Best netbook for Ubuntu is...?

[Udibuntu]

Hi,

I'm thinking of getting a 2nd laptop from the "lean and not so mean" kind, to supplement my semi-sessile Thinkpad.

Is there a netbook model known to be good for Ubuntu? EeePC, Acer One?

Is there an expected variant of Ubuntu for this kind of laptops? Maybe Ebuntu? :guitar:

Cheers for any info,

Udi

[tommcd]

You can install Ubuntu on the Acer Aspire One:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AspireOne
There is an Ubuntu variant for the Asus eee:
http://www.ubuntu-eee.com/
and here is the documentation for the Asus eee from the Ubuntu wiki:
https://help.ubuntu.com/search.html?cx=003883529982892832976%3Ae2vwumte3fq&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=eeepc&sa=Search
This site has tons of linux documentation for the eee:
http://www.eeeuser.com/

For what it's worth, I have read that Mandriva supports the eee out of the box. You can also install Debian on the eee and the Acer Aspire One:
http://wiki.debian.org/DebianAcerOne
and Debian on the eee:
http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEeePC

You can also install Ubuntu on the Dell mini:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DellMini9

As for the best netbook, I have been wondering about that myself. The Aspire One and the eee both seem to have a large linux user base.

[Kobalt]

I have an eeePC 901 and I love it (http://geekoffee.wordpress.com/2008/12/08/of-ssds-and-file-systems/), it works like a charm with Ubuntu and a custom eeePC kernel.

[Udibuntu]

Thanks Guys.

I'll look into it and update on my own experience.

People with more info or opinions are welcome to post here.

Udi

[vonweizer]

I have a Lenovo S9, which is pretty much the same as the S10 only the screen is smaller. I'm using Ubuntu 8.1, everything worked out of the box except for the built in mic, so I came to the this forum to ask for help and saw your post :)!

I have 'Visual Effects' set to 'Extra' and everything works fine, very fast, haven't noticed any lags. I'm happy overall but no built in mic... that's no good. If I can get it working I'll come back here and edit this post ;)

[Greyed]

If I were to get one now it would be a Mini 9. Dell has been good in the past and with as public a showing as they are making of the Mini I see it more as "What is the netbook for Linux now and the future". Now, it may not be the Mini but giving the Mini a boost in says will ensure that there are Linux Netbooks (and desktops, and laptops) in the future.

[Fenris_rising]

Hi all

I got an 3e 904hd for Christmas. XP OS due to it being the only available version at the time. 25 Minutes after removing the wrapping paper I had installed Ubuntu 8.04.1 from a mem stick that was prepared last month. Everything worked OOTB. I had some minor issues to sort. This forum and the eee pc user forum proved invaluable. It works flawlessly and IMHO the eee pc family and Linux in general are made for each other.

Regards

Fenris

[RookieUbuntuUser58]

I'm biased towards the MSI Wind. Ubuntu works well on it.

[impact]

Yes, the MSI Wind U100 is a good choice.

[Udibuntu]

A year later:

I finally got an Acer One 751 (due to large screen and keyboard).

XP performance is mediocre, even after removing unnecessary processes.

Ubuntu 9.10 performance is a little bit better, though performance is hindered mainly by the accursed GMA500 IGB and lack of support of (recoverable) suspend. mic, webcam and other utilities are not supported also.

I'm keeping 9.10 in the hope updates will cure those problems.

Udi

[Digikid]

Whatever you do...do NOT get a ATOM based one. Pieces of junk. Get one with a REAL CPU in it.

The Atom is very slow and clunky in the EeePCs.

Try installing CHEESE for your webcam.

[andraste]

I'm still new, but im running Ubuntu 9.10 on a HP Mini 110 and it seems to be working great. There was a slight issue with the wireless driver picking up first, but it's working now.

[movieman]

Whatever you do...do NOT get a ATOM based one. Pieces of junk. Get one with a REAL CPU in it.

Atoms are fine so long as you don't plan to play games that are less than five years old, play HD video (which is dumb on a 1024x600 screen in any case) or do anything similarly CPU-intensive. And a REAL CPU will give you half the battery life.

[Ampi]

I have an Acer Aspire One ZG5, and it works perfectly fine out of the box with UNR 9.10.
So this is a good choice I believe!

[beauman]

For those of you who use UNR, I have a question: How long does it take on your netbook until a menu gets updated, when you switch from one menu entry to an other? I am am talking about the menu on the desktop. From "games" to "office" for example. On my brand new eee 1101 (Atom 1.3GHz) this is between 2-3sec. and it feels like forever!

Under Windows it is much faster. I have the impression that something is wrong. Like the kernel is in the wrong mode or something like that.

I tried to reduce the eye candy effects, but it is already on the lowest level.

[Ampi]

Well, I use UNR 9.10 and it's less than second...
2-3 seconds?? That's a lot!

[beauman]

2-3 seconds?? That's a lot!

Yes. It can hardly play videos.

The core frequency of the processor is 1.3Ghz. Older 3xE Pc's had 1.6Ghz. Maybe (I am just guessing here!) the new proc works more parallel, has a better cache system or the like. All in all it would be equal fast to the older 1.6GHz cores, but drawing less current. And Linux fails to activate/use this feature.

I have also tested EasyPeasy. But that is based on 9.04. The desktop menu is even slower. A change from one menu entry to the next takes about 10-14 sec.

I have to check the bios for acceleration options. Also, I am about to install plain Ubuntu.

[Ampi]

I also tried EasyPeasy (Eeebuntu) and Ubunteee, but to be honest I prefer UNR.
First of all because wireless was not functioning properly on both of them. Also EasyPeasy is practically the same as UNR, only green and meant for EEE PCs, so I thought UNR would be better in that case. And in my experience it is..
I do hope you your netbook working properly!

[gn2]

And a REAL CPU will give you half the battery life.

Not if it's in an Acer Timeline (or similar)

[xpod]

Yes, the MSI Wind U100 is a good choice.

We`ve just bought two of our girls these for Xmas but i`ve not done anything with them yet, besides check they work that is.Nice looking little things though.



Whatever you do...do NOT get a ATOM based one. Pieces of junk. Get one with a REAL CPU in it.

The Atom is very slow and clunky in the EeePCs.

Try installing CHEESE for your webcam.


That was my only real concern with the MSI Winds but considering the kinda stuff the girls will be using them for these particular Atoms will be more than sufficient i reckon.
It`s not as if they wont have access to any "REAL CPU`s" if their little instant messaging machines aint up to the job;)

[Greyed]

Whatever you do...do NOT get a ATOM based one. Pieces of junk. Get one with a REAL CPU in it.

Pure FUD. ATOMs are fine. Only thing it cannot handle are things the netbook is not designed to handle.

[Udibuntu]

Atom is not to blame - it's a mean little mouse of a CPU, that's it's goal.

GMA500 on the other hand is a poor piece of hardware, AFAIAC.

Udi

[beauman]

Got it finally working. For the GMA500 / Poulsbo chipset on a Asus EeePc 1101Ha and Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic desktop edit I had to follow this wiki:

wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportComponentsVideoCardsPoulsbo/ (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportComponentsVideoCardsPoulsbo/)

Now, I would even recommend this netbook. The only little annoying thing is the fan. While typing this text, it runs on the slowest level. Even if there is virtually no load on my sys. I will hopefully get used to it...

[beauman]

One Question: Can you watch HDTV on your netbook?

I can't. Everything else is perfectly alright from the performance, now that I have the video driver working on my EeePC 1101HA.

The HDTV file I tried to watch has the following properties:

1280 x 720
Codec H264
24 fps
384 kbps

[gioz]

how about the Dell Mini 10v ?
ubuntu netbook remix and ubuntu moblin remix ?
anyone use ?

[Udibuntu]

No HD clips for me (yet) which is a real shame because of the Acer 751's HD screen.

HD plays at about 3 FPS...

[Digikid]

Pure FUD. ATOMs are fine. Only thing it cannot handle are things the netbook is not designed to handle.

Not at all. I speak from EXPERIENCE. I had TWO EeePC Netbooks both with the crappy ATOM CPU. Both were exactly as I described before. Slow and clunky.

[beauman]

how about the Dell Mini 10v ?
ubuntu netbook remix and ubuntu moblin remix ?
anyone use ?

I have tried UNR, EasyPeasy and the normal desktop edition. I can't recommend EsayPeasy, it is not offical and thus not guarantied to be up to date. The latest release is based on 9.04. The desktop is also slower than with UNR. That installation I deleted.

I played with UNR, but I couldn't get used to it. It think it is awkward to use, but that is of course my personal perception. It does not bring any performance improvements. It is rather a bit slower than the normal gnome desktop. I guess it only makes sense for extremely small displays where the gnome drop-down menu wouldn't fit on the screen. My EeePC 1101HA has a display size of 11.6 inch, that is almost laptop size.

I am now running the normal desktop as default system and UNR as secondary installation (as "show case").

Even if the desktop on my 3xE runs fluently, a netbook release of Ubuntu based on an extremely slim and fast desktop would make sense. For a "lighter" desktop the CPU load would be less, so fan noise could be reduced. That is indeed a little annoying on my netbook.

The only improvements really necessary are for some multimedia applications like HDTV or flash. Less CPU load means not only less fan noise but of course longer battery lifetime. http://1.2.3.10/bmi/www.ubuntu-austria.at/images/smiles/smartass.gif

[beauman]

Not at all. I speak from EXPERIENCE. I had TWO EeePC Netbooks both with the crappy ATOM CPU. Both were exactly as I described before. Slow and clunky.

I can't confirm that. I have a brand new 3xE with an Atom Z520 @ 1.33GHz and the performance is absolutely alright. The system has a TDP < 10W, that is very good compromise.

[Greyed]

Not at all. I speak from EXPERIENCE. I had TWO EeePC Netbooks both with the crappy ATOM CPU. Both were exactly as I described before. Slow and clunky.

Oooo, anecdotal evidence. Ok, I'll see your EXPERIENCE with my own. I'm typing this out on a Dell mini 10v w/ATOM CPU and it runs all as intended.

Now that we've canceled each other out care to explain what you were trying to do and/or the unreasonable expectations under which you were operating to mold your perception to the point where you felt that the ATOM is incapable of performing the tasks for which it was designed?

[Franna5]

Check out the Gigabyte T1005M - AWESOME.