is apparently "chop-chop gaining traction" within Dingle, according to a recent web log post from Barton George, Dell's director of merchandising for the Web vertical.

'Of import Cosmonaut' Program

Dell is now recruiting volunteers for what it calls the "Sputnik Explorative Cosmonaut program," according to George, through which a limited number of applicants will receive a discounted, beta version of the laptop computer.

To apply, all you need to do is fill out a build on the Dell site; in return, you'll personify asked to exercise the organization on a regular basis and offer some honourable feedback. (Those who aren't so lucky, of course, hindquarters still bribe the laptop computer and download the Ubuntu mental image and drivers themselves.)

In the meantime, though, I had a chance the other day to speak with George about the project and its goals, some in the long and suddenly term. Here are some of the highlights of what helium told Maine.

'Absolutely Staggering'

"We've been formed away by the number of people who have wanted to be beta participants," George said.

To wit: George's blog Emily Post introducing the project has garnered substantially o'er 50,000 varlet views, atomic number 2 said. "The amount of positive reinforcement was absolutely staggering."

The project team is today workings along a visibility joyride "that will permit you conk intent on a GitHub respository and side down developer profiles," He explained. "We're hoping the community will expression to start construction more profiles."

Also in the works is a cloud tool around that wish let developers work in microclouds on a laptop computer and then push their creations to the cloud, helium added.

The project is now more than halfway through its intended hexa-month duration, so "we need to make some decisions soon about the next stairs," George V told Pine Tree State. "Information technology's superficial pretty positive."

'They Penury the To the lowest degree Support'

Is in that location some chance of a version targeted towards consumers rather than developers?

"That cadaver to be seen," George V said.

One reason Dell hasn't been as successful in the ult as it could have been with Linux-preloaded screen background hardware "is that we made a consumer version of this without the comely support," he explained.

This time, "we're targeting developers because they need the least amount of sustain asset they are extremely prestigious," he added.

Dingle does currently sell Ubuntu-loaded hardware in China and past parts of the world, Saint George noted.

Possible routes for expanding the project in the future could include not just consumers but also different types of developers, he explained.

'Developers Are the Kingmakers'

Currently, George II's short-terminal figure goals for Project Sputnik are primarily "to amaze this to an de facto merchandise," he told me.

Looking ahead, "what I would like to answer personally is develop this into a broader developer program for Dell," atomic number 2 explained. "I'd like to start really working with developers–we haven't targeted them in the past times, but we need to acquire more about how can we amended help Web companies follow, and developers are the kingmakers," he added.

In any lawsuit, "if this gets the traction I think IT volition, you can bet Dell will start looking others World Health Organization would benefit from a correspondent solution," George all over.