Question for the geeks

Does exactly what it says on the tin. Some of the nonsense contained herein may be very loosely related to The Sisters of Mercy, but I wouldn't bet your PayPal account on it. In keeping with the internet's general theme nothing written here should be taken as Gospel: over three quarters of it is utter gibberish, and most of the forum's denizens haven't spoken to another human being face-to-face for decades. Don't worry your pretty little heads about it. Above all else, remember this: You don't have to stay forever. I will understand.
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Eva
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I've decided that I want a netbook/Mini notebook, one of those cute 10"-11" thingies. Unfortunately Apple doesn't offer any, and I hate iPhones, so that's no option.

As a proper Apple-follower I prefer not to support Bill, but the netbooks I'm preferring have *spit* windows 7 *cough* installed. So I was wondering whether it is possible for a non-geek to "overwrite" Windows with Linux. That's question 1 to you.

Question 2 is: What anti-virus-software shall I install? As far as google, openoffice.org and opensource.org tell me, there is no open-source protection software available.

Any suggestion is appreciated, as long as it doesn't tell me to get an iphone instead. See above.

Cheers! :notworthy: :D
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Quiff Boy
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some notebooks can actually be run as "hackintoshes" with very little tweaking ;)
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Eva
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Quiff Boy wrote:some notebooks can actually be run as "hackintoshes" with very little tweaking ;)
:eek: Interesting! Can you give me any more info or tell me where I can find it?

Many thanks!


The above doesn't mean though that I'm not interested in other options anymore... ;D [/i]
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Franki
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Eva wrote:I've decided that I want a netbook/Mini notebook, one of those cute 10"-11" thingies. Unfortunately Apple doesn't offer any, and I hate iPhones, so that's no option.

As a proper Apple-follower I prefer not to support Bill, but the netbooks I'm preferring have *spit* windows 7 *cough* installed. So I was wondering whether it is possible for a non-geek to "overwrite" Windows with Linux. That's question 1 to you.
I don't know for windows 7, but i did it for windows XP
but it's usually safer with a geek around you :D
Eva wrote:Question 2 is: What anti-virus-software shall I install? As far as google, openoffice.org and opensource.org tell me, there is no open-source protection software available.

Any suggestion is appreciated, as long as it doesn't tell me to get an iphone instead. See above.

Cheers! :notworthy: :D
If you work with Linux, i think there are no anti-virus
(and no (or nearly no) virus)
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markfiend
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Some Dell notebooks come with Ubuntu Linux pre-installed, and the ones that don't can (usually) easily have various Linux distributions installed.

Many Linux distros come as a "live CD" which you can use to "try before you buy" -- check it all works before installing. (Admittedly, this isn't so easy with a little netbook without a CD drive, but you can set up a "Live USB" fairly easily.)

There actually is anti-virus for Linux (Clam AV for one) but it's difficult to get a virus to infect any Linux system.
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Eva
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Buy Linux? I thought that was opensource / freeware, too? :eek: :?:
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Quiff Boy
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try before you commit & format/install is probably more accurate :lol:

a live disk means you can boot from it into linux and have a play, and then when you've done reboot back into your normal o/s with no 'damage' done.

btw: hackintosh:

How To: Hackintosh a Dell Mini 9 Into the Ultimate OS X Netbook

http://gizmodo.com/5156903/how-to-hacki ... -x-netbook

although the latest update to snow leopard - 10.6.2 seems to break that - so stick to 10.6.1 for now :|
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markfiend
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I meant "try Linux before you buy the netbook" ;)
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sultan2075
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Quiff Boy wrote:
although the latest update to snow leopard - 10.6.2 seems to break that - so stick to 10.6.1 for now :|
Many are saying that is an indication of a Mac netbook in the pipeline. There's also this:

Image

Story here: http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/10/nvidia-c ... en-device/

EDIT: All your hopes and dreams, dashed: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/nvid ... prototype/
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hallucienate
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I haven't had a go on one yet but look at the Dell Mini 10s. They be ordered with Ubuntu pre-installed - so no Windows tax - and apparently runs OSX 10.6 without too much stress.

The Acer Aspire One seems to run Ubuntu 9.10 fine.
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got an Asus Eee for use instead of books when on the bog.

came with Linux installed, i think it's a superb little machine. dead reliable good battery life 8)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMjIW5qyq3s
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paint it black wrote:got an Asus Eee for use instead of books when on the bog.

came with Linux installed, i think it's a superb little machine. dead reliable good battery life 8)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMjIW5qyq3s
Oh of course, how could I forget the Eee?

IIRC the linux on those is called Xandros? (although it can easily be replaced by *buntu)
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paint it black
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markfiend wrote: IIRC the linux on those is called Xandros? (although it can easily be replaced by *buntu)
In English please :oops:

either way, even i can use it ;D
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markfiend
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Sorry I forget that not everyone speaks geek. :lol:

If I recall correctly, the particular distribution (or "distro") of Linux that's pre-installed on an EeePC is called Xandros.

It can be (fairly easily) replaced by one of the Ubuntu family of distributions. (Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Edubuntu, etc. -- standard shorthand for this group is *buntu)

Named the Eee because: "Easy to learn, Easy to work, Easy to play" apparently.

Kerry has one at work.
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Eva
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I'm actually dreaming of a HP but haven't decided which one yet. Had a look into hackintoshing any peeeceee - that's way above me, no chance! I'll check, whether I can get anything with Linux, and what it looks like, otherwise I fear I'll end up with windoze in the end... :| Haven't got any geek within my reach...
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nigel d
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paint it black wrote:got an Asus Eee for use instead of books when on the bog.

came with Linux installed, i think it's a superb little machine. dead reliable good battery life 8)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMjIW5qyq3s
ah...yes that may well be...

but not as useful as a book when you run out of toilet paper.......


( Ive got a 10" screen LG net book with expee on it, that had an option for linux, but i chickened out(just how hard is linux anyhoo))
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markfiend
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nigel d wrote:just how hard is linux anyhoo
Easier than Windows...
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nigel d
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markfiend wrote:
nigel d wrote:just how hard is linux anyhoo
Easier than Windows...
then Mr Fiend I shall hold you fully responsible for the loss of my remaining hair when i become dumbfounded and at the end of my tether after being flummoxed by this new fangled OS.
I may just give it a try......
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markfiend
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Like I said upthread: get a "Live CD" (My main distribution is Linux Mint -- available for download here)

You don't need to install it to try it out, if you can't work it out just reboot into your existing OS.
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Franki
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markfiend wrote:Like I said upthread: get a "Live CD" (My main distribution is Linux Mint -- available for download here)

You don't need to install it to try it out, if you can't work it out just reboot into your existing OS.
yes, it's really easy, you don't have to instal anything and you can test it

(of course it's a little slower 'couse it's on cd but you will get a view of Linux without installing it, no risk ;-) )
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Eva
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Got myself a cute little HP Mini 110c-1120ez...

It comes with Windows 7 and I haven't given up on the Linux idea yet...


BUT: How hard will it be to find all the driver stuff I'll need to connect to my printer? Or to get onto the net or to read my mails or to listern to music or to watch a video?

I really am illiterate in the geek department... :wink:
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markfiend
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The printer drivers I needed were all included in Linux Mint; I just plugged the printer into the USB and it worked. Similarly, the Internet, Wifi, etc. all just worked.
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the_inescapable_truth
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Why is Microsoft 'evil and' Apple is not*? I've never quite understood. They're both as 'evil'as each other.

I also happen to think that Bill Gates isn't a completely bad guy. He gives A LOT to charity for example.

* Actually, to me, neither is evil as such. It's just a very competitive market, and things balance out anyway in the end.. Google anyone? The free-market mostly works.
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Eva
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It is not a question of "good" and "evil", it is a matter of personal taste: I prefer macs.
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