Ubuntu users?

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

Hi all,

So I recently got a netbook, having coveted one for the better part of a year... It's awesome, I love it, and I managed to charm/threaten my way through a Best Buy transaction without getting an upsell or service agreement pitch.

It runs Windows 7 Starter Edition, and I hate it.

I've been thinking about running Ubuntu on it. I've used it before, I like it, and it's fine for my intentions- I'm planning on continuing to use my laptop as a desktop to game and what have you, and using the netbook to mostly surf the Internet and write on the go.

Apparently, Wine is what I want if I want to run Windows applications, which is perfect... I expect I'll be able to run low-level games on it, and the odd program here or there that I haven't anticipated a need for.

Is there anything idiotic that I haven't at all considered? I'm thinking here problems to connect with public networks and the like. I'm fairly capable at figuring things out as I go along and doing research when that fails me, but I'm just looking for pointers from more experienced users in case there's something big I haven't considered.

Cheers,
ID

[ElfBane]

Not that familiar with Linux, but the street says that you may have a problem getting a Linux driver for your printer, if you expect to use a printer with this netbook. And some games may be cranky.

[Jorath Calar]

I installed it on my desktop but found it very underwhelming, what i was most surprised given my past experience with Linux, was that it found every singly hardware on its own and had drivers ready, even printer.

But since I play lot of games on my computer I hardly use Linux for anything other than curiosity

[Bungleau]

Seems to me Felix is an Ubuntu afficionado. And while drivers (for printers and pretty much anything else) may be an issue, I would expect that to be only with really new printers... anything else will probably have a driver *somewhere*.

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

Originally Posted by Bungleau Seems to me Felix is an Ubuntu afficionado.

I would have guessed
Thanks to all for the input... I doubt I'll be needing to print anything directly- I'd be transferring documents for that, but it might still be worth looking into.

I'm going to go on a trial run before I have a lot interested in my current OS. Can you believe that in Windows 7 Starter Edition I can't change my desktop wallpaper?! Are you kidding me? I spent ten minutes thinking I was a complete idiot for not being able to find the option. Then I went into the HELP MENU. It was degrading. Then they told me I couldn't do it. How completely asinine. Well, they'll get upgrade money out of my cold, dead hands.

[Kazilan]

I found this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...7-starter.html, which will let you put a different image on your desktop for Win 7 starter. Don't know if there are any reasons not to use it, but I haven't had any trouble so far.

I also tried Ubuntu on another laptop but found it wouldn't run my favorite game (MTW2), so I don't use it anymore. Be sure to check compatibility for your favorite programs, if so, then it is pretty easy to use.

[Hivetyrant]

Originally Posted by Illumina Drathiran'ar Can you believe that in Windows 7 Starter Edition I can't change my desktop wallpaper?! Are you kidding me?

Maybe so, but you're also forgetting that starter edition was designed to be cut down, and have only basic functions in order to run as smooth as possible on netbooks.

Not to mention that your not paying anywhere near the normal price of Win7 home edition.

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

Originally Posted by Hivetyrant Maybe so, but you're also forgetting that starter edition was designed to be cut down, and have only basic functions in order to run as smooth as possible on netbooks. Not to mention that your not paying anywhere near the normal price of Win7 home edition.

It's the principle of the thing! Which brings me back to Ubuntu is free... I mean, Microsoft already got my money so maybe they'll get the last laugh after but oh no I've gone crosseyed.

[Felix The Assassin]

Whiz, wing, zzziiinng, whack-ah, went the (cough) 8 year old western digital HDD.

I've been running Win 7 home premium on a store bought Dell since the end of last year.

Since Ubuntu 9.xxx most modern hardware is found, and drivers installed. If you have a small home laser, such as a Brother HL 2040, the Linux driver is on the disk, if not, many can be found either in the Ubuntu repository, or at the manufacturers web site.

Wine will make you whine, and my experience was limited as it was dreadful. At that time it was much easier to swap cable and boot XP than to attempt anything emulated.

I have observed the Current 10.xx perform on modern hardware, and agree it ran flawlessly, and all drivers were available and installed without a glitch.

For a net book, it makes perfect sense, go for it, but be prepared for mishaps with wine, or go dual boot for windows games, etc...