A wave of netbooks running a new Linux distribution should be announced in a week or two, according to a director at Intel.
Moblin 2.0 is designed specifically with netbooks in mind, with power-saving features, fast boot times and a Web-centric user interface. Speaking with ZDNet, Intel’s Open Source Technology Centre director Imad Sousou said manufacturers should should reveal their intentions for Moblin 2.0 within the next couple of weeks. The Centre is behind an effort to optimize Linux for netbooks and mobile devices.
Sousou outlined several reasons a user might choose Moblin over a more standard Linux distribution, and the trend seems to be towards simplicity and integration with social networking.
Here’s a pithy quote: “People want to use these devices as an internet-media, social-networking consumption device, and this is what we’ve focused a great deal on, to provide those capabilities in an easy way to use while at the same time maintaining the traditional PC compatibility and consistency,” Sousou said.
The move towards ease of use foreshadows what we might see with Google’s Chrome OS, a Linux-based operating system that should arrive in 2010. Introducing the operating system in July, Google said Chrome would stress simplicity, speed and security.
As my Windows-based netbook, which I work on every day, starts to age, the idea of a lightweight operating system becomes more attractive. Today’s netbooks don’t have a lot of hardware resources to begin with, and I’m starting to feel the inevitable strain that age is putting on the computer. It seems that temporary hang-ups are becoming more common, and by the end of the work day it doesn’t take much to grind my MSI Wind to a halt.
It’d be hard for me to take the plunge into Linux now, but if the people who create distributions continue to make them more user-friendly, Linux will be harder for any consumer to ignore, at least as an option.
7 Comments
The advantage of Windows is a strong policy of unity and continuation.
Why not a manufacturer should not take the charge to deliver the support, improvements and updates of the Linux system they install. The follow-up is a real need.
Why not Asus for example ?
Or will Moblin be an integrator by itself for a more popular netbook system ?
discovered at that time how big and intrusive google was, though it does have useful tools (eg, language tools/translator).
next come the challenges of mem, and multitasking, more ram, heat, and wireless security issues; what about a faster cpu, increased mem w/ faster hard drive(7200 rpm, hmm), what of the heat, what of the battery hours.
the 15" (not widescreen) was big and heavy, want smaller; note, the 13"w (16:9 ratio) give aprox video size as the prev 15".
rdy for new laptop, the netbooks </=11" are 2 small for me(screen, keyboard), found a sweet 12.1" laptop w/ touchscreen (hp touchsmart tx2); tested out 1 w/ hands on, has great keyboard, great sound speakers(altec lansing), 12.1" handles video and basic games w/ good view, has easy key to switchoff the touchpad(great for gamers), has avail switch to easy switchoff wifi; has cpu AMD turion 64 x2 dual-core mobile 2.2 or 2.3 gHz w/ 1mb L2 cache, or the x2 ultra 2.3 or 2.4 gHz w/ 2mb L2 cache, hard drive options 160/250/or320gb hard drive(5400 rpm; 7200 rpm yes though would use up battery more =no), 2gb ram(up to 8 gb ram max), ATI radeon graphics hd3200, and option for bluetooth. not sure what causes more heat, so decided to just go lean.
i havn't used win7, heard its leaner than vista; though searched up the specs for win7,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7
as much as laptops are pushn in more and more into smaller laptops, not sure to call the smaller as leaner; though using mobile laptops(esp wifi or mobile broadband), requires compatible speed for use w/ internet media, games.
have talked/ and read about linux, appears not bad, and at ths time would like options (not dependent on ms win os, yes getn fed up w/ ms); yes am rdy to learn linux.
important, have researched the gpu/ or videocards options avail for 12-13" laptops, for support for drivers downloads for linux os; of the laptops i liked, the ATI radeon HD3200 had driver download for linux x86 and x86_64. had no results for intel gma 4500mhd, or nVidia ge force g105m gpu's (note, intel and nVidia have driver downloads for linux, u should check for the specific gpu; had answer re, intel cards drivers are already bundled in the x server(not sure what bundled in the x server means). yes i am learning, always have.
hearing about google chrome option for os doesn't excite me, like i said big operation and intrusive. re, moblin, would like more info (sounds like a tool for linux, sort of like YaST), hmm.
at ths time, believe decided to get the hp touchsmart tx2 (though dont require touchscreen, and dont like the crazy pattern print on the cover, prefer plain color options; maybe i spray paint cover and delete warranty, jk ;p), not cheap like netbooks though meets uses for me; plan to partition hard drive for 1. linux, and 2. win xp pro / or win 7. no toe in the water, get in and swim, ha.
the more and more people using linux, the more the developers/engineers whoever, wakeup and support become avail.
1. have found more cpu info, from: notebook check, laptop video graphics cards, benchmark list > comparison of graphics cards (initial lead from ref from myCE forum: "Re: Looking for a new laptop", under computer hardware > general hardware forum; from dizzzy's post re, nVidia and ATi gpu's 02-09-2008, thx dizzy),
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Comparison-of-Graphic-Cards.130.0.html
the ATi radeon hd 3200 had note: (Beware: under win xp the hd 3200 may have no 2D acceleration because of a driver problem).
= good warning if u want option of downgrade to using win xp w/ ths gpu, unless the problem has been fixed (having second thoughts of the hp touchsmart tx2, 12.1", and if u wanted to downgrade to win xp make sure u have win xp tablet edition); xp tablet ed. avail online as of ths post date.
2. nVidia does have support for linux drivers for the ge force g105m,
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/http://club.myce.com/showthread.php?t=122606
you can check for your gpu, and determine if regular driver or legacy driver(earlier drivers not regular supported), in the appendix a.,
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/http://club.myce.com/showthread.php?p=2091962
more release info and notes,
ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/190.36/README/index.html
3. intel has support for linux drivers downloads, though had some fun navigating to find ths,
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&keyword=%22linux%22
type in 'linux' in search downloads box, click search downloads, and select category(s)
whew,
regards
2. nVidia does have support for linux drivers for the ge force g105m, found nVnews forums/ linux support forums,
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=13
check 'sticky: current nvidia linux graphics drivers release'
and at bottom, u can check 'appendix a'
u can check for your gpu, and determine if regular driver, or legacy driver(earlier drivers not regular supported but supported as legacy drivers), in the appendix a.,
or,
ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/190.36/README/appendix-a.html
more release info and notes,
ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/190.36/README/index.html
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