UNRKarmicHardwareEnablement
Launchpad Entry: kernel-unr-karmic-hardware-enablement
Created: 2009-06-02
Contributors: Steve Kowalik, Paul Larson, David Mandala, Bill Filler, Michael Casadevall
Packages affected: ubuntu-netbook-remix, linux
Summary
Ubuntu should support very popular models of netbooks, and netbooks that Canonical has enabled. This will take effort by the kernel team and the mobile team. Issues that can not be solved will be documented and release noted so that people will know what the experience will be.
Release Note
Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10 now support the following additional netbooks:
- Dell Inspiron 910/910n
- Dell Mini 9
- Dell Mini 10v
- HP Mini 1000
- HP Mini 500
- Toshiba nb 200
- Toshiba NB100
In addition, support for the following netbooks has been maintained:
- Asus Eee PC 900
- Asus Eee PC 1000
- Acer Aspire One
- Samsung NC10
Please note that the Asus Eee PC 700 is not supported by UNR due to insufficient screen resolution
In addition, Poulsbo chipsets are not supported in this release. Netbooks with this chipset are:
- Dell Inspiron 1210
- Dell Mini 10 (but not the 10v)
- Dell Mini 12
Rationale
By enabling the most common hardware in archive, it helps to expand the user base of UNR.
User stories
John has a netbook that came with Ubuntu installed on it, he sees there is a newer version on the Ubuntu website and downloads the current image. It should work as expected or have documentation of what will not work.
Jane saw John's netbook and has the same model but it has a different OS installed on it, she likes what she see's on John's netbook and decides to download and install the current shipping version of Ubuntu Netbook Remix on it. It should work the same way as John's unit.
Assumptions
- Kernel team will handle hardware enablement.
- Canonical Mobile team will work with OEM and others userland issues.
- All hardware on the netbook can be supported by current kernel versions.
Design
You can have subsections that better describe specific parts of the issue.
Implementation
This section should describe a plan of action (the "how") to implement the changes discussed. Could include subsections like:
Hardware Requirements
Devices must currently support >= 1024x576 for UNR
Devices Supported
As of 9.04, these devices are currently supported. We wish to continue support into the 9.10 cycle:
- Dell Mini 9
- Asus Eee PC 900
- Asus Eee PC 1000
- Acer Aspire One
- Samsung NC10
- Toshiba NB100
Desirable Device to Support
- Dell Inspiron 910/910n
- Dell Mini 10v
- HP Mini 1000
- HP Mini 500
- Toshiba nb 200
Devices Not Supported
Screen Resolution too small for UNR to fit properly( <1024x576).
- Asus Eee PC 700
Poulsbo chipset
- Dell Mini 10 (the 10v model has an intel chipset)
- Dell Mini 12 (aka Dell Inspiron 1210)
Code Changes
Kernel team will enable the necessary drivers to support the listed Netbooks.
Migration
This is new in archive support; no migration from OEM images will be supported.
Test/Demo Plan
Will run the standard UNR test plan to make sure all features working as expected.
Unresolved issues
Which OEM enabled netbooks will be supported. In conversation with OEM project managers to get list.
BoF agenda and discussion
This is a quick dump of my UDS notes. I will redo as a wiki page a bit later today since there is no spec page for this blueprint yet. At least this captures the essential elements of the meeting:
initially enabled 4 models with oem's dell mini 9 ?also? works
should we have custom varients of unr for special case machines?
can qa certification validate existing/new netbook hw?
what is qa hw codenames vs actual machine models?
- qa has chart
new intel chipsets and karmic? when do they arrive vs karmic schedule?
- Not clear on answer for this....will verify
who will make sure new devices both for qa and kernel devel?
- access to qa pool of machines via remote kvm also possible....
how do we pick which machines to focus?
- last round via popular models maybe target for those popular to install aftermarket os? marketing sharing prior quarter stats on netbook market how many models should we add per q? how/when do we drop dead models? tobin: notes performance issues relevant to choosing which hw to support wireless, most are atom, but cheap wireless chipsets...
verify list of working hardware/chipsets before announcements?
- how is this kept updated with changing kernels, etc? old problem, I do not think is netbook specific...
launchpad hw database effort:
- hw db not separated by netbook, but has cpu type, so may be usable can we add netbook specific question/info? can we use screen size to identity which are netbooks? atom + screen size ~= netbook? can we further verify by other chipset info? can we query by chipset and create statistics of which stay good/go bad? insufficient information by hw/chipset types
Anything other than atom and potential arm?
- a via based netbook noted... a mips based "netbook" in china, ported to ubuntu by vendor ion based? geode based netbooks
What about nettops?
- display resolution is sufficient is not an issue for unr acer viro as example of nettop already available? how will unr look on tv, etc? there are different issues to consider possibly nettops are not for unr, could just use regular releases?
odd hardware issues:
- mic failures, key issues, wireless issues
selection:
- maybe pick top 5 from last 6 months impulse buy, so how does one really determine this? maybe avoid being u.s. centric retail data launchpad may offer better sourcing of stats gather from different places...amazon, etc... some models only available in japan, other regional limitations?
action items:
- Anwar oem data into process, and get it more realtime rather than late Jerry will identify other sources of marketting info for popular models David Mandala, Oliver, and Michael will blog about hw profiles and
- checkbox for encouraging netbook user participation in profiles
decisions:
UNR cannot support < 576 horizontal lines/similar tiny screen profiles
- (hence no 640x480, for example...)
community directions:
- perhaps gnome could focus not on 800x600, but ???x576? as a minimal
- target as this is becoming standard
Specs/UNRKarmicHardwareEnablement (last edited 2009-08-07 13:54:24 by 89)