This weekend I tested the brand new Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot OS (64 bits version) on the most popular laptop currently around, the HP-DM1 with AMD Fusion processor and 6 GB 1333 mhz RAM.

The download from Ubuntu.com was smooth. By either using the startup-disk creator (in Ubuntu) or if you are running Windows, just burning the image to a CD, it is easy to create your Ubuntu disk which you can try out on your computer for compatibility without installing.

11.10 Oneiric Oncelot is the first Ubuntu to support ARM semiconductors, in other words, it will be a viable tablet OS as well. Not only viable, it will be a great choice as it is not only a far more complete Linux as e.g. Android. Furthermore it is twice as light, more secure and far more stable than Windows while being able to run all the software you need and all the external hardware without installing much additional software to the 685mb image on your Disk.

Installing the OS (in my case to another, bootable Penndrive) was easy, you just have to follow the on-screen instructions.You can choose to either install it side by side your old Windows, or use the entire disk. I choose to use the entire penndrive.

Immediately after restarting the new OS, a lot of new improvements over 11.04 where visible; the app-selector (Unity plugin) is more slick, and more important, a lot more stable. In 11.04 I experienced that the sidebar forced itself to the top the screen when I was giving a presentation, something you definitely don't want. This iteration clearly is more mature, as is running Compiz Fusion side by side the Unity plugin. In order to get the Compiz Fusion plugin, just go to the software manager and search / install the Compiz Advanced settings manager.

Ralink driver, Touchpad improvements

Furthermore, finally Canonical has added support for the Ralink WiFi driver, which now works out of the box. No more Terminal sessions needed! Also the HP-DM1 has a Touchpad without hard buttons for left and right click. This caused other major issues in 11.04, but not in 11.10 anymore. Mind you, it is not a 100% cure because drag and drop using the touchpad clearly is not a fully mature solution, but at least everything, even right-click, works (select 2 finger scrolling in your mousepad settings and right-click with 2 fingers).

Furthermore, everything works perfectly, out of the box. Be sure to add flash-player support using the software installer and I can strongly recommend adding VLC media player over the standard media player, but that is it. Libre-office suite is pre-installed, as is most other software you need.

I am told that in the coming months there will be new professional video-editing software available, the one thing that Ubuntu lacked.

So in my opinion it is a big thumbs up for the Canonical team!