Ubuntu Hardware Compatability List (HCL)

It’s been some time since my last post as I’ve been away and working on other projects.

Since returning, I’ve had a couple friends ask if I could build an Ubuntu based computer for them. One in particular was looking for a higher powered unit.

I’ve always found that Ubuntu installs very well on any system I’ve used, but I’ve never done so, with the most-up-to-date hardware. Where could I come up with a definitive source that would spell out the specific hardware components currently installed? After much Googling I stumbled upon a site with great potential!

ubuntuHCL – ubuntuHCL.org

They are a site who’s mandate is “… to provide a forum for Ubuntu users to share their experiences with different hardware, to help ease both the transition of new users to Ubuntu, as well as help users pick the right hardware for their Linux system.

Our features include multiple product categories and manufacturers, as well as comprehensive reviewing capabilities, such as rating on a scale of 1/10. We also feature manufacturer ratings based on their average product compatibility levels with Ubuntu…”

And… I thought it was pretty good! While they don’t necessarily have the most recent hardware (I was looking for), they did have some hardware I was not expecting to see supported. While DomainTools.com lists their site as being active as of July 2007, I’m sure that the more people who list their hardware compatability info, the better the site offering will be.

In any event, I did find the site useful (to see which Acer laptop is supported) .

Additionally, users are able to login and submit compatibility reviews on pretty much any hardware you can think of. If it’s not listed, there is a feature to “Specify a new product”.

Anyone have other site? Please let us know! (By commenting below).

Hopefully this brief blurb provides you with another resource to use, I know I will!