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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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How Ubuntu Linux snuck into high-end Dell laptops (and why it's called 'Project Sputnik') (www.zdnet.com)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Today, the Dell XPS-13 with Ubuntu Linux is easily the most well-known Linux laptop. Many users, especially developers -- including Linus Torvalds -- love it. As Torvalds recently said, "Normally, I wouldn't name names, but I'm making an exception for the XPS 13 just because I liked it so much that I also ended up buying one for my daughter when she went off to college."

So, how did Dell -- best known for good-quality, mass-produced PCs -- end up building top-of-the-line Ubuntu Linux laptops? Well, Barton George, Dell Technologies' Developer Community manager, shared the "Project Sputnik" story this week in a presentation at the popular Linux and open-source community show, All Things Open.

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 8 months ago (3 children)

Lol, no mention of the fact that Ubuntu was already shipped on almost the entire Dell range, but only in China and developing world markets. This was because they had sold millions of laptops without OS in those markets, which immediately were flashed with pirated Windows, and Microsoft were pissed off. They pressured the Chinese govt to require computers must ship with an OS, so Cannonical/Ubuntu stepped in, did it for cheap (~$1/machine) and... they were still of course flashed with pirated windows immediately.

They didn't ship to the US or Europe etc., because in those markets Dell got more kickback-money than they spent, from Windows and the various crapware they shipped pre-installed. So shipping Ubuntu in the US actually cost Dell money.

[–] udasi 9 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Do you have a source for this that I can read more about?

[–] [email protected] 26 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Just me. It was my job for a while at Canonical, until the work was moved to China.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Oof, is canonical fully offshore now?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago

Just that work, and frankly doing it near the factories makes sense. We were "offshore" doing it from the US. Canonical is global, headquartered in the UK.

[–] Zeth0s 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Xps developer edition has been a thing since almost a decade. I bought a xps13 with ubuntu in Europe. I replaced it as soon as it arrived though. The built in OS was not "standard".

I still use it almost daily. Battery has gone, but everything else works

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

They sell a bunch of models with Ubuntu pre installed in Brazil also. Not every model / configurations, but even gaming laptops are available here.