Linux netbooks becoming scarce?

[aspergerian]

I have an Asus 901 with Ubuntu and no windows. Thus far, my liking my Asus has prompted 4 other people to buy netbooks (3 Asus, one Acer Inspire One). Three were happy to use Linux, the Acer was purchased by a friend who programs in APL, so he was chose XP. Now another friend wants a Linux netbook. Finding a netbook with a HD and Linux (one form or another) is turning out to be more challenging than I had anticipated. My impression from an hour or more of googling is that MS has waded into the netbook realm heavily. For a U.S. purchase, might someone recommend a source for a HD netbook pre-loaded with Linux (Ubuntu, Xandros, whatever)? I've had a brief hands-on with the new Acer One netbook (XP). 'Tis slightly larger than the 901 and has much better screen resolution and a 160g HD, but all I seem to find are XP Acer Ones in the US. And an Asus webpage states something like, Asus recommends Windows for netbooks. (Darn, drat, and shucks). Suggestions about where to find a netbook pre-loaded with Linux would be appreciated. I sure hope MS isn't stomping too hard on the recently blossomed Linux netbook phenomenon.

[jimi_hendrix]

wait...how does he type all the funky chars for APL practically (people still use APL!?!) </OT>

ya there are a lot of Acers at my school netbook wise (most laptops are macs :()

actually i havnt seen a netbook with linux on it (not in bestbuy or elsewhere)

but what do you expect...hey cool a mini computer! it looks different than windows! what is that? oh its linux...i knew that...whats linux?

[bsharp]

http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/02/24/1637240

Maybe so...

[smartboyathome]

I actually think that the market is just opening up. With new ARM-based netbooks coming out, Linux is posed as the most suitable at the moment, since the Windows and other ports are experimental at best, whereas Linux has had tons of testing with mobile phones which is easily applied to the kernel. GCC makes porting the rest easier as it allows compiling on the ARM.

[bgates]

You can find EEEs with hard drive and Xandros, though it isn't as easy to find them as the SSD ones with Xandros. I found one: http://www.amazon.com/10-Inch-Netbook-Celeron-Processor-Battery/dp/B001GCUOFC but the HD happens to be only 80GB. It may be easier to contact Asus, I'm sure they could help.

[Vince4Amy]

I have the Acer Aspire One however although I did buy the Linux one I still haven't found a distro which runs flawlessly on there. Fedora 10 would do if the Intel Graphics driver never had the regression which makes it perform so badly.

[gn2]

Here's a few options:

http://tinyurl.com/ao8zww
http://tinyurl.com/ahbkgz
http://tinyurl.com/at5txj
http://tinyurl.com/d8lejh
http://tinyurl.com/ak8qws
http://tinyurl.com/d2cu6t
http://tinyurl.com/c8m666
http://tinyurl.com/brfgup

[speedwell68]

I have the Acer Aspire One however although I did buy the Linux one I still haven't found a distro which runs flawlessly on there. Fedora 10 would do if the Intel Graphics driver never had the regression which makes it perform so badly.

EasyPeasy 1.0 works very well on my A150. Even better with the Sickboy Kernel. Google it.:D

[aspergerian]

Thnx to all for the replies and links. For my friend (thus far), I'll recommend she choose between the Acer Inspire One Linux via Amazon (~$300) and the Ubuntu netbook offered at HP.com (~$400).

Every manufacturer I visited thus far presents the statement, eg, HP recommends Windows netbooks. Argggg.

[jespdj]

I actually think that the market is just opening up. With new ARM-based netbooks coming out, Linux is posed as the most suitable at the moment, since the Windows and other ports are experimental at best, whereas Linux has had tons of testing with mobile phones which is easily applied to the kernel. GCC makes porting the rest easier as it allows compiling on the ARM.
Linux is indeed the most suitable OS for an ARM-based netbook, however whether ARM-based netbooks will ever really become a huge success like the x86-based (Intel Atom) netbooks remains to be seen. I doubt it...

[smbtol]

I have EeePC 1000H. I bought it with Windows XP and now I have dual boot with Ubuntu 8.04. There is a precompiled kernel that works flawlessly for EeePC:
http://www.array.org/ubuntu/
I know it is bad to pay for a Windows copy but if there are no other options I would go with it.

[gn2]

I liked the yellow Meso at $270-ish, shame it's out of stock.

Pity that the brown Aspire One doesn't seem to have arrived in the US yet, it would be match Ubuntu's lovely brown theme perfectly.