[rlpb]

Not in a "supported" way. If it's anything like Ubuntu on phones, it will be a read-only filesystem with image-based updates. apt is available, but only if you remount the system read-write (you do have root via sudo). If you do that, then you can't use image-based updates any more, since that'll stomp over your changes.

I'm in favour of this arrangement, since I think it's the only way to get updates to work reliably, and I think that's essential. Android and iOS also do it this way, for example. But don't expect a traditional Linux-based desktop but on a tablet, since that's not what you'll get.

On the other hand, if you package up nginx, redis, Atom.io, postgres etc. via Ubuntu's app store, then sure.

[logicrook]

Thank you for this informative comment (where do you learn more about the interesting stuff?).

Isn't there a nice way to have it both ways, i.e. automate all changes in a script, and roll it after each image update? Assuming most things that may need to be hacked away don't see breaking changes after each update?

[rlpb]

Sure, you could do that. Ubuntu is Free Software, and you have root and the source code on the phone, and presumably will have the same on the tablet. So you can customise it at your will, including automation, if you're prepared to put in that effort.

[gnufx]

> I'm in favour of this arrangement, since I think it's the only way to get updates to work reliably,

How is Maemo unreliable in that respect? I was disappointed to find Touch doesn't work like it does.

> But don't expect a traditional Linux-based desktop but on a tablet, since that's not what you'll get.

I thought the whole point was that you can switch. That's what Canonical says, and what's demonstrated in some videos floating around.

[rlpb]

Can you be more specific? We may be talking about two different things. The Ubuntu phone requires apps specifically written for the UI (though I think things written against Qt's mobile APIs can be made fairly easily). The Ubuntu phone will not run your average X app. I'm not aware of the Ubuntu tablet proposed to be any different.

My understanding is that apps will indeed seamlessly switch between the two modes - but only where they have specifically been adapted to do so. Apps not adapted will not run. Or am I mistaken?

[gnufx]

Afraid I don't know any more than what they've written and that you can see in things like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiEkCaA_P7c (I didn't interpret a desktop experience as necessarily meaning X.)

[mchahn]

> I'm in favour of this arrangement, since I think it's the only way to get updates to work reliably,

Then how is it Google can update my chromebook while I keep running ubuntu with 100% of linux features? I've done this for a year with no hiccup and no linux upgrades.

[rlpb]

Assuming you're using Crouton or something similar on your Chromebook, your Ubuntu installation is inside a chroot. Chrome OS can be updated and just leave that directory alone. The important part of this is that Ubuntu itself is not being updated.

You could do this on an Ubuntu phone or tablet I suppose, by for example running a secondary "traditional" Ubuntu system inside a container in a read-write directory on the read-only system. I don't know if this will be possible from day one, but it's certainly possible technically if someone implements it (like how someone has implemented Crouton). I doubt you'll see the same level of integration (for example with the tablet UI seamlessly moving over to your desktop) if you do it this way, however.