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Ubuntu Quietly Raises Install Image Size to 2GB (omgubuntu.co.uk)

Joey-Elijah Sneddon, reporting for OMGUbuntu: You can expect to see a larger Ubuntu desktop installation image by the time the Yakkety Yak yips out. Developers are currently debating the exact size limits that official flavours will adhere to, with some favouring a 2GB hard limit while others are looking to go full-DVD size at 4.7GB+. Canonical's Steven Langasek explains the plans for Ubuntu 16.10 Yakkety Yak: "I've finally gone ahead and bumped the limit on Ubuntu desktop images to 2GB for a minimally-sized USB stick; this gives us a new limit that I think we will care about, while also leaving us headroom so we're not constantly fighting it back down to the line." The Ubuntu ISO is supposed to be around the 1GB mark but has creeped past this in recent releases. The current Ubuntu 16.04 LTS desktop .iso is 1.4GB.

154 comments

  1. With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 3, Interesting

    With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap, there's no reason not to make it the size of a full dvd or more. This way, multiple installations would not have to individually download tons of packages. It would "just work."

    --
    "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    1. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 2

      I wouldn't call 32GB USB drives "cheap" just yet, but you're right that a limit of 2GB "because of USB flash drives" is an extremely low target. I'm not even sure I'd be able to find 4GB or even 8GB drives in stores anymore.

    2. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's probably limited to 2GB to stay compatible with FAT32 max file size. I guess some people mount .iso files or something like that.

    3. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by LichtSpektren · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Ubuntu's not just for the developed world. There are many places where a 2 GB USB stick costs more than the average daily wage.

    4. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Luthair · · Score: 2

      The flip side is downloading a bunch of cruft you'll never use. It would also be a significant extra load on mirrors.

    5. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by swb · · Score: 2

      I mean there's cheap and there's throw them out because you don't like the color cheap.

      I just bought a 128 GB SANDisk USB3 stick from Amazon for $31.

      How cheap does a 32GB drive need to be to be cheap?

      I already think they're cheap enough that I wish Microsoft would quit refusing to install and boot from USB drives as a kind of copy protection.

    6. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by HouseOfMisterE · · Score: 3, Informative

      FAT32 max file size is 4GB.

    7. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      A 10-disk install on 3-1/4 floppies (at $3 a disk) costs more than a 32-gig drive nowadays. TigerDirect has USB 3.0 64 gig usb keys for under $20 today, and 32gig for $8. $8. for 32 gigs is pretty darned cheap, all things considered, especially if you can boot off it and give life back to that laptop when the soldered-in hard drive dies and there's no DVD drive, which is the trend nowadays.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    8. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So when MS raised their crap because storage and memory was "cheap" it was grounds for a lynch mob. Now that Ubuntu is following that lead it's no big deal? Right. Right.

    9. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Anyway, I just don't need a CD Burner app anymore, neither email client, IM client, scanner app and so on. Why is installed by default every time?

    10. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      So when MS raised their crap because storage and memory was "cheap" it was grounds for a lynch mob. Now that Ubuntu is following that lead it's no big deal? Right. Right.

      The Windows 10 ISO is over 6 GB. Thank you for proving that the lynch mob was right!

    11. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      I'm not even sure I'd be able to find 4GB or even 8GB drives in stores anymore.

      Newegg has plenty of 4GB USB sticks — if you don't mind waiting two weeks for it to arrive from China. Today's special is a three-pack of 8GB USB sticks for $10.

      http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4AJ1H87282&ignorebbr=1

    12. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Booting from optical drive or USB 2 thumb drive is painfully slow compared to USB 3, and it's hard to find a USB 3 thumb drive under 8 GB.

      88.4 Mbit/s: 72x CD

      265.92 Mbit/s: 24x DVD
      480 Mbit/s: USB 2.0 "High Speed"
      576 Mbit/s: 16x Blu-Ray

      5 Gbit/s: USB 3.0 "SuperSpeed"
      6 Gbit/s: SATA 3.0
      10 Gbit/s: USB 3.1 "SuperSpeed+"
      16 Gbit/s: SATA 3.2

    13. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      The flip side is downloading a bunch of cruft you'll never use. It would also be a significant extra load on mirrors.

      Not the case when you download it once and then do multiple installs. Knoppix is available on a 4gig dvd iso - lots of stuff there compared to their cd iso.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    14. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      Anyway, I just don't need a CD Burner app anymore, neither email client, IM client, scanner app and so on. Why is installed by default every time?

      The CD burner is not in the default installer anymore. But to answer your question... I'll write to Mark Shuttleworth this instant and make sure that 16.10 incorporates the exact default settings to your personal preference.

    15. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by MacTO · · Score: 1

      An OS installer is something that I use once, then stick in a drawer in case I need to reinstall the OS or use it for data recovery. In other words, it's not receiving much use so I would rather dig an unused flash drive out of the drawer rather than spend money on it. I most certainly don't want to go to the trouble of getting a larger cheap drive via mail order because any local shop charges a premium for it.

    16. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I mean there's cheap and there's throw them out because you don't like the color cheap.

      I like the idea of keeping it at that size.
      It should be small enough that you don't have to question if it fits on your USB stick or if there is anything important on the larger USB stick you have.
      You shouldn't have to look around for the right stick, any one you find should do.
      When you are done you shouldn't want to reformat the stick and store other stuff on it. Just throw it in a drawer and forget it.
      Next time you have a massive computer crash and need to boot from something, that stick should still be there somewhere for you to dig up.

    17. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This, and also that it's sheer arrogance to assume resources are nigh-free even should that be true. I know it's the usual thing for devs, the received wisdom among managers, and so on, but it's still arrogant stupidity as well as poor assumptions to be engineering to.

      For one, there's this multiplier that's often overlooked: It's not just you and your fellow devs, but it's all your users that now have to upgrade. Even such a simple thing as an usb stick for a couple dollars (not all of us get freebies!) times several million is, well, easily six or seven digits figures in dollars. Spread out over many, but still.

      And, you know, I'm not convinced this is actually better than the 1440kB disk image containing a bootable OS, a graphical desktop environment, AND a browser that QNX used to showcase their OS back in the day. "Modern" software requires a lot more resources than that, but it doesn't buy the average user the same amount of improvement. Not by a long shot. As such, "modern" software engineering is just shoddy and gets shoddier.

    18. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you pay money for a laptop with a soldered in hard drive you deserve what you get.

    19. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by omnichad · · Score: 1

      Maybe you mean FAT16 (minus one byte)?

    20. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by dougmc · · Score: 1

      I'm not even sure I'd be able to find 4GB or even 8GB drives in stores anymore.

      Both are quite easy to find at the store, http://www.walgreens.com/q/fla...">even convenience stores like Walgreens.

      2 GB ... that's hard to find, and I'd say that 4 GB is on the way out (but still easy to find). 8 GB ... that'll probably be around for a while.

      In any event, I've got lots of 4 GB sticks around, and so I do appreciate it when an install image fits on one because I can just put the install image on it, label it ... and then use it as needed. A larger stick, and I might be inclined to erase it when I need to store stuff on it, but 4 GB ... that can remain install media forever and I'll not feel much need to re-use it.

      So, when they decide that even 2 GB isn't enough, I hope they'll stop at 4 GB (well, a bit below it) rather than 4.7 GB or so (DVD size).

    21. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by dougmc · · Score: 1

      Nuts, I screwed up that link somehow.

      Let's try it again ....

    22. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      To be fair, I'd like to see what QNX works on nowadays. Ubuntu works on just about everything by comparison.

    23. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I recently had to create an Ubuntu VM image with a friend because he needed to use some beta software for which Windows installers weren't available yet. Lot's of stuff went wrong, but one of the bigger hurdles was that the ISO is so big that we lost a lot of time just waiting for the download, transferring it to the images folder of the VM, and waiting for the installer to install pretty much everything on it (there was surprisingly little to customise during the installation procedure). If you really want to see Ubuntu used more, you should lower the entry barrier; after the experience I certainly won't try out Ubuntu myself.

    24. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by swb · · Score: 1

      You must not have read closely.

      128 GB USB3 drives aren't $8 on Newegg, and I bought the SanDisk UltraFit on purpose because its so small it basically doesn't need to be removed from my laptop in ordinary use, so I can use it with symlinks as an extension of my filesystem.

      The price I paid on Amazon is the same as Newegg charges, it came in 2 days and I didn't pay shipping.

    25. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by wbo · · Score: 1

      The Windows 10 ISO is over 6 GB. Thank you for proving that the lynch mob was right!

      No it's not. I have the 64-bit Windows 10 build 1511 ISO that has Home and Pro versions and it is slightly less than 3.6 GB.

      Even the Enterprise version ISO is only slightly larger at 3.7 GB. Only the ISOs that include both 32-bit and 64-bit versions are larger than that and that is just because that version effectively is two separate install images in a single ISO (the 32-bit and 64-bit installers don't share files).

    26. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Reading comprehension. 128 != 32.

    27. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Only if you assume "everything" is a bit more modern than what I still have in use here, for example. I may be in the "developed" world, that doesn't mean I have money to upgrade. Also, they're so big on recycling everything here that very rarely you find something suitable at the kerb.

    28. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So that means 2GB for 32-bit and 2GB for 64-bit. Maybe we should throw in ARM for another 2GB just to keep up with Windows 10... :D

    29. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      My bad then, but that's still over twice the size of the full Ubuntu desktop ISO.

    30. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Junta · · Score: 1

      Of course, the relative cost compared to the device being plugged into is low. If one can't afford 2GB USB key, then affording the device to install onto is a challenge.

      --
      XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
    31. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Mhrmnhrm · · Score: 1

      Meet live-usage QNX is a modern product: Vykon JACE (You'll find these all over the embedded systems world). http://www.vykon.com/products/...

      --
      I suspect that one of these choices is incorrect. Correct.
    32. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by tepples · · Score: 1

      265.92 Mbit/s: 24x DVD
      480 Mbit/s: USB 2.0 "High Speed"

      I'll grant that high-speed USB has about 240 to 280 Mbps of usable throughput. But a high-speed USB flash drive still has the advantage over DVD of not having a spin-up time or noticeable seek time. So if, say, 512 MB of files are needed at boot time, they're all loaded in 512 / (273 / 8) = 15 seconds.

    33. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      USB sticks are re-usable. You can also use the USB stick to make multiple installs. Or, when the hard drive goes, boot off the USB stick is a lot cheaper than replacing a hard drive, and you have the ability to take your environment and data with you.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    34. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by mattventura · · Score: 1

      What they really should do is just make an easier solution to making a custom image with exactly the stuff you need.

    35. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by tepples · · Score: 1

      I imagine it's for a situation where the computer was donated to you, possibly as a hand-me-down from an upgrade, but a flash drive wasn't. Or for a situation where the computer and a flash drive were donated to you, but 2 GB of data transfer allowance wasn't. Here in the USA, if you aren't in the service area of a fiber, cable, or DSL provider, 2 GB of cellular or satellite data is more expensive than even a 16 GB flash drive.

    36. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      I just finished downloading the latest knoppix dvd image - 4.3 gig. Took an hour, which is reasonable. When I go to install it on a usb key (it's a live system) I don't really care how long it takes to install - I can still do other stuff at the same time.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    37. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They shouldn't worry about size so much and put more thought into coexisting with other bootable operating systems (Ubuntu based and others) on the same USB stick. Preferably there should only be a single folder in the root folder, and it should be uniquely named per release and/or be freely renameable, and there should be configuration files for the commonly used boot loaders, so that adding a Ubuntu installer to a bootable USB stick is hardly more than a drag and drop operation.

    38. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      And where would this custom image be built? And how are you going to discover software that you didn't know you would be interested in? Or something you didn't need at the time but do now? Rebuild the installer image?

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    39. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by sims+2 · · Score: 1

      I like to think that i've had a lot of laptops apart over the years and I have never seen one that the hdd was not replaceable.

      I do see a lot of them with no disc drive nowadays though.

      If it was made in the last 10 years i'd like to know the model and who made it so I can be sure and avoid it.

      --
      Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
    40. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All of which come pre-loaded with malware...

    41. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      I wouldn't call 32GB USB drives "cheap" just yet, but you're right that a limit of 2GB "because of USB flash drives" is an extremely low target. I'm not even sure I'd be able to find 4GB or even 8GB drives in stores anymore.

      Well, 4GB drives are hard, and I think I saw 8GB ones at the dollar store for around $3 or so. Which is basically cheap and free - I think people give away 4/8GB sticks nowadays. 16GB sticks are maybe $5-10 or so.

    42. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by mattventura · · Score: 1

      And where would this custom image be built? And how are you going to discover software that you didn't know you would be interested in? Or something you didn't need at the time but do now? Rebuild the installer image?

      I'm thinking somehting along the lines of:
      1. Install one system from a base image, and anything needed but not included just gets netinstalled
      2. Install any other packages you want to be part of the install image
      3. Run the image creator on that machine, which would package the cached dpkgs into the installer
      4. Run the new installer on the rest of the machines
      So then you get exactly what you need in your custom installer, without having to download anything twice. Anything you decide that you need later can be netinstalled just like the original.

      As for discovering new software, I think that's better done after the install.

    43. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      All of which come pre-loaded with malware.

      Which is why you have a anti-malware scanner turned on, auto play turned off for USB devices, and reformat the USB drive before using.

      You do practice safe computing?

    44. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And the computer was donated without an OS?

      I think if you're begging hardware to the point that it's dictating availability of writable media, you probably don't get to be that choosey about your operating system under the Beggars/Choosers Accords.

    45. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Dcnjoe60 · · Score: 1

      With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap, there's no reason not to make it the size of a full dvd or more. This way, multiple installations would not have to individually download tons of packages. It would "just work."

      Other distros have full 4.7gb isos and people still ahve to individually download tons of packages. Of course those that do use full sized isos usually do so to allow the option of various other desktops in one iso, Are you proposing getting rid of the dirivatives like Xubuntu, Kubuntu, UbuntGnome, etc. and just have one iso to rule them all and you select the flavor you want at install time?

      Besides, not everybody on the planet has access to uncapped, very high speed internet. Why make people download a 4.7GB iso, when 99% of them don't need and won't use the other 3GB of stuff installed?.

      Is this supposed to make the developer's life easier or the user's?

    46. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by justthinkit · · Score: 3, Informative
      Windows:
      Overcoming the Windows 2GB Caching Limit

      Typically, a Windows process running in the 2003 operating system environment can access up to 2GB of address space. This memory is split between actual physical memory and virtual memory. Basically, the more processes that are running on the system, the more memory will be committed to reach the full 2GB address space.

      When memory consumption approaches the 2GB limit, the paging process increases and performance begins to degrade.

      Linux:
      2GB Filesize limit

      Q: Is there any way around the 2GB file-size limit in Linux? Are there any stable patches to fix it?
      A: Short answer: In a practical sense, no. The 2GB limit is deeply embedded in the versions of Linux for 32-bit CPUs:

      Even if most hardware and software these days do not have these concerns, why break things for some systems?

      --
      I come here for the love
    47. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by SeaFox · · Score: 1

      Ubuntu's not just for the developed world. There are many places where a 2 GB USB stick costs more than the average daily wage.

      Wouldn't it make more sense to use a DVD-R in those cases?

    48. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Dcnjoe60 · · Score: 1

      I mean there's cheap and there's throw them out because you don't like the color cheap.

      I just bought a 128 GB SANDisk USB3 stick from Amazon for $31.

      How cheap does a 32GB drive need to be to be cheap?

      I already think they're cheap enough that I wish Microsoft would quit refusing to install and boot from USB drives as a kind of copy protection.

      Well, you could buy 10 2GB flash drives for less than that and give 9 of them to your friends with Linux ready to be installed ( http://www.amazon.com/10pcs-Sw...).

      Put differently, how many people are going to spend $31 to try out this thing called Linux?

    49. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      4GB iso should be fine for any DVD, most USB that size are giving away as samples if not extremely cheap.

    50. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by yithar7153 · · Score: 1

      You do realize having a replaceable drive, even like the M.2 SSD, makes the laptop thicker, right? There's a reason why the HP Chromebook 13 uses eMMC rather than a M.2 SSD.
      That being said, even with the added thickness, I'm happy with My Toshiba Chromebook 2 2015. Weight is more of a priority to me, as long as it's not super thick.

    51. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by yithar7153 · · Score: 1

      Well, I assume that's why most distributions provide an x86 iso and an amd64 iso. Since it's not a problem on 64-bit systems, you can make the amd64 ISO bigger than 2GB.

    52. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Threni · · Score: 1

      If that's a problem, do different releases for different regions. No point doing a smaller iso if the first thing it's going to do is grab another 2 gigs online, so leave most people with the normal (full sized) install and people for whom usb keys, bandwidth, disk space etc is a problem can use one of the cut down versions.

    53. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by swb · · Score: 1

      Put differently, how many people are going to spend $31 to try out this thing called Linux?

      Less than the number of people who will just wipe the USB stick you just gave them without ever booting it and fill it with porn or MP3s.

    54. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nothing says "easy to maintain" like two different sets of packages based solely on architecture.

    55. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Most of the hardware doesn't even boot off of USB. Yes, it's that old.

    56. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      An http proxy is pretty effective. Install squid-deb-proxy somewhere. :)

    57. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by aaarrrgggh · · Score: 1

      But it really is when you are trying out distros in a VM. It had been a while since I did it last; I was shocked as to how much they have grown over the years.

    58. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And if you keep taking a dick in your ass, you're gonna catch aids. You get what you deserve.

    59. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh snap! Mr Smarty McKnowitall doesn't know as much as he thought he did and got called out on it. I notice you've gotten awfully quiet. Not even a whoops my bad. Sore loser.

    60. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know you eventually have to throw your old shit out. Do you really want them wasting time making sure Ubuntu will bout on an 8088? I mean there are some people still using it. I'm one of them. But I don't piss and moan because I can't get software for it. Do you bitch your 442 Cutlass doesn't get 40mpg like a Prius? If what you have works then great, leave it as is. But stop holding the rest of the world back cause you're a cheap bastard.

    61. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then you need to either deal with it as is and quit bitching, or throw your dinosaur in the shit can and buy something modern.

    62. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by armanox · · Score: 1

      I'd rather be able to fix the thing when it breaks....

      --
      I'm starting to think GNU is the problem with "GNU/Linux" these days.
    63. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by armanox · · Score: 1

      Just curious - what are you using an Intel 8088 for? I ask because I have a laptop with one in it that I'd love to find a use for, just to be able to say it is doing something.

      --
      I'm starting to think GNU is the problem with "GNU/Linux" these days.
    64. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by armanox · · Score: 1

      I believe Red Hat did that a long time ago with Kickstart...

      --
      I'm starting to think GNU is the problem with "GNU/Linux" these days.
    65. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by hairyfeet · · Score: 1

      I honestly can't remember the last time I saw a 4GB drive in stores, even the bargain stores like Big Lots have 8Gb sticks now for under $5 so having a 2GB limit is really dumb.

      I'd say a standard DVD should be the limit simply because 1.- USB sticks below 8GB are getting harder and harder to find and 2.- DVD burners have been pretty much standard issue for so long in desktops that they are pretty much ubiquitous.

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    66. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I imagine it's for a situation where the computer was donated to you, possibly as a hand-me-down from an upgrade, but a flash drive wasn't. Or for a situation where the computer and a flash drive were donated to you, but 2 GB of data transfer allowance wasn't. Here in the USA, if you aren't in the service area of a fiber, cable, or DSL provider, 2 GB of cellular or satellite data is more expensive than even a 16 GB flash drive.

      Less than $10 for the official install USB stick https://shop.canonical.com/product_info.php?products_id=1206

      $6 for the base install, $33 for the 10 dvd full repository https://www.osdisc.com/products/linux/ubuntu

      Another source of bought DVDs http://www.zyxware.com/requestcd

      Obligatory Amazon link http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_1_1_hso_sc_smartcategory_2?rh=n%3A229654%2Ck%3Aubuntu&keywords=ubuntu&ie=UTF8&qid=1462222510&sr=8-1-acs

      Seriously, it's not hard to find or expensive.

    67. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by hairyfeet · · Score: 2

      Insightful? Really mods? Let me asking you a simple question....which do you think is more expensive in the developing world, an 8GB USB stick or 4GB+ of bandwidth to download all the stuff they didn't include in the .ISO?

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    68. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This post right here makes the most sense of anything you've written. See, I've been here a long time, so I get to know all the posters and their writing styles by name. Since you have a German sounding name, it really stuck out to me, and I am quite certain you don't regularly post on Slashdot. In this thread however, you can't shut up. Your messages are all mixed up. I can't tell if you like the bigger size or if you're arguing against it. Either way, with your fervent passion and rare posting habits, I am going to claim that you're a shill that's here to defend the choice, or to decry it, depending on which side of the argument you were on. You're doing a bad job of it, fyi

    69. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by tepples · · Score: 1

      And the computer was donated without an OS?

      Or it was donated with an unlicensed operating system. Windows volume licenses apply only to PCs owned or leased by an organization and are invalid once the organization no longer possesses the PC. So when the PC is used too long without connecting to the activation server on the organization's private network, its Windows activation lapses. One ThinkPad laptop that I bought on eBay had Windows 10 in this state; I replaced it with Debian.

    70. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      I have a TRS-80 Model 4, a more or less portable computer with a Z80A in it. I did find a use for it a while ago. I put it in front of a power plug I kept kicking from the socket when I stretched my legs. Of course, your laptops with the newfangled non-CRT displays probably don't have the heft for that.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    71. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      Plenty of them have a soldered-in hard drive, including this 2-yer-old Acer. It's easier to just add an external USB drive than futzing around, and by the time it's full, it will be due to be replaced anyway.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    72. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      You're only downloading the iso once, so the size isn't all that relevant. Also, the bigger it is, the more likely you won't need to download other stuff and then distribute it as well. Also, if they're sharing a computer, not everyone needs the same basic set of programs, but a full-sized iso is more likely to satisfy both their needs off-the-shelf.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    73. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by sims+2 · · Score: 1

      This ive got to see someone has made the most failure prone part non replaceable and simultanusly decided to pay more for a drive with a non standard interface.

      --
      Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
    74. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      If it's that old, chances are that the drive will fail sooner rather than later.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    75. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      They probably paid less, since there's no need for the drive caddy, and when you order in the millions, they'll make it the way you want it.

      I opened up mine to see if I could install a second drive, and I was quite surprised. The tracings are there, so if I wanted to solder one in, why not? And the drive currently in there doesn't have the edge connector. Soldered right in.

      Planned obsolescence, plus cheaper to make, sounds like a win/win. As long as it lasts 3-4 years, nobody's going to cry - by then a new one will be twice as fast with twice the memory and storage for less. And people who aren't happy can still boot off an external dvd, usb key, or hard drive.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    76. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by exomondo · · Score: 1

      Put differently, how many people are going to spend $31 to try out this thing called Linux?

      $31 is the price for a 128GB, you don't need anywhere even close to that much space for a Linux install. Plus we've had live cds/dvds for many many years and now even have an online way to try Linux. The barrier to entry is ridiculously low, if the uptake isn't happening then most definitely something else is the problem.

    77. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by sims+2 · · Score: 1

      Alright maybe I'm just getting bad at using google. But I can't find any mention of a acer laptop with a non replaceable.

      Could you please tell me the model number of yours?

      --
      Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
    78. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "This memory is split between actual physical memory and virtual memory."
      This is wrong. Every application has 4 GB (2 ^ 32) of virtual address space. Most of this space is actually usable, but a small fraction is reserved for keeping the page tables to actually manage this memory. The NT architecture divides the virtual memory available to the process between kernel and user space. Traditionally, the 2 GB (0 ... 7fff ffff) range was given to user space and the 2 GB (8000 0000 ... ffff ffff) was given to kernel space, but later versions of Windows allow you to give more to user space and less to kernel space.
      But that doesn't really matter for the purpose of discussing how large files are handled, because the chance of finding a contiguous free memory block of anywhere close to 2 GB is pretty slim, and applications use different methods like mappable file views or file I/O functions to deal with anything bigger than a few dozen MB.
      The real problem is that lots of application programmers store file offsets in a C or C++ int, even though OS developers recommend against that. On a 32-bit system, an int ranges from -2 G to 2 G (minus one). And that also explains why the limit in those applications is 2 GB instead of 4 GB: they didn't use an unsigned int.

    79. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      They're not going to say it's non-replaceable, same as they don't say it doesn't come with a dvd drive.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    80. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by sims+2 · · Score: 1

      No but I was going to look for a tear down I want to see how it is being done.

      --
      Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
    81. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not sure what model Barbara has, but I've an Acer ES1-111m, it has a soldered on 32GB flash storage instead of a hard drive.

    82. Re:With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      They'd be too new for a tear-down, I would imagine. But just find someone that has one and unscrew the bottom and take a peek in.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    83. Re: With 32 gig usb sticks so cheap ... by HouseOfMisterE · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure if you were replying to me or not, but there is no negative to using 4GB max file on FAT32 on either Windows on Linux. You can shove our sore loser crap up your @$$.

  2. But, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    2GB?!? That's like over a hundred 20MB HDD's!

    1. Re:But, but... by Thud457 · · Score: 1

      That's almost 1500 1.44 MB 3.5" floppies.
      Somewhere north of 5000 360K 5.25" floppies if you're going real old-school.

      Since we're talking Linux distros here, can we cut this off at IBM PC Compatible formats, or do we have to dig down to really archaic formats?

      --

      the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    2. Re:But, but... by inode_buddha · · Score: 2

      ISTR my first linux install (1997) was around 150 megs. It grew to 450 megs with XFree86 downloaded from tsx-11@MIT. FWIW my HDD was 500 megs and RAM was 128 megs on a 486DX.

      The size and sheer waste of the newer stuff tends to aggravate me; particularly on websites that could easily do the same job with HTML and instead choose to use a wall of javascript by monkeys on crack. Newer distros remind me of that.

      --
      C|N>K
    3. Re: But, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The current i386 installer iso for NetBSD is still less than 200M. In that, you get the entire base system, networking, the build environment to build packages from source, and X11. Tab window manager is included

    4. Re:But, but... by dbraden · · Score: 1

      I'm glad we're setting a cut-off point, otherwise I was going to bring up that my C=64 5.25s were only 170K ;)

  3. In before accusations of bloat by LichtSpektren · · Score: 5, Informative

    The main reason why the .ISOs have grown is because lots of language support packs have been integrated directly into the installer. The size of the rest of the system has been relatively the same since 14.04.

    1. Re:In before accusations of bloat by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      Also, N.B. they still offer GUI-less installs and netinstalls.

    2. Re:In before accusations of bloat by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Easy solution there. Integrate Esperanto into the installer and make all other languages an available download.

    3. Re:In before accusations of bloat by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Great, someone's going to approve your idea to add Esperanto (and Klingon/Sindarin/Dothraki) but they'll reject your idea to have the other languages be download-only. Now you've increased the bloat.

    4. Re:In before accusations of bloat by aliquis · · Score: 3, Funny

      Also, N.B. they still offer GUI-less installs and netinstalls.

      Which require more than one floppy I assume! BLOAT!

    5. Re:In before accusations of bloat by armanox · · Score: 1

      IIRC the kernel dropped boot floppies around version 2.6

      --
      I'm starting to think GNU is the problem with "GNU/Linux" these days.
    6. Re:In before accusations of bloat by aliquis · · Score: 1

      IIRC the kernel dropped boot floppies around version 2.6

      Last time I installed OpenBSD and NetBSD they installed from one and two floppies each if I remember correctly.

      Back before then I think Debian maybe had like five or something..

      See, this is how it's done:
      http://ftp.eu.openbsd.org/pub/... - The _ONE_ floppy required to net-install OpenBSD 5.9 i386.
      http://ftp.eu.openbsd.org/pub/... The _ONE_ floppy required to net-install OpenBSD 5.9 AMD64.

      Wow, NetBSD uses _FIVE_ floppies now?!
      http://ftp.fi.netbsd.org/pub/N...

      FreeBSD doesn't even offer floppy-installation any more?
      ftp://ftp.se.freebsd.org/pub/F...

    7. Re:In before accusations of bloat by aliquis · · Score: 1

      Which require more than one floppy I assume! BLOAT!

      For those who don't get it;
      this is the one floppy you need to net-install OpenBSD 5.9/AMD64: http://ftp.eu.openbsd.org/pub/...

      It's _NET_-install, not fucking floppy-install =P

  4. with good reason! by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 0

    it's become one big blob known only as systemd. ;)

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:with good reason! by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      I'm assuming you were joking because of the smiley, but I'd just like to point out that the Slackware 14.1 iso (uses BSD init) is 2.4 GB. Devuan beta (uses sysvinit) is 4.36 GB. So Ubuntu 16.04's (with systemd) piddling 1.4 GB seems not so bad in comparison!

    2. Re: with good reason! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The current NetBSD installer iso for i386 is 424MB.

    3. Re: with good reason! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The current Slitaz installer and live CD is under 55MB.

  5. Anyone surprised by this? by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 0

    What did you expect when Microsoft announce Ubuntu on Windows? Of course, the install image got bloated.

  6. Perhaps if they didn't include... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Amazon or other "partner" data collection "personalisation" "technologies" in the images, it wouldn't need to be increased.

    1. Re:Perhaps if they didn't include... by LichtSpektren · · Score: 2

      The package for webbrowser-app (which is where the Amazon search lens comes from; BTW it's off by default in 16.04) is 765.9 kB. See: http://packages.ubuntu.com/xen...

    2. Re:Perhaps if they didn't include... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Since they are competing with Windows 10 and Continuum (a better version of Unity that actually works well), you can expect this to increase dramatically over time, Canonical is a "commercial" distribution company, and thus, will more and more depend upon data collection in the future, as does Windows 10 and services.

  7. 2gb is the least of your worries by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Gnome software center sucks the sweat off of donkey balls.

    There. Sorry for the interruption, but I felt it needed to be said.

    Yes I feel better now, thanks for asking.

    1. Re:2gb is the least of your worries by Anne+Thwacks · · Score: 1
      Gnome sucks the sweat off of donkey balls.

      FTFY

      I have just upgraded to 16.04 of Ubuntu-Gnome. I use "Gnome Classic", mostly because Mint never seems to work for me.

      I now find the stupid workspace selection option on Window title bars not longer allows you to choose which workspace you want - you can go up or down, but not move strait to 6! WTF?

      And you don't get to see a thumbnail of the workspaces on the panel at the bottom! WTF?

      Why can we not have features that work LEFT THE FUCK ALONE.

      Why is it not an arrestable offense to fuck with people's UIs without asking?

      Can someone please stop Gnome from "developing", and leave it alone!

      Come on - people have been moaning forever about Gnome developers ripping the arms and legs of productivity. When is it going to stop?

      Will I have to revert to FVWM95?

      Will this ranting never stop? Well, It will for now, as I need a very strong alcoholic drink before I continue.

      --
      Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
  8. All the bloat from systemd and 3 GUIs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Strip back down to a real init system and X Windows and you'll be fine.

    1. Re:All the bloat from systemd and 3 GUIs by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      X is still the default in 16.04. I'd just like to point out that the Slackware 14.1 iso (uses BSD init) is 2.4 GB. Devuan beta (uses sysvinit) is 4.36 GB. So Ubuntu 16.04's (with systemd) piddling 1.4 GB seems not so bad in comparison!

  9. Why is this news? by Trevelyan · · Score: 1

    A number of sites are posting this story; and I really don't get why this is news of any interest to anyone...

    A basic DVD-R is about 4GB and you'd have to be a hoarder to still have USB sticks smaller than 4GB.

    I could also assume that the majority do not do offline installs anyway...

    Despite all that, how is the size of some OS' install media attracting so much attention? And why Ubuntu? How about OS X or MS-Windows?

    1. Re:Why is this news? by jareth-0205 · · Score: 1

      Yeah, also why is it "quietly"? Quietly implies that there's something nefarious or suspicious going on, not just a normal adjustment due to increasing storage size available in newer technology...

    2. Re:Why is this news? by omnichad · · Score: 2

      Quietly implies that there isn't any outward announcement., but there's a relatively official statement by Canonical on this. That's about as official as you can get for something that's not all that newsworthy.

    3. Re:Why is this news? by tepples · · Score: 1

      A basic DVD-R is about 4GB and you'd have to be a hoarder to still have USB sticks smaller than 4GB.

      How much does AT&T charge for 4 GB of cellular data? Or Exede for 4 GB of satellite data? Or the Post Office to mail a 4 GB stick to and from someone with wired Internet?

    4. Re:Why is this news? by freeze128 · · Score: 1

      you'd have to be a hoarder to still have USB sticks smaller than 4GB.

      Millions of 2GB flash drives were given away as swag at trade shows and through direct marketing. They aren't useless yet, unless they have reached the end of their useful life, and that only happens after a large number of *WRITE* cycles, not read cycles. Using them for Ubuntu install media is a perfect way to keep them from the landfill.

    5. Re:Why is this news? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A basic DVD-R is about 4GB and you'd have to be a hoarder to still have USB sticks smaller than 4GB.

      How much does AT&T charge for 4 GB of cellular data? Or Exede for 4 GB of satellite data? Or the Post Office to mail a 4 GB stick to and from someone with wired Internet?

      Less than $10 for the official install USB stick https://shop.canonical.com/product_info.php?products_id=1206

      $6 for the base install, $33 for the 10 dvd full repository https://www.osdisc.com/products/linux/ubuntu

      Another source of bought DVDs http://www.zyxware.com/requestcd

      Obligatory Amazon link http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_1_1_hso_sc_smartcategory_2?rh=n%3A229654%2Ck%3Aubuntu&keywords=ubuntu&ie=UTF8&qid=1462222510&sr=8-1-acs

      Seriously, it's not hard to find or expensive.

    6. Re:Why is this news? by Anne+Thwacks · · Score: 1

      And how much does the fuel cost to fill up my station-wagon full of QIC24 tapes?

      --
      Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
  10. Multiple sizes by kreuzotter · · Score: 3, Insightful

    There is no reason not to have different ISO sizes. I would love to have an ISO that fits on a CD AND one that is 32GByte big.

    1. Re:Multiple sizes by LichtSpektren · · Score: 4, Informative

      You're in luck. Try the Ubuntu Core iso, or the netinstall.

  11. easy explanation for the greybeards. by nimbius · · Score: 1

    for those of us still installing slack and gentoo to servers or BSD, the additional disk requirements are really rather simple.

    soundcard support: nothing like rockin out in the datacenter to the latest skrillex mix. soundcards are critical for todays infrastructure, and drivers should be available..
    bluetooth support: how else are you going to sync your contacts or hook up your wireless mouse? datacenters are prime real estate for the mingling professional on the go, so youll need bluetooth drivers to support that bluetooth headset.
    art.:perfectly kerned fonts, glorious artwork, and rich icons make your desktop experience immersive when youre ssh'ing into the server at 4 AM to fix the build. youll need the full sound effects pack too if you want to make the tablet experience really pop when youre executing stack traces.
    pets: whatever asinine garbage Lennart Pottering demanded 20 minutes before the CI kicked off surely has to be part of this weeks image. And dont forget the piss-ant libraries for the manbaby developer that needed his special snowflake status validated in the reimplementation of a C library in a ruby wrapped R executed python enabled SPARK ada routine to properly align the cursor! unless you include that you really arent building an OS at all...seriously...his package is a dependency everywhere...for no real reason.

    --
    Good people go to bed earlier.
    1. Re:easy explanation for the greybeards. by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      The Slackware 14.1 ISO (for amd64) is almost twice as big as Ubuntu 16.04's. See: http://www.slackware.com/getsl...

    2. Re:easy explanation for the greybeards. by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      Also, FreeBSD 10.3 is 2.7 GB.

  12. Perhaps some comparisons are in order by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

    If we're using the full desktop DVD .iso file for Ubuntu 16.04 (amd64), and not the Ubuntu Core, Server, or netinstall images, then it's 1.4 GB.

    Slackware 14.1 is 2.4 GB (source: http://www.slackware.com/getsl... )
    FreeBSD is 2.7 GB (source: ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/Free... )
    Solaris 11.3 is 1.4 GB for the USB (source: http://www.oracle.com/technetw... )
    Devuan beta is 4.36 GB (source: https://files.devuan.org/devua... )
    Fedora 23 Workstation is 1.4 GB (source: https://getfedora.org/en/works... )

  13. Why limit to optical media? by idontusenumbers · · Score: 1

    The use of optical media is dwindling. If a limit is to be selected, it should be a common flash disk size minus some overhead. Using 4.7GB as the maximum will mean everyone will be buying 8GB disks instead of 4GB disks to put the images on.

    1. Re:Why limit to optical media? by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

      As far as I can tell, one should generally assume that the DVD .iso also works for live booting on a USB (sometimes this isn't the case; I found out the hard way that openSUSE 42.1 can't boot from a USB). They want to keep the image size down, both for poorer people that don't want to pay for a DVD or 4GB USB stick, and to save bandwidth on their mirrors.

  14. Sneakernet vs. sat or cell for bulk downloads by tepples · · Score: 1

    How cheap does a 32GB drive need to be to be cheap?

    I'd say cheaper than the overage fees to download an OS installer over a cellular or satellite data network.

  15. Depends on the screen size by tepples · · Score: 1

    Which new 10.1" laptop doesn't have "a soldered in hard drive"? At that size range, I used to see Atom laptops with a 2.5" SATA HDD. But all I see nowadays are tablets with an attachable keyboard.

    1. Re:Depends on the screen size by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      They're doing it to lower the cost (and component count, and weight). Same as they got rid of the dvd drives, and before that the floppies. That's why they can use much smaller batteries and still get decent running times, and that smaller battery also reduces the cost and weight.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
  16. Klingon is allegedly copyrighted by tepples · · Score: 1

    Great, someone's going to approve your idea to add Esperanto (and Klingon/Sindarin/Dothraki)

    Klingon? Cue the notice of claimed infringement from CBS and Paramount.

  17. Why only 1 flavor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe they should offer 2 flavors.
    1) The "Mini"/"Slim"/"basics" version with a limit of 2GB
    2) The Full version with a limit of 4GB

  18. Target should be 2 or 4GB, not 4.7GB by davidwr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If 2GB is a "debatable" target, the next "step up" is a 4GB USB, not a 4.7GB DVD/ISO image.

    Actually, just under 4GB if you are going to create an ISO image. You need to leave a little room on the USB stick for boot sectors, UEFI boot partitions, and other overhead so the end user can turn the ISO into a bootable USB stick. So either set the limit for the ISO image at 1.9GB or 3.9GB, but not 4.7GB.

    Also, if the ISO itself is bigger than 4GB, it can't be stored on a FAT-32 formatted USB stick. Many people still use FAT-32 for cross-platform storage devices.

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
    1. Re:Target should be 2 or 4GB, not 4.7GB by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You'll have to state it in GiB because mass storage devices insist on the standard. So about 3.7GiB.

      Devs will assume GB means 2^30, cause devs consistently assume that.

  19. Please, just stop. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Optical media sizes are not a unit of measure. Nobody uses CDs or DVDs anymore. Those formats are dead. Bluray is dead, too. Most PCs that can run Ubuntu don't even come with optical drives anymore.

    It's also hard to find thumb drives under 4GB anymore. Most are 8GB or bigger.

    The limiting factor more and more these days is one of two things: Internet Connection Speed, and Data Cap Limit. The former is more relevant because most people have a 2-4GB data plan, so really it just boils down to "how long to download the torrent?"

    I'd say come up with a flavor that is reasonably transferred over a locale's average Internet speed. For places like South Korea where everyone has gigabit, you can make the image 8GB no problem, and include all kinds of goodies.

    For third world countries like the USA that have an average speed of about 2.5mbit, continuing to limit it to about 800MB would probably be a good idea.

  20. Yakkety Yak? by Moof123 · · Score: 0

    I really can't take an OS seriously that is named Yakkety Yak. You lost me right there. What next Leprous Lemur?

    1. Re:Yakkety Yak? by jittles · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yakkety Yak.

      Don't talk back.

    2. Re:Yakkety Yak? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yakkety Yak.

      Don't talk back.

      Don't you give me no dirty looks.

    3. Re:Yakkety Yak? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Zionist Zebra ;-)

    4. Re:Yakkety Yak? by dcollins117 · · Score: 1

      Yeah it's a little too close to Yakety Sax and the first association that evokes in my mind is Benny Hill chasing scantily clad ladies about. "Hard to take seriously" is a bit of an understatement.

    5. Re:Yakkety Yak? by wkwilley2 · · Score: 1

      Ziggedy Zebra!

      --
      Have you ever fallen asleep at the keybhanusdiog?
    6. Re:Yakkety Yak? by wkwilley2 · · Score: 1

      Or maybe even Zealous Zebu. It could happen.

      --
      Have you ever fallen asleep at the keybhanusdiog?
  21. Re:Typical by fbobraga · · Score: 1

    Meanwhile Windows gets leaner and leaner with each release.

    oh, boy...

  22. lol wut? by slashmydots · · Score: 1

    I don't think anyone still sells brand new 2GB sticks plus 2GB + formatting = less than 2GB. Basing it on optical storage is the only thing that makes sense as a limit that has actual logic instead of arbitrary numbers.

  23. Windows Brought Ubuntu To Windows by bitwise+counselor · · Score: 1

    Windows brought Ubuntu to Windows so Ubuntu was just following suit.

  24. 2GB limit and why I think it does not matter today by Lonewolf666 · · Score: 1

    On Windows, one might have a Linux distribution lying around as an .iso file. I actually have some large FAT partitions for storing data, and downloaded (X)Ubuntu on one of those.
    But I don't see me trying to run it as a Windows process:
    The .iso is only intermediate storage before burning to DVD or maybe copying to USB. So the 2GB limitation of address space under Windows does not matter.

    The 2GB file-size limit in Linux looks slightly more relevant at first glance, but I still think it is a rare edge case.
    Your link says that large filesystem support, which removes that limit, was introduced with Kernel 2.4. Kernel 2.4 was released on 4th January 2001 and EOL in December 2011, according to Wikipedia.
    So in order to have a problem with it, a user that wants to install Ubuntu today would need to have a machine with an OS obsolete 4 1/2 years ago, and no access to another PC to download and burn a DVD. Which is remotely possible, but only remotely ;-)

     

    --
    C - the footgun of programming languages
  25. Unsupported OS on donated PC by tepples · · Score: 1

    And the computer was donated without an OS?

    It was donated without a supported operating system. Windows XP is no longer supported, and Windows Vista has less than a year of extended support remaining.

    1. Re:Unsupported OS on donated PC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you're so constrained by such a "data allowance", an unsupported OS is the least of your concerns.

  26. Re: And I have quietly raised my penis size to 30c by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It sounds like your penis has some kind of issue with apps. Did face swap put it's head on your face and vice versa? Why so angry, AC? There's some apps on the play store to help with that...

  27. Re: Typical by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, well, APK. I see that whiplash has kept blocking your fucked up hosts bullshit so well that you've finally started typing in coherent English. I almost want to congratulate you, but I still know you're a shit heel.

  28. Damn... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    systemd..

  29. Nothing awrong with 8 gigs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Smallest stick most have and my crappiest cd burned can handle a double layer.
    Worked for Apple.

  30. Cheap? CD. by vandamme · · Score: 1

    I don't mind giving away CDs because I have shitloads of them and they're cheap. But not too many distros fit on a CD any more. Bodhi and Puppy that I know of.
    If I could find 2 GB flash drives for 25 cents I'd change my mind.