Should The Pandora Become An Ubuntu Partner?

[phrosty]

The Pandora devs are clearly very optimistic about everything they do, Ubuntu being no exception.

While I'm sure Ubuntu will technically run on the Pandora, I think it would be a grave error to market it as Ubuntu capable. I worry that trying to use it on a 4.3" screen with a cumbersome fn-overloaded keyboard will probably just make the Pandora look bad - people will expect an "Ubuntu Partner" to run Ubuntu really good, anything else and they will begin to look at it as "a crappy netbook with game controls" instead of "a really cool game system that can run desktop apps if you really want".

 

[craigix]

Well I don't have any objections

 

[VRAndy]

[ The post this post replies to, has been removed. ]

[If you didn't read this reply before I blanked it just now, assume that it was the best, more well written internet post you've ever read.]

[If you did read it already, don't ruin my fantasy. ]

 

[BenTolputt]

@VRAndy:
Honestly mate - you appear to be the aggressor from a neutral third-party point of view. Please take the aggression elsewhere, it's not worth the effort of writing or reading it.

@Everyone Else:
Looks as if Craig(ix) is up for it. So the topic would now be more "how" we should go about assisting the partnership, not "if" we should

 

[mazza558]

Here's how this partnership could go:

-Angstrom stays the default OS, as it's light, quick, minimal and serves most people's needs.
-For those who want Ubuntu, a small app could be included to download and install the custom ARM Ubuntu from the Ubuntu servers to an SD card currently connected, provided it is big enough. The download would go straight to the SD card, and would be set up in the same way as the USB install is - There's a small utility that lets people install to USB in Ubuntu 8.10. This way, people can be away from their computers and still have the ability to set up Ubuntu.
-When the install is complete, the "Install Ubuntu" app changes to a "Start Ubuntu" app - *OR* a bootloader is installed, so it loads Ubuntu by default from then on, and if not, then Angstrom?

 

[Mutilator]

sounds like a great idea

 

[socket]

I think a partnership with Ubuntu would be awesome and I'm liking some of these ideas.......

 

[Eniko]

I wonder, do I as someone who has exclusively used Windows and probably will until the Pandora comes out count as part of that specific demographic? I'm certainly not a hardware enthusiast, most of the hardware discussion goes - fwoosh - right over my head, and I'm just excited about making some software. I'm also excited about a machine that's the size and shape of a gaming handheld but has a more full set of PC like features, and I won't have to hack it up just to be able to do whatever it is I dream of doing with it.

Whether or not that makes me part of the demographic, I can't help but wonder if maybe the Pandora started out as something incredibly niche, but has become more mainstream over time. If that's true, isn't it possible it will continue becoming more mainstream? If that's true, wouldn't it be nice to help that along so that, instead of being a niche product, you might actually at some point run into someone at a convention who also has a Pandora?

... Just some thoughts. I don't really care what the answer is either way, so long as I get my Pandora for personal use.

 

[VRAndy]

@VRAndy:
Honestly mate - you appear to be the aggressor from a neutral third-party point of view. Please take the aggression elsewhere, it's not worth the effort of writing or reading it.

I'm not quite sure why. There was a call for an opinion, then I was accused of being elitist for expressing my opinion, and then again when I tried to clarify.

However, If I'm being an ass, I apologize. Perhaps I simply wasn't communicating clearly, or being too sensitive, or whatever. (Or perhaps just being an ass.)

QUOTE
@Everyone Else:
Looks as if Craig(ix) is up for it. So the topic would now be more "how" we should go about assisting the partnership, not "if" we should


Obviously.

 

[Chip]

Looks as if Craig(ix) is up for it. So the topic would now be more "how" we should go about assisting the partnership, not "if" we should

The biggest question is when.

Pandora is likely to be the first to market as the sort of device that Canonical is aiming for with Ubuntu-on-ARM. The only problem is that Pandora hasn't quite made it to market yet. I am a bit reluctant to pitch the Pandora to Canonical as a potential reference platform without actually having a finished unit to send to them.

Make no mistake, this is something that we are going to pursue. Craig and I are just trying to determine exactly how to go about the pursuit.

 

[closetwam]

For $10 let users upgrade to the Pandora Ubuntu Version. It comes with a bootloader pre-installed and Ubuntu installed on its own SD card.

 

[jakewastaken]

For $10 let users upgrade to the Pandora Ubuntu Version. It comes with a bootloader pre-installed and Ubuntu installed on its own SD card.

I highly doubt it will end up costing any money.

 

[greendots]

Who would want to waste an SD slot on a small storage SD card with ubuntu? And why are you so eager to pay for ubuntu version if we may get it anyway?

"Make no mistake, this is something that we are going to pursue. Craig and I are just trying to determine exactly how to go about the pursuit."

That is great news!!! Theres so many reasons to have ubuntu on pandora with all its power. If someone wants something liter it shouldn't be much or a problem with debs.

 

[hch]

for me, this would be freakin' fantastic!!!

 

[___]

I think this would be great. This might get us a shitload of binaries otherwise not available. Think codecs, flash etc. And I for one would like to see the pandora be the first supported ubuntu arm device, how cool would that be!

Craig, go for it.

 

[PoisonedV]

I vote 'no, ubuntu is overkill, how about vanilla debian'

 

[cb88]

Ubuntu NO!

Debian YES!! I could care less about some PR crap give me a real easy to use fast lightweight customisable OS and Debian wins on all points Ubuntu not so much and as far as that goes from my experience lenny is WAY better than etch

what do you wanna bet these ARM netbooks will come with 512mb ram or even a gb... other wise people might over look them compared to the eee and friends and that will lead to the same old bloated ubuntu

 

[hch]

I vote 'no, ubuntu is overkill, how about vanilla debian'

if this was an option, i'd fully agree. but for some reason, the debian arm guys never seemed to care for the really cool devices (i experienced it with a zaurus). but if i'm not mistaken, the ubuntu repos ar as big as the debian nes and that is what counts in the end.

 

[Creature XL]

I can't understand why eveybody wnats ubuntu. some of my tech-friends love ubuntu. I don't see the point.

BUT, I would say "YES" because we get most probably lots of good software easyly.
However, Craig should wait until the first Pandas are sent out (after the 600 for which a screen is there).

Flash on the Panda? Aha.
Today was announced that the Adobe and ARM want to make Flash10 available for ARM CPUs. Let's see what comes out of it.
BTW, has anybody a FLASH9 plugin for 64-Bit Linux? I don' t have any. Adobe isn't even able to make 64Bit-FLASH for x86_64, but they want to make an ARM version? LMAO

FLASH is the ONLY App on our 64-Bit Workstations which is 32 bit.
Yeah, name your free-FLASH players. We tested lots of them. The test was "youtube" none of them worked propperly. If I missed one, then please tell me, because that would make very happy (I mean it!)

 

[cb88]

really ... ubnutu doesn't have all that much more software and what more it does have is x86 only and proprietary

just about anything you can compile on ubuntu should work on debian lenny which is fresh off the presses (acutally it isn't even out yet ....but i use it)

all we get is PR and bloat

@Creature_XL rerelease if flash 10 64bit is out yes that is BEFORE a windows 64 bit release you are just a tad behind on those facts

and youtube doesn't work because they can't distribute the codecs with gnash from what i understand