Re: [tlug] Netbooks (Was: Nebooks)

[Scott Robbins <scottro@example.com>]

On Mon, Feb 01, 2010 at 12:27:22PM +1100, Jim Breen wrote:
> Darren Cook <darren@example.com> asked:
> 
> > Does anyone here have one? Are linux pre-installed models easily
> > available? Or if installing linux as a dual-boot, what should I watch
> > out for? Or <whisper>is sticking with windows going to be good enough
> > for my needs?</whisper>

I've installed Fedora, Ubuntu, Arch, Crunchbang, FreeBSD and Antix on an
Acer Aspire One and an Asus 1000HE.

> 
> As I have posted here a year or so back, I got the ~$AU300 EePC
> 700 really to see how it went. It's the one with a 7" screen and Linux
> etc. installed. I'm not sure this model is around any more.
> 
> Comments:
> (b) the installed ASUS hack of Xandros is ratshit. If I'd known how
> awful it was I'd never have got one. I'm now on my third complete
> re-install after simple problems incurably corrupted the system. Getting
> a fully working Japanese environment was a pain, and in fact I have given
> up third time round.


This is a real pain.  In most cases (I know it was true with Acer's
Linpus and have heard the same for MSI's version of SuSE, I think.  In
most cases, when Linux was preinstalled, it was a crippled version
guaranteed to aggravate both Windows and Linux users.  

Another issue is that at the time, Acer was offering a machine, for only
a little more (in the US) with Windows with much better specs. 

Eventually, it seems to me that some Acer VIP said that they were being
pressured by MS, but sad to say, the majority of people are going to
want Windows on it anyway. 

Generally, at this point in time, most distributions will work with
everything--the wireless, if it's a Realtek, can be problematic--Asus,
for example, will release the 1000HE with both Atheros and Realtek, and
there's no way to find out which one you're getting till you open the
box. 

Being Linux, it had to shoot itself in the foot, and upgrades around
2.6.29 or 2.6.30 kernels broke Atheros support, at least for the ath9k.
It's been fixed since, but you might have to go to 2.6.32 to get it
working.  (Although with Arch, it seemed to work regardless of kernel, I
suppose Ubuntu and Fedora were too busy improving things to realize
they'd broken it.)

The Realtek wireless cards have been problematic for some people.  

Basically, though, Linux should go on most models without too much
trouble. 

> (c) if I were to do it all over again; I'd get a bigger model with a real
> hard disk and larger screen, blow away XP and install a proper Linux.

The first one I bought was the Acer with the SSD running Linpus. I wound
up returning it for the Windows version, since it had far better specs
for only about $30 USD more.  The 8 GB SSD with Linpus had incredibly
slow write speed--updating Fedora, Ubuntu, or Arch could literally take
hours due to this.  Also, at the time at least, to upgrade the RAM, one
had to completely dissemble the machine, including removing the rubber
feet on the bottom to get to the screws.    The Linux version had 512 MB
of RAM, and that 8 GB SSD, while the Windows version had 1GB of RAM and
a 160 GB hard drive. 

When I got my Asus, I just got the Windows version and blew it away. 


-- 
Scott Robbins
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