ubuntu and eee
With my netbook’s copy of the Windows 7 beta about to expire, I decided to give Ubuntu another shot. My previous experiences with Linux have been quite painful and in some cases it was easier to install a copy of Windows ME than force Linux to work right.
I downloaded a copy of Ubuntu 9.10 Netbook Remix for the net book and installed it off of a thumb drive. It installed without any issue and was the first time ever my wireless card worked out of the book with Linux.
It still has that slightly buggy Linux feel.
For example:
- Firefox is set to open the home page when it loads but it always loads the last session.
- Adding programs to the startup list doesn’t always seem to stick. I have had to add the same programs about three times each now.
- Launchy doesn’t seem to want to open some files correctly and I get text files instead of Firefox.
- Certain applications are always asking my permission to connect to unverified servers every time they open as Pandora, and I really don’t need that kind of security.
- A GUI task manager because some programs keep locking up.
- Eclipse can’t update and install any plugins such as Java projects.
Adobe has done a really good job with air and flash. Installing air and flash was a breeze and was the only way I could get a decent twitter client.
My two biggest complaints with it are the cartoony oversized controls (that has always bothered me with Linux) and the lack of polish.
I’m going to keep it and am enjoying it greatly; however, it’s not ready for the type of users that don’t care about learning how computer their computer works. My wife would be lost in Linux even though she has been using a mac for three years now. She doesn’t need to spend time customizing everything to work right.