Dell tests open-source laptop for developers

[Darwin]

What is it that web developers want? That’s what Dell is trying to find out with its just-launched Project Sputnik, an “experimental” laptop bundled with Ubuntu Linux plus utilities, and with an easy on-ramp to github repositories coming soon. Sputnik looks like Dell’s attempt to wrest the attention of the many web developers that have defected to OS X, but chafe at the restrictions Apple’s walled garden imposes on them.

Barton George, director of Dell’s web vertical, unveiled the project on his blog and Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth showed off the Dell XPS13 laptop laptop running Ubuntu 12.04 at the Ubuntu Developers Summit in Oakland on Monday.

The choice of Ubuntu as the Linux of choice makes sense given its popularity on desktops (and the fact that Canonical, the force behind Ubuntu, collaborated with Dell on the project.) Right now, the Sputnik install image includes drivers and patches (drivers can be a problem with Linux) and utilities. But more important for developers will be the coming ability to download developer “profiles” from github. The first profiles will be for Android, Ruby and JavaScript.

Read more: http://gigaom.com/cloud/dell-tests-o...or-developers/

[dpic]

Why only for developers?