Sputnik: the distribution-oriented dev of Dell

Canonical and Dell worked together to provide a usable on XPS 13 upon unpacking developer-oriented Linux distribution...

The Sputnik project has nothing to do with the first Russian satellite launched into orbit on October 4, 1957. No, this project is about the efforts made in common by Matt Baker, Michael Cote, Nnamdi Orakwue and Barton George (the latter being responsible for Cloud Computing and Open Source at Dell) which launched the idea internally to design a developer-oriented Linux for the XPS 13 distribution. For its part, Canonical has not slowed this development following his previous experiences in this area. Six months of work and research, the project allows Dell to offer a first ultrabook under Linux for developers with the easiest working environment that is.

Based on the latest version of Ubuntu, 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" that we have the tour in images, Dell will propose this distribution changed to its latest XPS 13 ultrabook optional in the sales portal configuration procedure, but is already available for customers via an installation image downloading. Barton George points out that there are still a few small changes to to a full support of the multi-touch trackpad for example. Currently, Dell is seeking a way around these small inconveniences while waiting for a clean solution from the manufacturer of the touchpad.

       

The idea of the Sputnik project is not that in the development of a distribution to small onions for a single model, but for all Dell signed products. In addition, one of the strengths of this project is the developers profiles management. For the moment, Dell offers the Android, Ruby and JavaScript profile which will come then install all of the software and their necessary dependencies for these three profiles of developers. More simple therefore start work quickly. Dell indicates that it is also possible to manufacture profiles and distribute them on the Developer Platform on its forum.

Finally, according to Mark Shuttleworth and Dell, project Sputnik could see further and make competition to Github for example term. The idea would be to create small spaces of development in the cloud for a few developers using this distribution to then open to the rest of the world if required for development. Because the tools are common to all the developers of this same distribution, it would be more compatibility issue, of "versioning" or different platforms that result often with the addition of patches in the code to work around these problems. Dell and Ubuntu could use the OpenStack to manage these spaces online.