[ale] netbooks - what is good with Linux?

[Vernard C. Martin]

> I'll point out an option in a similar vein and but a bit more extreme.
> If you like the small size, reasonable cost, and long battery life of
> netbooks but are turned off by the low performance or lack of features,
> then consider skipping the Atom and going for one of Intel's CULV chips.
> Perhaps because Intel and Microsoft consider them "laptops" instead of
> "netbooks", they support more RAM and often have other niceties (eg
> expresscard slots) that the Atom-based systems.
>
> When I checked a couple months ago, with an 11" screen your options were the
>
> Acer Aspire 1410
>   
I have one of these units that I picked up from Frys (they were sold out 
at Microcenter).
2GB RAM (1X1GB), 160GB 5400RPM SATA Drive, 11.6" LCD, 1366x768 
resolution. Dual Core 64-bit Celeron running at 1.2Ghz.

The thing is nice. FULL SIZED KEYS! Which was a requirement for me. Same 
resolution on the screen as the 15.6" Laptops so you have enough screen 
real estate.  Built in webcam, mic.

All of this stuff worked out of the box for me. Its got Windows 7 Home 
Premium but I dual boot Ubuntu 9.10.

The best thing about the bugger is that it comes with a 6 cell battery. 
I was able to get 5 hours of life out of it under Windwos 7 and 4.5 
hours out of it under Ubuntu. I haven't bothered dring out any of the 
netbook linux distros because I treat my unit like a workstation. I have 
purchased a 500GB 7200rpm drive to put in the unit. I'll let you know 
how that affects my battery life time once I get some stats on that.

oh yeah, and the 1410T Timeline series is this same unit in a 14" 
formfactor with a DVD-RW drive built in. Makes me *almost* wish that I 
had gotten one of those.

Vernard