Netbook OS

[leftace53]

So I got a new netbook because there is no way I can carry my desktop replacement around school, and now that I am no longer in a math based program it will be easier with a netbook. So I was wondering if you guys had any suggestions about what OS to use on it. I really really hate windows, so I'm hoping for something linux, I'm currently looking into jolicloud and ubuntu netbook, and will be exploring others as well. If you're wondering, its a Toshiba NB255-N250.

EDIT: I think I'll give joli a test run, but I'd still love your peoples input incase theres an obscure one out there

[The Fighting_Crusnik]

Jolicloud is okay, and because my netbook has the all shitty gma 500 (aka powervr based) gpu, it was the only operating system to run decently on it until recently. But at the moment, I'm just using a customized form of Ubuntu 10.04 that just had the closed source drivers added with some hardware patches and codecs tailered for the gma 500.

So with that said, just use Ubuntu because the netbook operating systems are cool at first, but after awhile, the netbook interface will annoy the hell out of you.

[MarxSchmarx]

I would seriously look into getting it dual-booting with windows xp and ubuntu. Nowadays netbooks have relatively generous hard-drive spaces that this is practical. I've been using linux for years but I still find some things (like ms office and reliable wireless) are needed now and then, and although linux distros are getting better they aren't quite there yet. The other issue is that if you need any sort of technical support over the telephone without shelving out $$$ linux is a lost cause.

Also, there are several known issues with ubuntu and Toshiba netbooks:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupport/Machines/Netbooks

although check with the forums to see about issues for the NB 200+ series. For example, you need your own speakers or headphones to be able to hear sound - the built in speakers don't work. There are also some wireless issues and acrobat reader is a mess.

Having said that, Ubuntu is probably the most reliable distro esp. if you don't have a lot of linux experience. Another advantage is that it is really painless to install new software from time to time, whereas in many distros you still have to build everything from source files - a process that can waste many, many hours. Also since there are so many ppl using it, the forums are quite helpful and a few of us here use it regularly so we can try to help if you run into problems.

[DecDoom]

If you're really interested in a "Netbook" OS, I think MeeGo got a release lately, and Google is going to release Chrome OS soon.

I haven't tried either of these, as I don't have a netbook. :p

[ckaihatsu]

Linux Mint 8 and you'll never look back.

- Any folder you're looking at -- you can go to File > Open as root, type in your password, and the same folder will open up in a new (red-background) file browser window with admin-level access (as for changing file permissions or launching FTPGoServer).

- Some will blithely dismiss the unique slab mintMenu as a gimmick or add-on but it's tough to go back to anything else once you're used to it. It *may* eventually be recognized in time as one of those fundamental interface developments like windows or scroll bars themselves...(!)

[DecDoom]

If we're just going for conventional desktop Linux distros, I may as well put my vote in for OpenSUSE 11.3, my distro of choice, although I don't know if that will run on a netbook.

The best KDE desktop, and it remains user friendly while allowing you total control over the system. That, and it has yast, which is one of the best admin tools out there. I updated to 11.3 recently (with a fresh install) and haven't had a single problem.

[Animal Farm Pig]

Have you looked into Debian? When I need to build a Linux system, whether it's a router + proxy, web server, desktop/laptop, slim client, file server, or anything else, it's always been what I've gone back to.

Ubuntu is not bad (until 6.10, it was excellent), but since start with 6.10, they've been doing things in increasingly non-standard and platform specific ways, they've been increasing the amount of bloat, and (from my experience) things have been breaking more frequently.

If you haven't tried it, try Debian. You'll have the same package management tools as in Ubuntu-- synaptic and apt-get (although, you really should use 'aptitude'), and you'll get a wider selection of applications and packages.

Debian is actually three different distributions (excluding Debian/kFreeBSD, Debian/HURD, etc.). They are called stable, testing, and unstable. Unstable has the latest greatest packages, but it occasionally breaks (and then gets fixed) if you're updating packages very frequently. When packages have spent some time in unstable and been shown not to cause problems, they move to testing. So, in Debian testing, you get newer packages and it hardly every breaks (less than Ubuntu, in my experience). If you don't mind a little bit older packages, you can use Debian stable. Stable is exactly as it's described-- stable, absolutely stable.

I've never owned a netbook (willing to haul around a little more weight for a hi-res screen and better input devices [Thinkpad TrackPoint FTW!]), but if I would own one, I would likely do a minimal install of Debian stable or testing, then install XFCE (or E17 if I were feeling adventurous), and then install whatever applications I needed.

Just curious, what do you need to do with your netbook? What applications are you using a lot? If you're in some specialized area, perhaps there is a specialized distro for you.

[leftace53]

Thanks for the suggestions! I wasn't sure about installing a "normal" os on the netbook because I really just wanted something as lightweight as possible, and assumed that if something was designed for the netbook it would do a better job. I'll look further into using a non-netbook specific os.




Just curious, what do you need to do with your netbook? What applications are you using a lot? If you're in some specialized area, perhaps there is a specialized distro for you.

Nothing special, it will only be used during the day to take notes in class, internet when I'm bored in class, and doing light research when I'm not home. Internet, battery life, office apps are basically all I need on it.

[Q]

If you feel more adventurous you could install a lightweight alternative OS, like Haiku (http://www.haiku-os.org/) (a recreation of BeOS), Hurd (http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/hurd.html) (the GNU mini-kernel) or Minix 3 (http://www.minix3.org/) (in contrast with Minix 1 and 2 not a mere educational OS, but a fully fledged one geared for low end systems).