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Thread: Compatible Hardware List Application with cool features..

  1. #1
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    Compatible Hardware List Application with cool features..

    One original idea to make hardware work with Ubuntu: make an application that lists all the hardware that is currently compatible with Linux (and supported by Ubuntu).

    In this application, it will be possible to search for a device using hints such as hardware type, brand, etc... The app could contain links to vendor websites, etc...

    This way users will be sure their new device will be supported.

    Example: I want to buy a webcam, I open the application "Choose New Hardware for Ubuntu", I type "webcam" in the search box, a list of all supported webcams is displayed, I choose the Philips SuperCam 12, because I know it's good and it's supported by Ubuntu !! Then when I receive it, I plug it in, and it works right out of the box!!!!

    And if Ubuntu becomes *really* popular, vendor really will want to be on this list so maybe they will start to contribute to make Linux Drivers !!

  2. #2
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    Re: Compatible Hardware List Application with cool features..

    Quote Originally Posted by thieummm
    Example: I want to buy a webcam, I open the application "Choose New Hardware for Ubuntu", I type "webcam" in the search box, a list of all supported webcams is displayed, I choose the Philips SuperCam 12, because I know it's good and it's supported by Ubuntu !! Then when I receive it, I plug it in, and it works right out of the box!!!!

    And if Ubuntu becomes *really* popular, vendor really will want to be on this list so maybe they will start to contribute to make Linux Drivers !!
    Though this is a good idea and making the app itself is doable, there are some problems with this.

    1# The app is rather simple, the difficulty is maintaining the database behind it. By the time a product is tested and rated as Linux-friendly, it might already be out of production.

    2# A lot of manufacturers are sloppy with model numbers. For example, their are multiple versions of the SMC 2835 card out there, only one has a Nitro chipset that is natively supported by the kernel. The other ones have to use Ndiswrapper.
    The database would raise the false expectation that such models would work, only disappointing the user when he bought a different version of the model.
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  3. #3
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    Re: Compatible Hardware List Application with cool features..

    Quote Originally Posted by nocturn
    Though this is a good idea and making the app itself is doable, there are some problems with this.

    1# The app is rather simple, the difficulty is maintaining the database behind it. By the time a product is tested and rated as Linux-friendly, it might already be out of production.
    This could be a community database, with users updating the database as they get their hardware working with ubuntu (without modifications), possibly through a moderator. Some Ubuntu guys, or even some Canonical guys could help with that as well ??

    Quote Originally Posted by nocturn
    2# A lot of manufacturers are sloppy with model numbers. For example, their are multiple versions of the SMC 2835 card out there, only one has a Nitro chipset that is natively supported by the kernel. The other ones have to use Ndiswrapper.
    The database would raise the false expectation that such models would work, only disappointing the user when he bought a different version of the model.
    Yes it would be an advisory database... It has always been like that so far in the Linux Community so why not ?


    This app could also be web based something like hardware.ubuntu.com, like packages.ubuntu.com (same type of interface but for hardware devices instead of package)...
    THAT would be great indeed !!!!

  4. #4
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    Re: Compatible Hardware List Application with cool features..

    Quote Originally Posted by thieummm
    This app could also be web based something like hardware.ubuntu.com, like packages.ubuntu.com (same type of interface but for hardware devices instead of package)...
    THAT would be great indeed !!!!
    SUSE has something like this since many years: SUSE LINUX: hardware compatibility list. I remember using the german version of that a lot when buying hardware in the 90s.

  5. #5
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    Re: Compatible Hardware List Application with cool features..

    Here is a stupidly huge list of wireless cards and their compatibilty status:

    http://linux-wless.passys.nl/

  6. #6
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    Re: Compatible Hardware List Application with cool features..

    Thanks for the link,

    yes this could be something like this,

    but a lot better !!!!

  7. #7
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    Re: Compatible Hardware List Application with cool features..

    This is not a bad idea at all! I support it 100%.

    Ubuntu user base is quite huge, so I think it would be possible to create such a database relatively quickly.
    Coexist!

  8. #8
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    Re: Compatible Hardware List Application with cool features..



    Apparently Canonical have been doing something similar. I wonder if they are going to use the data for this purpose though.

  9. #9
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    Re: Compatible Hardware List Application with cool features..

    I think Linuxquestions.org has something like this on their forums.

  10. #10
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    Re: Compatible Hardware List Application with cool features..

    Quote Originally Posted by tehwa


    Apparently Canonical have been doing something similar. I wonder if they are going to use the data for this purpose though.
    Hi tehwa,

    where does this screenshot comes from ?
    It looks like a Gnome App, and I'm using KDE...

    Thanks, that looks great !

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