Feedback on the certification test suite

Hi,

First, check this out: https://certification.canonical.com/

There is a certification programme guide that you can download that gives a general overview of the requirements and process for certification and the benefits of certification.

The short version is that the OEM would set up an account with Canonical and do some $SALES_STUFF. After that, the hardware in question would need to be certified. Once certified, the OEM can pre-install Ubuntu on its systems as well as use Ubuntu logos and such for marketing and sales purposes.

The above assumes that Ubuntu works out of the box on the OEM's system. Since that is not always the case (Especially with bleeding edge components and even moreso with laptops/notebooks/netbooks) we also have a programme called Ubuntu Enabled. This programme is used in cases where a system may not work with Stock Ubuntu and would need some custom engineering (e.g. custom drivers, etc).

Essentially, the OEM would provide hardware to Canonical, Hardware Enablement engineers would work to get a version of Ubuntu working on that hardware, and Canonical would then provide the OEM with custom rolled ISOs that include the custom engineering necessary. Following that, the goal is to get those changes into stock Ubuntu so that the OEM's system can be officially certified on the next release.

So, for example, OEM submits Laptop X1 for Enablement on Ubuntu 11.04. The team will do some work and provide a custom ISO that makes 11.04 work on Laptop X1. Then, those changes will (hopefully) be merged into Ubuntu 11.10 so that when that releases, Laptop X1 can be fully certified on stock Ubuntu.

Feel free to send questions regarding Hardware Enablement or Hardware Certification to this address as well:

<email address hidden>

Cheers
Jeff