[Discuss] The next Linux desktop: Ubuntu 12.04

[Richard Pieri]

On 3/12/2012 2:37 AM, Tom Metro wrote:
> have, and the iPad 3 offers 2048 x 1536; about the only place tablets
> lag is in RAM...still maxing out at 1 GB for the foreseeable future).

That's not lagging behind.  That's a technical failing in all 
battery-powered devices.  Powering RAM costs battery life.  Providing 
bandwidth to use that RAM costs battery life.  For all of new iPad's 
fantastic specs on paper it can't use all that power because of the 
throttle that is memory bandwidth.  But that's neither here nor there. 
The point is that Canonical is offering a solution, a Desktop, with 
nothing to run it on.

> With Microsoft making a big push for Windows 8 on tablets, which
> inevitably will drive towards even higher performing hardware, and with
> Canonical having ported Ubuntu to ARM, there should be a good selection
> of hardware that can comfortably run Ubuntu.

I'm afraid not.  Microsoft's documentation for ARM manufacturers 
shipping Windows 8 states clearly, and I quote from page 116 from the 
Hardware Certification Requirements, with Microsoft's emphasis retained:

   Disabling Secure MUST NOT be possible on ARM systems.

Maybe Intel's Ultrabooks will end up a niche for Ubuntu, but Canonical 
won't find any love in the tablet market.

-- 
Rich P.