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Open Source Project Aims To Make Ubuntu Usable on Arm-Powered Windows Laptops (techrepublic.com)

Posted by msmash on from the tussle-continues dept.

A group of programmers and device hackers are working to bring proper support for Ubuntu to Arm-powered Windows laptops, starting with first-generation Snapdragon 835 systems, like the HP Envy x2 and Asus NovaGo. From a report: The aarch64-laptops project provides prebuilt images for the aforementioned notebook PCs, as well as the Lenovo Miix 630. Although Ubuntu and other Linux distributions support aarch64 (ARMv8) by default, various obstacles including the design and configuration of Qualcomm Snapdragon processors make these default images not practically usable. The aarch64-laptops project developers are aiming to address these difficulties, though work is still ongoing. Presently, the TouchPad does not work properly on the Asus, with all three lacking proper support for on-board storage and Wi-Fi, which rely on UFS support. According to their documentation, this is being worked on upstream.

37 comments

  1. Universal Flash Storage not Unix File System by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Flash_Storage
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_File_System :-)

  2. How about making it useful to computer users? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Right now it is inching closer and closer to becoming like macOS or Windows 10 etc. In the spirit it started out with: To put "simplicity" over powerfulness, patronize, and treat the user like a moron until he is. So the exact opposite of Linux: "Linux on the Desktop".

    1. Re:How about making it useful to computer users? by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

      AC, the way you write makes it unclear whether you're for or against what they're doing here.
      If the 'Linux community' wants greater adoption of Linux (of any flavor) on any platform, then it has to be accessible to the average, non-techie computer user; your grandmother should be able to use it with equal utility to a superuser who is hacking the kernel sourcecode. It must, somehow, be all things to all people as much as possible. Otherwise the Microsoft hegemony becomes an indellible fact, and that's not good for anyone.
      Linux in any form is extremely powerful simply because it's open, in contract to how totally closed Windows is.

    2. Re:How about making it useful to computer users? by Immerman · · Score: 1

      >your grandmother should be able to use it with equal utility to a superuser who is hacking the kernel sourcecode.
      That depends very much on what you mean by "utility" - most of the people I know get very little utility from a computer beyond internet access and maybe some word processing. The ability to run a secure web server or hypervisored virtual machine is completely irrelevant to them.

      Ubuntu though does offer an excellent, simple, user interface quite sufficient to most people's needs, one that's arguably both more powerful and easier to use than Windows or MacOS. And certainly far more customizable - even as a power user it's not a bad place to start, you're going to want to replace half the interface for pretty much any distribution anyway.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    3. Re:How about making it useful to computer users? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      n-n-n-n-no normies in my sekret klub! rreeeee!!!!!!!

    4. Re:How about making it useful to computer users? by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

      By 'utility' I mean exactly what you said, more or less: easy-to-use for generic things like web browsing, email, watching movies/listening to music, maybe editing/viewing photos, and so on. Ubuntu and other distros accomplish that fairly well, I think. But at the same time you can take Ubuntu (or whatever distro) and get right down to the nuts-and-bolts level of it, edit sourcecode, create new code, completely change the way the machine works, the tools are all right there already, nothing is hidden from you, you're not denied access to anything, unlike Windows.

    5. Re:How about making it useful to computer users? by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

      Go back to your containment website (4chan) and stay there.

    6. Re:How about making it useful to computer users? by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

      Ubuntu ... one that's arguably both more powerful and easier to use than Windows or MacOS.
      That is not arguable for Macs ... every time I want to do something beyond the basics, I have to google. Perhaps it works like windows and you don't have to google, no idea.
      While it is nice, it is not on the same usability level, probably never will be, unless Macs decline even more.
      And: the UI is ugly and space consuming for no apparent reason. Gosh ... the remote desktop clients are the worst ... 5cm margin at the top for a 5mm menu.

      --
      Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
    7. Re:How about making it useful to computer users? by Immerman · · Score: 1

      How long have you been using Macs versus Ubuntu? For example - The vast majority of advanced Mac hot keys are completely undiscoverable without Google - as in, literally not documented *anywhere* within the OS - and many of them are for still-fairly-basic functionality that has no mouse-driven equivalent. And good luck finding the advanced configuration options (most of which would be included in the "normal" options on any other OS)

      As for your RDC criticisms - I'll let those be, other than to point out that poorly designed applications should not be considered a reflection on the OS.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    8. Re:How about making it useful to computer users? by aybiss · · Score: 1

      Excellent simple interface? Where by default the screen has sticky edges? Where you can't use the on-screen keyboard to type on the "start menu"?

      Linux hasn't had an excellent simple interface since the thin client days and early X.

      --
      It's OK Bender, there's no such thing as 2.
  3. Linux by Bert64 · · Score: 2

    ARM laptops should really have been offered with linux from the get-go, the only benefit of windows is compatibility with the existing masses of x86 software and drivers for arbitrary peripherals - a benefit which is lost when running windows/arm. A linux/arm laptop would have the same software as linux/x86 as virtually everything has already been compiled for arm.

    Having windows/arm will only result in user disappointment, either because expected things don't work or perform poorly under emulation.

    --
    http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
    1. Re:Linux by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      Having windows/arm will only result in user disappointment, either because expected things don't work or perform poorly under emulation.

      We went through some of this with netbooks, now they're repeating it all over again with armbooks. Netbooks could run windows software since they were x86, but they could only run it poorly because of memory limitations. Linux wasn't so memory-hungry at the time, so it made more sense.

      Unfortunately, the market rejected Linux then, because they wanted to run Windows software. Today, the people who would want a low-power laptop are probably more likely coming from the other end — they don't want a lower-powered windows laptop, they want a higher-powered Android or iOS one, with the keyboard that their phone doesn't have.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:Linux by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

      ARM laptops should really have been offered with linux from the get-go, the only benefit of windows is compatibility with the existing masses of x86 software and drivers for arbitrary peripherals - a benefit which is lost when running windows/arm

      ARM Windows laptops can run legacy x86 software (though, I believe, not yet x86-64 software). They ship with an emulator that emulates the main executable and bundled DLLs but can call into native code for things that comes with Windows (e.g. all of the GUI drawing code, video / audio CODECs).

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    3. Re:Linux by Anne+Thwacks · · Score: 1
      the market rejected Linux then, because they wanted to run Windows software

      Are you sure? I suspect the market never got a look in. A bigger problem was that the staff at PC World were confused by the idea that the customer might want to know what the difference was, and went and hid in the washroom rather than face reality.

      --
      Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
    4. Re:Linux by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      the market rejected Linux then, because they wanted to run Windows software

      Are you sure? I suspect the market never got a look in.

      At least for the first couple years, they definitely had Linux netbooks in the store. I don't doubt, however, that salesdroids who knew what it was were lacking in number.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    5. Re: Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I primarily used a netbook for quite a while. Windows programs worked just fine on it.

      That said, when my wife got a netbook, she got Ubuntu because I'm not fixing her laptop weekly and Ubuntu is rock solid.

    6. Re:Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bizarre comment, "...windows/arm will only result in user disappointment..."

      Considering that the OP says "... various obstacles ... make [Linux] default images not practically usable..."

      So disappointment with Linux is acceptable, while disappointment with Windows is unacceptable. And neither can be fixed. Or is it that both can be fixed but fixing Windows on ARM is unacceptable to you?

    7. Re:Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unfortunately, the market rejected Linux then, because they wanted to run Windows software.

      I seem to recall Linux doing fairly well.
      https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/14/asus_linux_eee_901_famine/
      https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1021718/linux-netbook-thieves-ignore-laptops
      https://www.channelfutures.com/open-source/australians-demand-linux-netbooks
      I tend to expect that any "rejection" had another reason.
      https://www.cnet.com/news/how-microsoft-warded-off-rival/
      https://www.pcworld.com/article/166016/microsoft_strikes_back_against_linux.html
      where Asus "apologized for the Android Eee PC being shown."

    8. Re:Linux by Bert64 · · Score: 1

      These laptops are not provided with linux, work is underway by unrelated parties to make it run on them.

      If they were offered with linux preinstalled, then absolutely the expectation would be that all the hardware should work.

      When a user buys a system with "windows", they expect it to run all the same software as any other windows laptop... They don't expect software or peripherals to be incompatible, or to run slowly via emulation. They used to sell netbooks with windows ce too, users were typically extremely disappointed if they bought these and tried to return them.

      The same thing happened with netbooks, the original ones running linux were fine because the user's expectation was a cheap portable device for web browsing, which they did just fine. Once microsoft started coercing the market the prices went up (cost of software plus higher spec hardware needed to run it), and the expectation became that the expectation of the devices changed to "a small windows laptop that runs the same software as a full size laptop or desktop", so they started being perceived as slow and expensive.

      Meanwhile, other portable web browsing devices (ie tablets and phones) took over the niche previously occupied by netbooks, and these devices typically don't run windows either.
      The same problem also affected windows on mobile to an extent, people had expectations that they would run the same software as their desktops - i know several people who bought one and were disappointed to discover that it didn't, or that the interface was totally different. I also know people who refused to buy a windows phone on the assumption that it would bring negative things they associate with desktops (crashing, maintenance overhead, malware etc) to their phones.

      Branding sets expectations, either good or bad, and the windows branding on anything but a traditional computer is rather toxic.

      --
      http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
  4. What's the point? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Other than an interesting intellectual exercise or for bragging rights? The laptops involved are, on one hand, fairly expensive, and on the other hand, not particularly fast.

    1. Re:What's the point? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Other than an interesting intellectual exercise or for bragging rights?

      This is Slashdot. Either of these is reason enough.

  5. Yes, but does it run Linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oh wait wrong story sorry.

    1. Re: Yes, but does it run Linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Doom is the real test.

  6. What by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Make Ubuntu Usable on Arm-Powered Windows Laptops ?

    Don't they have to make Ubuntu usable, first?

    1. Re:What by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Scurry off back to Redmond and tell your Microsoft masters you've failed, asshole.

  7. ARM-powered, not arm-powered by hackertourist · · Score: 1

    Damn you, camel case!

  8. misguided fool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ARM laptops should really have been offered with linux from the get-go,

    keep complaining about last week's weather, see how far that gets you

  9. Can we by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Make Ubuntu usable anywhere to start with?

    *ducks*

    1. Re:Can we by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Depends on your definition of 'usable', and who it should apply to.

  10. HP and Asus should sell them with Linux by Nocturrne · · Score: 1

    Please... we desperately need a FOSS alternative to the "spyware as an operating system" that is Windows 10.

    1. Re: HP and Asus should sell them with Linux by mino310 · · Score: 0

      A linux/arm laptop would have the same https://xender.pro/ https://discord.software/ https://omegle.onl/ software as linux/x86 as virtually everything has already been compiled for arm.

    2. Re: HP and Asus should sell them with Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      This guys a spammer. Spamming sites that mimick real sites using the .onl extension beware.

    3. Re: HP and Asus should sell them with Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      None of those are the official websites of the software you mention... this is probably a malware distribution attempt.

    4. Re: HP and Asus should sell them with Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dell sells laptops with linux preinstalled and last gen hardware.

  11. Because I'm not "for" nor "against". by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I came to hope we can discuss topics on levels beyond one-dimensional binary extremes.
    I know we are all trained to have the urge to categorize everything into "with us" and "against us". Let's have a fruitful discussion instead.
    See my comment simply as a thought provoker that tells you more about your rigid views than about mine, don’t take it too seriously, and have your own views, free from those socially conditioned triggers.

  12. Nobody by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Cares