First beta for Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot released (The H) [LWN.net]

The H takes a peek at the first beta for Ubuntu 11.10 ("Oneiric Ocelot"). "Package updates include Python 3.2, GCC 4.6.1, CUPS 1.5.0, Shotwell 0.11, and version 3.4.2 of LibreOffice (3.4.3 arrived at the end of August). Added packages include the Déjà Dup backup tool. The beta of Firefox 7 is included and Thunderbird 7 beta is now the default email client with menu and launcher integration; stable versions are scheduled for release on 27 September. [...] Other changes include a new Alt+Tab switcher, multiarch support (improving 32bit library and application handling on 64 bit systems), a new login screen that uses LightDM and Unity 2D, for use on systems without 3D acceleration, has moved closer to the 3D version of Unity. The desktop session and power indicators have also been revamped." Beta 2 is scheduled for September 22 and the final release for October 13.

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First beta for Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot released (The H)

Posted Sep 1, 2011 22:47 UTC (Thu) by togga (subscriber, #53103) [Link]

Are you using the Rox desktop in Ubuntu 10.04?

http://roscidus.com/desktop/

What are the main benefits in your opinion?

First beta for Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot released (The H)

Posted Sep 2, 2011 6:32 UTC (Fri) by cpeterso (guest, #305) [Link]

The screenshots look pretty, but I wish Ubuntu would invest some time and money into improving hardware compatibility.

At work, I was issued laptop running Ubuntu. When I suspend my laptop or reconnect my external monitor when the laptop is on, there is a 90% change my display settings will be forgotten or my monitor will be blank or no longer be recognized or my desktop icons will be positioned on some non-existent, off-screen desktop. I don't think this is a hardware problem because my co-workers have similar problems with their Ubuntu laptops. Microsoft's venerable Windows XP has no problems on these same laptops.

First beta for Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot released (The H)

Posted Sep 2, 2011 7:13 UTC (Fri) by freggy (guest, #37477) [Link]

I think you should rather complain about that to the developers of your graphics drivers. For example, it might be this bug in Intel's graphics drivers: https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=36082

First beta for Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot released (The H)

Posted Sep 2, 2011 9:54 UTC (Fri) by robert_s (subscriber, #42402) [Link]

Canonical put a pretty huge effort into hardware compatibility. But there is always some vendor that brings out a laptop with some crazy implementation of some piece of platform hardware. Developers can't really predict these things.

"Microsoft's venerable Windows XP has no problems on these same laptops."

That's because the laptops are specifically designed to run XP (amongst other things). The manufacturers will put in whatever nasty ACPI & firmware hacks that are required to make XP run seamlessly on them.

See the recent article on Matthew Garrett's work for more information http://lwn.net/Articles/456146/

First beta for Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot released (The H)

Posted Sep 3, 2011 23:03 UTC (Sat) by tuna (guest, #44480) [Link]

What kind of "huge effort into hardware compatibility" does Canonical do? Do you have any kind of figures to back this up?

First beta for Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot released (The H)

Posted Sep 3, 2011 5:52 UTC (Sat) by ay (guest, #79347) [Link]

Unlike RedHat, Canonical has basically no engineering resources, especially when it comes to hardware. They package things up into a distribution but they themselves don't actually "improve hardware support" (write drivers or fix driver issues) aside from waiting for someone else to do it and then merging it into their next release. Don't expect them to improve support for your hardware but, when someone else does it for whatever reason upstream or on RedHat's (or some other company's) dime, wait and it'll roll into Ubuntu.

First beta for Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot released (The H)

Posted Sep 6, 2011 16:59 UTC (Tue) by jspaleta (subscriber, #50639) [Link]

basically no engineering resources? That seems a bit of a stretch. If that were true, why would Canonical feel confident in advertising their engineering expertise in "hardware enablement" and "customized porting"

http://www.canonical.com/engineering-services

http://www.canonical.com/engineering-services/oem-service...

http://www.canonical.com/engineering-services/core-engine...

-jef