HP releases custom Netbook version of Ubuntu Linux (ZDNet)

[Posted February 5, 2009 by cook]

ZDNet covers HP's release of the Mini 1000 Mi netbook, which features a customized version of Ubuntu. "The operating system is based on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron, and can run pretty much any application that normally runs on Ubuntu, including OpenOffice.org, Firefox, Thunderbird, Pidgin and so forth with which the OS conveniently comes preloaded. (Youll have to install GIMP, though.) On the other hand, the GUI hardly resembles Ubuntu, according to DownloadSquads Brad Linder."

HP releases custom Netbook version of Ubuntu Linux (ZDNet)

Posted Feb 5, 2009 21:42 UTC (Thu) by jspaleta (subscriber, #50639) [Link] (6 responses)

I think this is very interesting. I think the tailored nature of the experience is a worthwhile approach.

It's also interesting that its not directly using the Ubuntu trademark as far as I can tell. It's based on Ubuntu, but its not directly leveraging the Ubuntu brand in the interface components.

While on the surface that might look like a brand power loss for Ubuntu's brand.. it might actually be a very good thing since this is a tailored interface and not a general purpose desktop experience. From the review its automatically clear that this breaks established expectations on what the Ubuntu brand brings to the table. That's not necessary a bad thing.. its just different. What would be bad is if that difference were filtered through existing expectations on Ubuntu's desktop experience instead of being allowed to create its own expectations.

I think it would be a great development for Canonical if they could establish a distinct brand in the netbook/mobile appliance segment. Ubuntu could be used for the general purpose brand, and could build a set of expectations around that means as a default experience. And then a second brand for tailored interfaces..which gave those tailored interfaces the freedom to develop their own brand expectations as to what the default experience means.

I very much hope for Canonical's sake that HP has contracted with Canonical to help do the customization work. It's not clear though. Is the Mi effort an inhouse HP thing, or are they partnering with Canonical on this? I haven't seen a press announcement about a partnership with HP among the other announced partnerships. But I could have missed it. It would be somewhat tragic if Canonical was cut out of the loop in UI interface innovation of Ubuntu by HP.

-jef

Debrandification

Posted Feb 5, 2009 22:55 UTC (Thu) by sladen (guest, #27402) [Link] (5 responses)

I believe that there's a reasonable effort within Ubuntu to keep things unbranded. In the menus there's no hardcoded "Ubuntu menu editor", no "Ubuntu package manager"... In the GNOME version, I can find one distro-icon and one "About $distro", which came from add-on artwork packages.

Free software seems to have had the greatest impact where can't been seen, or rather isn't noticed (webservers, Google clusters, bus stop signs, ADSL routers, ...and Netbooks). If you want people to use something as a building-block in a product, you need to give them something they can make their own by, without having to remove another logo first.

Debrandification

Posted Feb 5, 2009 23:28 UTC (Thu) by jspaleta (subscriber, #50639) [Link] (4 responses)

I do not disagree with any of that. My point was that Canonical uptil now has been hard charging about making sure the Ubuntu brand is front in center in all of its OEM partner arrangements (that I am aware of.) The fact that HP isn't using the Ubuntu brand suggests that HP isn't partnering with Canonical to put a linux interface out the door. That has implications for Canonical's OEM servicing business. HP was the leading PC OEM in Q3 of 2008. If HP decided that Canonical OEM engineering services were not a good value, compared to in-house engineering to customize Ubuntu, that says something significant.

There's nothing inherently wrong with HP doing that, if they think they can sustain an in house effort, they are certainly free to start with Ubuntu as a base. They aren't the first company to take an existing distribution and customize it for their own goals. But that does have implications for Canonical as a business entity, as one of their primary revenue streams is meant to be OEM engineering services.

If HP feels confident enough to forego contracting with Canonical and can build their own customizations without paying Canonical for the engineering help, that could directly impact Canonical's business plans.
There are only so many OEMs.

OEM's empowered enough to build and sustain their own distributions make OEM customization services a harder sell. It will get even harder if HP's effort is successful and other OEM's try to mimic that success.

-jef

Debrandification

Posted Feb 6, 2009 4:18 UTC (Fri) by xtifr (guest, #143) [Link]

Well, some would argue that Ubuntu is not much more than a rebranded Debian to start with. And since HP has been a strong supporter of Debian for many years, hosting Debian infrastructure, and even paying for my LWN subscription simply because I'm a Debian Developer with no other connection to the company...well...

Something seems cheerfully ironic about the whole matter. :)

(I do hope it stays cheerful, though. I'm not sure who I'd want to side with if it became less-than-cheerful, as I'm a big fan of all the parties involved.)

Debrandification

Posted Feb 6, 2009 4:34 UTC (Fri) by SEJeff (guest, #51588) [Link] (2 responses)

While not disagreeing with you my opinion is you are off the mark. If you
think about it, HP has a chance of doing it better than Canonical. They
certainly have more Linux engineers and much more experience with Linux.

In reality, this looks like a prettied up version of Ubuntu's netbook
remix. In fact looking at the video from Canonical demoing the netbook
remix and looking at the original article that zdnet links to the
screenshots are virtually the same. Notice the same mostly fullscreen
window with what looks like a metacity titlebar and buttons. It even uses
Tango icons for goodness sake. Chances are you won't ever find out but
there is a good chance this isn't Ubuntu branded and that is what Canonical
wants. Either way, Ubuntu gets attention because a tier 1 OHM is using
them. That can only be good in the long term for Canonical / Ubuntu.

http://www.canonical.com/files/video/netbook-screencast.ogg
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/02/04/hp-releases-netbo...
ubuntu/

Debrandification

Posted Feb 6, 2009 17:08 UTC (Fri) by drag (guest, #31333) [Link] (1 responses)

Ya... HP has a sort of long standing relationship with Debian going back a ways.

But, IMO, HP's efforts would be best spent getting behind Intel with their Fedora-based Moblin V2 project as a long term thing, instead of pursuing a Ubuntu fork much further.

Hopefully with a commercially oriented desktop focus Intel and friends can work with a distributions to help solve some long standing usability and API issues with the Linux desktop.

Debrandification

Posted Feb 6, 2009 17:18 UTC (Fri) by jspaleta (subscriber, #50639) [Link]

It's probably a somewhat of a mischaracterisation that moblin is Fedora based. My limited understanding is Moblin is a mismash of sorts between Fedora and Suse and new packages.

I think they qualify as a Fedora Remix under the updated trademark policy, but I don't think they would be comfortable calling themselves a Fedora Remix...so I'm a bit cautious about making that sort of claim for them.

-jef

HP releases custom Netbook version of Ubuntu Linux (ZDNet)

Posted Feb 6, 2009 4:26 UTC (Fri) by hazmat (subscriber, #668) [Link]

looks like their using fluendo's elisa media center as a front end ui.

http://elisa.fluendo.com/screenshots/

Shame it probably won't be available in the UK

Posted Feb 6, 2009 8:26 UTC (Fri) by dwalters (guest, #4207) [Link] (1 responses)

This new Ubuntu-based offering from HP looks very interesting.

However, based on what an HP spokesperson recently told a reporter (see ZDNet article), HP won't be offering Linux versions of its Mini 1000 netbook in the UK and other European markets (only a Windows XP version will be available). Shame. According to the ZDNet piece, HP made the decision about a month ago, but they declined to comment on the reason.

:-(

Shame it probably won't be available in the UK

Posted Feb 6, 2009 14:21 UTC (Fri) by hmh (subscriber, #3838) [Link]

Typically, end-user support.

But if HP's notebook doesn't even boot...

Posted Feb 6, 2009 9:51 UTC (Fri) by nelljerram (subscriber, #12005) [Link] (2 responses)

... I can't help wondering what the point is of developing the OS.

(Google for "HP 2133 grub error 17". According to all of the information that I've been able to find, HP have not been able to provide a solution, and don't appear to care much.)

grub error 17 problem

Posted Feb 8, 2009 5:54 UTC (Sun) by pjm (guest, #2080) [Link] (1 responses)

The first google hit for me is an HP support page dated 2008-06-03 claiming to have a solution:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document...

grub error 17 problem

Posted Feb 8, 2009 9:34 UTC (Sun) by nelljerram (subscriber, #12005) [Link]

Yes. It says "Use the 2 DVDs shipped with the Mini-Note PC to recover the Mini-Note PC."

Unfortunately, though, (1) there actually aren't any DVDs shipped with the PC, and (2) the PC doesn't have a DVD drive.

It has been reported that the DVDs can be obtained by post from HP, and it's possible to connect an external DVD drive via USB. Nevertheless, I don't think we can count this as a serious solution.