We have the Asus Eee and love love love it. My wife was in Europe for a month and it worked fine for taking notes, websurfing/email, and (video) skyping. It certainly doesn't have the power of a laptop -- it freezes up for a few seconds every now and then, especially with multiple apps runnng, and it is noticeably slower than her "real" laptop and our desktop, but as a $300 computer to be used while traveling, sitting on the toilet or checking email in the basement, it's fabulous.
Sorry to burst your bubble but here are the facts:
http://marketshare.hitslink.com/report.aspx?qprid=11&qpdt=1&qpct=4&qptimeframe=M&qpsp=90&qpnp=25
And your post clearly shows your blind loyalty, it's Apple policy to not respond to competition. While they go against it at times, one thing anyone would agree with is that Ubuntu is not a quality OS. It's has limited or no tech support for the masses, requires a lot of technical know how to get it fully functioing on even ordinary machines, and has a dismal library of native applications.
Take for what it is, a free OS that doesn't offer enough to the casual user. I know you want to be different and special, but take my advice, wait until Google releases Chrome OS, maybe then you wont look too irrational.
Not true. Ubuntu is growing by leaps and bounds. Apple does respond to comptetion like it did when it locked Google out of the IPhone. Apple is rumored to be releasing an OSX software only product next year as a direct response to Ubuntu. Ubuntu, Linux, and Unix aleady control most of the internet and web, and vitually 100% of the global ecosystems such as telecommunications, air traffic control, miltary communications, satellite, video distribution, agriculture, weather, etc. Java runs in many of those ecosystems and is the predominant phone os as well. Google OS will do a great job as well. Google is in Silicon Valley like Apple, Javasoft, etc.
Nice job guy, you just ignored the original need of the poster in question. You also pointed out the number one exception to Apple's policy that I was thinking of. Good job, but all that doesn't change the fact that Linux/Ubuntu fails as a desktop/laptop OS. I do see some light for Linux in the mobile market tho'.
the atom processor is SLOOOOOOOOOOW
Ubuntu/Linux is clearly the OS of choice for virtualization. Xen, OpenVz, OpenBox, VMware, etc. environments are the future for computing. In a few short years, major application software suites such as Adobe Create Suite 4 will be released tightly paired/packaged/coupled with a sole OS like Ubuntu for use under virtualization environments. Holding us back at the present is CPU horsepower. But I expect blazing performance in 2010/2011 with new 32nm and 22nm multicore CPUs.
Not True wrote:
Apple is rumored to be releasing an OSX software only product next year as a direct response to Ubuntu.
By the way, explain this part to me.
Apple's response to Google was caused by the threat that free high quality web based apps had on the value of it's app store. That's understandable sine Apple has a cash cow in that segment. So what I don't understand is how a non-premium home OS with a <1% market share competes with OSX? I don't get this rumor. I mean, OSX operates under a COMPLETELY different segment of the home pc market.
The PC world doesn't depend on any one open source community consortium. We have always depended on Unix, Linux, Ubuntu, etc. for computing since the 1950s and nothing has changed in that regard. At present, Ubuntu is growing by leaps and bounds in the PC world. Apple and Google have jumped on the need-for-quality vaccuum that has plagued the PC world for nearly 30 years. Reliable OSs are not in short supply. There are hundreds of reliable OSs out there. Let's hope for the best for all PC users.
Live and learn. Don't latch onto false idols. You'll go nuts if you keep worshipping. Open your mind. There is so much else out there. Don't worry, we in the S/W industry have to keep reminding ourselves of those points too.
shonuff2. wrote:
This is a good question. Recently The Cup has begun to promote the use of the netbook for internet viewing of the upcoming East Coast Games. Check the web site for retariers and associated promo discount codes.
You know, out of all the letsrun posts, this one and one of your other posts in the guy coming back from an off period of a couple years had me chuckling. I encourage you to continue to interject these somewhat random posts that fit into people's threads.
By the way, sucks your first handle was banned.
Not True wrote:
Ubuntu, Linux, and Unix aleady control most of the internet and web...
First of all, if you know as much about this subject as you would lead us to believe, you should know that the word "Internet" is capitalized. It's a proper noun.
Last but not least, your statement above is essentially true, BUT the original poster is not looking to buy an enterprise-class network switch! He wants a laptop/netbook, and the vast majority of mainstream users would NOT adjust well to the Ubuntu learning curve & limiting factors.
Kids don't listen to that high school wimp from Redmond. Ubuntu is like the iPhone. No leanring curve whatsoever. It never crashes. You never have to reboot Ubuntu. Unlike the iPhone, the Asus Ubuntu PCs have a removable battery.
iPho wrote:
No leanring curve whatsoever.
Actually, your so-called "leanring" curve is definitely an obstacle, and good luck installing new software, too!
traveling runner wrote:
I am going to be abroad for a few months and I'm wondering what would be a good one to get. The notebooks I see are pretty powerful and come with a Windows 7 upgrade. But I suppose I would be mostly interested in email and surfing. Would Skype work on a netbook? Would I want an external DVD drive for the netbook? I'm going to be carrying stuff in my backpack. It seems like the weight difference is 2-3 lb. vs. 6-7 lb. I guess I am looking at Costco for netbooks like Acer or HP and Bestbuy for notebooks.
The biggest detriment I see with the netbook is the screen size. As long as you don't mind doing a lot of scrolling, you should be fine. If you do get one, turn on auto-hide on the start bar and use the least toolbars possible in your browser and applications. Also increase resolution. This will give you the most real estate. Most people who buy them are not looking for processing power as they're not gaming and it sounds like that's the case with you. On the road, 3 USB ports should be enough but at home, you may want to have a USB hub.
Added perspective wrote:
First of all, if you know as much about this subject as you would lead us to believe, you should know that the word "Internet" is capitalized. It's a proper noun.
Last but not least, your statement above is essentially true, BUT the original poster is not looking to buy an enterprise-class network switch! He wants a laptop/netbook, and the vast majority of mainstream users would NOT adjust well to the Ubuntu learning curve & limiting factors.
Of course the OP isn't wanting an "enterprise-class network switch" - or we'd be discussing IOS, JUNOS, IronWare, or NX-OS. Capitalize that, dork.
My kids have used Linux (currently Ubuntu) as their primary OS from Day 1, as well as Windows and some OSX. They have no security issues with their machines. They have all the applications they need. All they're missing is a narrow, dependent, Windows-centric view of the world. The oldest is 14 and clearly more computer literate than you. The youngest is 6 and may need a little more time, but don't look over your shoulder...
internet wrote:
Get the Asus, not the Acer.
my wife just got an asus sea shell (don't know the technical model name but i know they call it that).
it completely seized up the second day she had it, and the new one they sent to her also froze up so she had to completely restore it after about a month.
u b outed wrote:
My kids have used Linux (currently Ubuntu) as their primary OS from Day 1, as well as Windows and some OSX. They have no security issues with their machines.
My kids have used Windows (currently Windows 7 RTM) as their primary OS from Day 1, as well as Linux and some OSX. They have no security issues with their machines.
It all depends upon your point of view.
netbooks suck ass.