Kitchen Computer Project

[Michael_Tyrrell]

Hello, my first time posting on the forums and not hugely experienced in linux/ubuntu so please go easy.

Basically I have an old laptop, which I plan to mount under-cupboard in the kitchen. I want it for recipes, calendar, weather, RSS feed etc. as well as a bit of internet browsing/radio/videos or some internet based TV. I'm currently running Xubuntu 13.10 very nicely, and use it for everything other then writing my university assignments. We have just acquired another laptop so this is now no longer used, hence the re-purpose.

I need help in finding a program or desktop environment which can act as the display/homescreen, I'd like it to look quite windows 8-ish, or a nice google now style thing would be good to. Any suggestions?

Many Thanks
Mike

[squakie]

To me, lubuntu has a Windows look and feel to it. Obviously not going to be exactly like Windows, but the feel is there - everything on the bottom line, menus that pop up from the bottom left corner, etc..

You could try adding the ldxe desktop to your existing installation, or try it from a live media (dvd or USB).

[Michael_Tyrrell]

Thanks for the reply, I'm not really after a windows 7 look or feel, I'd like it to look more like android or windows phone if I was to compare it to any OS, basically a home screen with a calendar, RSS feed, clock, and other widgets, the idea is to make it touch screen I should have added.

[bookrt]

Supposedly ubuntu distros support touch. You could customize KDE in KUbuntu with weathe applets and such. Another option for a more simple solution would be Joli OS, which is a cloud based systedm similar to Chrome.

[grahammechanical]

The specification of this computer is important. CPU? RAM? Graphic adapter?

Ubuntu Unity uses icons more than it uses menus. It definitely does not have that old Windows look. Which is why some have turned against Ubuntu.

Over the next year the Ubuntu phone/tablet code will be converged into the Ubuntu desktop code bringing with it the mobile phone apps. So, we will have both phone/tablet apps and desktop apps. And it will all be touch screen. There is a Ubuntu web browser that works with swipe gestures. This will be available in Ubuntu 14.04. On the desktop we use the mouse to swipe. I imagine it will work great on a touch screen. All these mobile apps are designed to scale from phone to tablet to desktop to TV.

And all the refinements done on Ubuntu for phones to reduce resource usage (battery life, memory usage, etc.) are also benefiting Ubuntu on the desktop top.

Coming to a desktop near you in the next 6 - 12 months

http://insights.ubuntu.com/news/ubun...s-at-mwc-2014/

Regards.

[Michael_Tyrrell]

I agree with you there, the direction Ubuntu is going is extremely exciting. I want a Ubuntu Edge!! when something along those lines are around then I will be buying one and implementing 'docks' and monitors all round the house instead. But until then this is more of a way to repurpose an old laptop, as in a 512mb ram machine lol! its a dell inspiron 6400, It just needs to be basic, just a display for our google calendar, a digital photo frame, rss feeds for news and web browsing for recipes etc. It has too look really clean which is why I was hopeing for a program that could let me set up this kind of display. I've been looking at a web based direction, but I'm hoping it doesn't come to me making a website and running it from startup, I'd like it to be more then that

[Michael_Tyrrell]

thank you for your suggestion of Joli and KDE, I'm looking into them now. Joli looks very promising.

[bookrt]

Looks like you can upgrade to 2 GB RAM:
http://www.crucial.com/store/listpar...nspiron%206400

You would actually have pretty decent specs with a memory upgrade. Up until a year ago I was running LUbuntu on an old Celeron D with 1 GB memory as my primary home PC and it was pretty smooth. You have a better CPU, you might as well get the most out of it. Even for simple tasks I think it will be worth it. KDE is pretty intensive, so you would definitely need to upgrade your memory to run it, but even Joli will probably run better.

[Michael_Tyrrell]

Hi thanks for the reply, I've got that very upgrade on the way as I said earlier it ran xubuntu very well anyway, but with the extra memory it should be great. Xubuntu is gone now and I'm kind of in love with joli os. It's app based Launcher is exactly what I was looking for to present the information I need. Plus feedly integration gives me the news and recipe capabilities for a great kitchen comp. I'm now having the broadcom issues though, currently only works wired, I've tried all of the fixes with no success still looking for a complete dashboard launcher solution for linux though, joli will do the job well for now