How to get the most of your Asus eee PC netbook using Ubuntu Linux

I am an owner of a famous Asus eee PC netbook, a mini laptop manufacture line by ASUS. When i bought it Atom processors had just appeared and i did the wrong choice and  choose a Celeron-M processor. It generally as a laptop consumes very low amounts of energy and is extremely handy for carrying around because it’s so light and small. The screen it equiped with is a strugling 8,9 inch diameter length, where i sometimes find it really hard when using it. I tend to place my head very near to the screen because i can hardly make out the text on aplications or while surfing the web.

My eee PC came with a Xadros based light distrubution which i almost never use while operating my netbook. I choosed to install one of my favourite Linux distros, Ubuntu which has become extremely popular amongst desktop users. The Ubuntu community has developed a special sub-distro of it, called netbook remix. It takes in mind the low resolution screen outputs of netbooks as well as the specific hardware is most comonly used. The application panel covers the whole screen making it optically more easy on choosing software. I personaly use classic Ubuntu with Gnome and Compiz installed. I tried using XFCE as light alternative graphical desktop but it lacks many wonderfull features of good old Gnome. Here are the main key points of making life with a netbook more stress free:

• Buy a mini laser mouse for using the cursor on it. The touchpad provides multi-touch features though can sometimes become very annoying during certain tasks.
• Use Linux on it. Ok let’s face it. Its not suitable for games and high CPU demanding activities like manipulating graphics etc. Ubuntu Linux is the most popular distro around where you can find almost anything having to do with Internet activities (browsing, messaging, downloading) virus and spyware free. Flash could be an issue on it, though Adobe is the only one to blame for that CPU consuming web binary object webpages often load.
• Use a custom built kernel for your hardware. The linux community has provided a netbook specific kernel built. It just comes with all the hardware modules mostly found on these small eee PC netbooks.
• Use an external monitor when using it at home. The 9 or 10 inch screen may become very unpleasant when using for a long time. Text can become so difficult to read when being at certain distance for the screen. I personally have been using a 15″ LCD screen which outputs at a 1024 x 768 resolution ratio.The pixels on it are thicker offcourse, so i get a much reasonable view of my beloved gnome desktop. Its is equiped with a simple dual monitor calibration tool in order to get the most of the external screen you will be using. The netbooks screen can be operated as an extension of the main desktop, where i use it to place the window of Amarok, my software music player. So evidently i can so much on screen space and offourse usability
• Buy a 1GB USB stick and load it with the latest live version of Ubuntu. It’s the best emergency tool if your HD install become inoperable. Just plug in the USB stick and choose it as a bootable device. Wait till the live desktop is loaded and save any changes on it. Browse the internet for troubleshooting and directly access your local files on your netbook.
• Don’t treat it as something that could become your productive computing system unless you’re a professional facebook user or blog author. Buy yourself a laptop/desktop with reasonable resolution and CPU power in order to not be limited by your netbooks ultra-portability
• Use it as your main idle computing system, for tasks like messaging, music listening etc. In that way you will avoid extra noise from energy consuming PC’s thus spend less money and CO2 through your everyday computing rabbits.

Concluding netbooks today are revolutionising the way people tend to perceive their everyday computing habits. They are a perfect educational tool and are given nowadays to children all around the world, in order to be used in schools. Facebook addicts have found something they can hold to 24/7, where most suitable for light web usage. ASUS marked the opening of this new market which is starting to take a great percentage on the overall laptop usage ratios. If you are planning to buy one just don’t get hyped up thinking that this mini laptop will be capable of managing your everyday CPU consuming tasks you might be involved with. Also if its screen is not anywhere close to provide a relaxing view of your desktop environment.

~ by anotherfinemess on October 15, 2009.