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Okay, so I've just taken delivery of my little Samsung NB30. The ida is to use it as a stripped down surf'n'mail machine whilst I'm travelling, but I also want to be able to manage my Ipod etc from it.
[edit] oops, posted before I'd finished
So, obviously these things aren't exactly super quick processor wise, so which software is lightest for browsing/syncing etc. Firefox seems to be getting pretty bloated, and as for iTunes, that seems huge these days.
My Netbook uses full fat software and it runs fine for surfing and e-mail.
Chrome for browsing if you don't want Firefox, although its not that bloated, plus you can run handy little plugins.
iTunes could be trickier... are you wanting to migrate an existing iTunes setup to it? If so, you might be stuck with it...
If it was me, I'd just stick Lubuntu on it and go from there.
I use fluxbox on my computers noticeably faster on low powered machines.
Had no issues with itunes on my old netbook.
Chrome is fastest browser-wise I found.
Nlite.?
I like Firefox because some of the add ons speed things up - and I have 'little firefox' that scales it down for the smaller screen. OpenOffice is good for Office stuff. Avira Anti Virus is low on resources but good. Sourceforge.net has a packaged load of software that will run from a USB stick, so you don't even need to install it on the netbook.
Opera is the fastest browser i've used, but not idea how 'bloated' it is
start with ubuntu...
£30 gets you a 2gb ram upgrade, easy to fit and makes a big difference!
OpenOffice is good for Office stuff.
No it's not, it's awful!
i use firefox. what does bloated mean? 😳
OpenOffice is good for Office stuff.
No it's not, it's awful!
Actually, it's really good.
OpenOffice is good for Office stuff.No it's not, it's awful!
Actually, it's really good.
No, it really is quite shit.
OpenOffice is good for Office stuff.No it's not, it's awful!
Actually, it's really good.No, it really is quite shit.
So is Microsoft Office, therefore they're equivalent.
I generally find people who have already paid for Microsoft Office (or their work pays for it) think that OpenOffice is crap 😉
For a completely free suite of apps that works with pretty much every format imaginable it's brilliant - plus it's developed and supported by Oracle and Sun.
It's the single reason why Microsoft have had to reduce the price of Office.
Oh yeah..... and you can get a version of OO that needs no installer and runs off a USB stick so it's pretty much perfect for a netbook.
Obviously I could be wrong regarding all the above, but it's doubtful.
I've just installed a stripped down version of XP (full install then removed the rubbish) onto a little Asus Eee 701 and it boots in 20 seconds which is actually the same as I was getting with Xubuntu and Puppee version sof Linux. I do like the idea of linux but find it hard to get my head around it.
OpenOffice is good for Office stuff.No it's not, it's awful!
Actually, it's really good.No, it really is quite shit
No, I like it - it's good.
how long does this go on for ? 😉
http://m.zdnet.com/blog/ou/performance-analysis-of-openoffice-and-ms-office/120
Executive Summary: OpenOffice is a memory and resource hog and not well suited to netbooks.
[url=www.foobar2000.org]Foobar2000[/url] is a lightweight music player, it will sync with an iPod and an existing iTunes library although you may need to download some additional plugins to do this.
MS office and open office are only for doing simple documents on, and hence both have equal functionality. If you are trying to do something big or complicated you should not be using MS office or open office. They are both crap for anything more than an 'A' level science report.
£30 gets you a 2gb ram upgrade, easy to fit and makes a big difference
Not always. A few Netbooks can't handle more than 1gb, whether it's the board or the version of the OS that's installed. Check before you buy.
Upgrade to XP and MS Office 93.
If you are trying to do something big or complicated you should not be using MS office or open office. They are both crap for anything more than an 'A' level science report.
Now I'm intrigued. Office (either flavour) is designed for a purpose, I'm wondering what application you use which needs office like facilities, but more and what you use.
Floola for iPod stuff - http://www.floola.com/home/
Doesn't even need installing, it's just an executable
They are both crap for anything more than an 'A' level science report.
I assume you mean a proper publishing solution.
In my experience MS Office is pretty happy up to a couple of hundred pages (with diagrams, tables, footnotes, cross-refs etc). After that, depending on the doc, it can get a little flakey (though I'm not sure if the latest editions struggle as much).
Fair enough for a word processor I think. It's not designed for writing the next Encyclopedia Brittanica on.
Ubuntu Evangelist here.
Get the netbook version of ubuntu on it in place of windows.
its the shizzle.
ive got ubuntu on my regular laptop, which ground to an XP halt about 3 years ago. it was literally just too slow to handle all the flash and wizzidry on webpages for example.
i whacked ubuntu on it, and its still plenty fast enough for me 🙂
ALSO, all the software is free.
as for light weight programming.
I found Chrome unstable, but "Chromium" much much better.
not sure why
and no sure which originated from which.
both are much less demanding than IE or FF.
you MAY want to check ipod compatibility before taking the plunge if you do go for linux though.
im sure SOMEONE has done a patch to make it fit, but ive not experience of it, as i dont have an ipod, so cant comment on how good it will be, or if it will conflict with regular itunes.
it may be worth noting, that the browser opera, runs ALL pages through a proxy server, which reformats the pages to suit you machine.
works brilliantly on my mobile, so i reckon it would be good on a netbook.
all the "work" is done on the server, you essentially load a secondary version of the page.
Will any other app sync with your IPod. I thought you had to use Itunes?
Google docs is the lightest office equivalent.
BigJohn - MemberUpgrade to XP and MS Office 93.
Why? Windows 7 runs at least as well as XP, and in some situations slightly better.
I'm running win 7 starter and the full Office 2005 on mine, and it's absolutly fine.
The biggest thing I had problems with was a virus checker. Running Mcafee made the netbook run like a half dead slug on dope. Changing to Sophos improved things dramatically.
Interesting stuff, cheers all.
I need to stick with Windows due to some of the software I have. I have Windows 7 Starter installed and after reading this:
[i]I've just installed a stripped down version of XP (full install then removed the rubbish) [/i]
I'm wondering which bits of 'rubbish' I can remove?
Changing to Sophos improved things dramatically.
Try using Microsoft Security Essentials. Not a resource hog, plus free and good.
Open Office runs fine for me doing degree level work on an Eeepc 1000H (when I'm not at a desktop).
I suggest Ubuntu also. Mainly because I think Windows 7 is a pile of poo, especially in starter edition, although I'm aware lots of people think otherwise.
OS X anyone.....
Gonna update my Dell Mini 9 to 10.6.6 this weekend (just for something to do), it's been running 10.5 for yonks now and is lovely. Much smaller footprint than windoze, iWork instead of office, iTunes and Firefox.
Apple FTW
Edit: Oh yeah, and no antivirus required
ubuntu user here - I have an ipod nano and run it straight from banshee (the music player that comes as standard) no probs
what do you have that needs windows? is it work stuff?
If you are trying to do something big or complicated you should not be using MS office or open office. They are both crap for anything more than an 'A' level science report.
Best tell my employers, possibly the biggest science organisation in the world, then...
FWIW, my little eeePC copes fine doing stats in SPSS, drawing graphs in SigmaPlot, dataprocessing in Excel and writing the thing in word with email and web open, and playing music. You just occasionally ahve to be patient and realise that it isn't a quad-core monster, but that it will run for 10 hours without being near a mains. And it's a lot easier to use on a plane too!