Netbooks and slackware...

On Oct 19, 5:15 pm, r... RemoveThis @LewPitcherIsGay.com wrote:
> Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about using slack with
> any netbooks? We have been thinking of buying one but we don't know
> much about them.
>
> Would you have to install from a flashkey? Netbooks don't have
> DVD/CD drives, do they?
>
> What about networking? Rogers.com advertises special usb network
> keys that apparently use the cell network. Does slack recognize
> that stuff? Has anybody actually worked with it?
>
> mv flameage /dev/null
>
> cordially, as always,
>
Hi,

I run Slack-13 on eeepc-901 and like it so far.


Jurek

On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:15:46 +0000, rm trolled:

> Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about using slack with any
> netbooks?

Just use your favorite Windoze, since you claim to prefer that, Win-boi.

Then, bugger off, troll.


--
"Ubuntu" -- an African word, meaning "Slackware is too hard for me".
"Bother!" said Pooh, as he garotted another passing Liberal.
Usenet Improvement Project: http://twovoyagers.com/improve-usenet.org/

Jurek wrote:

> I run Slack-13 on eeepc-901 and like it so far.

I have the same machine. It seems to me that the advantages of a netbook
over an ordinary laptop are portability (size and weight), ruggedness, and
battery life. It's great when traveling for pleasure. It entertains me on
planes, helps me find restaurants and buy tickets, and keeps me in touch
with my email. In other circumstances, its tiny keyboard and screen are
pretty annoying, and I have access to more suitable machines. I'm a great
fan of Slackware. I've been using it continuously for twelve years. But I
run eeebuntu on the eeepc. It's fully pre-tweaked for the 901's hardware
and features, and it works just fine for my limited purposes. I've
considered putting slack on it, but then I ask myself why and the urge goes
away.

--
Old Man

Jurek <jureka DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote:
> On Oct 19, 5:15 pm, r... DeleteThis @LewPitcherIsGay.com wrote:
>> Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about using slack with
>> any netbooks? We have been thinking of buying one but we don't know
>> much about them.
>>
>> Would you have to install from a flashkey? Netbooks don't have
>> DVD/CD drives, do they?
>>
>> What about networking? Rogers.com advertises special usb network
>> keys that apparently use the cell network. Does slack recognize
>> that stuff? Has anybody actually worked with it?
>>
>> mv flameage /dev/null
>>
>> cordially, as always,
>>
> Hi,
>
> I run Slack-13 on eeepc-901 and like it so far.
>
Highly customized Slack 12.1 on an Acer Aspire 1, using FVWM2.
Customizations are in /etc/rc.d scripts to speed up start & shutdown.

Great for travelling since it's light & rugged.

Jerry

On October 19, 2009 17:15, in alt.os.linux.slackware,
rm DeleteThis @big.realtomargarino.ca (rm@big.realtomargarino.ca) wrote:

> Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about using slack with
> any netbooks?

Are you thinking of upgrading a Windows netbook, or replacing the Linux on a
Linux netbook. I suppose that there will be differences in capabilities,
and I suspect that Slackware will better fit on the Windows-class netbook
than the Linux-class netbook.

> We have been thinking of buying one but we don't know
> much about them.
>
> Would you have to install from a flashkey? Netbooks don't have
> DVD/CD drives, do they?

Well, Linux netbooks typically have SSD for their internal storage, and USB
access for external storage. I suppose that you'd either have to install
via flashkey or from an external USB HD. Shouldn't be a problem.

> What about networking? Rogers.com advertises special usb network
> keys that apparently use the cell network. Does slack recognize
> that stuff? Has anybody actually worked with it?

I've done some research on those USB network devices; they are
mini-cellphones with a builtin modem. All the recommendations I've seen so
far (and this goes for Rogers' offering, as well as the ones from Telus and
Bell) is that you need Windows to set them up, but once they are
initialized, you can use them on any recent 2.6 Linux kernel

> mv flameage /dev/null
>
> cordially, as always,
>
> rm

Take care rm, and thanks for dropping the (now useless to you) justlinux.ca
fake email address. BTW, your headers looked funny, so I corrected them for
you.
--
Lew Pitcher

Master Codewright & JOAT-in-training | Registered Linux User #112576
http://pitcher.digitalfreehold.ca/ | GPG public key available by request
---------- Slackware - Because I know what I'm doing. ------

rm RemoveThis @LewPitcherIsGay.com wrote:

> Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about using slack with
> any netbooks? We have been thinking of buying one but we don't know
> much about them.
>

Works fine an an eee 900. Using 12.2. Did a little tweeking, but not much
really.


--
http://www.petezilla.co.uk

On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:15:46 +0000, rm wrote:

> Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about using slack with
> any netbooks? We have been thinking of buying one but we don't know
> much about them.
>
> Would you have to install from a flashkey? Netbooks don't have
> DVD/CD drives, do they?
>
> What about networking? Rogers.com advertises special usb network
> keys that apparently use the cell network. Does slack recognize
> that stuff? Has anybody actually worked with it?
>
> mv flameage /dev/null
>
> cordially, as always,
>
> rm
>
I installed Slackware 12.2 + Dropline Gnome 2.26 on a Samsung NC10. It is
a nice netbook, with adequate keyboard and 1024x600 screen. Here is a
screenshot from an earlier thread:
http://www.xmission.com/~ddmayne/slackware/ss.2009-09-20.01.png

I notice that there is a so-called netbook remix for various Linux
distributions. AFAIK, this performs certain customizations for the
hardware. IME, it is not really necessary. So far, I have only found one
dialog box which is not properly displayed. YMMV. I think standard
Slackware would install just fine. IMO, the addition of the Gnome
interface is a nice addition to laptops/netbooks. That allows monitoring
battery, wireless, processor, etc. via the panels (see above screenshot).

The machine specs are as follows.
Weight: 2.5 lbs (approx)
CPU: Intel Atom N270
(1.6GHz max, singel core, hyperthreaded, with processor scaling)
RAM: 2G (a simple upgrade)
Hard Disk: 160G (magnetic)
Wired Network: 10/100 ethernet
Wireless Network: 802.11 b/g (Atheros chipset, firmware in standard kernel)
External connections: VGA, 3 x USB 2.0, SD Flash reader, Audio in/out
Also: built in touchpad, microphone, webcam.

All of the above devices work with Slackware 12.2. I am using a self
compiled kernel: 2.6.30.8. I only noticed one slight problem- the audio
output is a bit quiet. Like most netbooks, the Samsung NC10 has no optical
drive. The OS can be installed via standard USB or network methods. I
installed Slackware on an encrypted root partition using the initrd and
tools that I described here:
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.os.linux.slackware/msg/68c1e3324df59d96

Another nice thing is that I have verified that the pm-utils package will
work with encrypted swap. That means that pm-hibernate works as expected.
The system will be restored upon reboot as long as the correct boot
parameter is given, i.e. resume=/dev/mapper/sda2 (in my case). The only
consideration is that the target swap device must be decrypted (via device
mapper) in the initrd phase. This allows resumption from a cold boot in 60
to 90 seconds. Resumption from simple suspend to RAM takes about 10 to 20
seconds.

IME, the battery life is on the order of 3 to 4 hours; although I haven't
specifically benchmarked the time to empty. In any case, battery life is
certainly less than 5 hours. Also, some keyboard mappings do not work, but
I haven't tried that hard to fix them because the features are generally
accessible using another method.

AFAICT, as of right now, most of the buzz in the netbook space is whether
netbooks based on ARM CPUs will be released before the end of the
year. The hope is that CPU could deliver 8 to 12 hour battery life. The
potential downside is that it could also offer less CPU power that Intel's
Atom. I was somewhat expecting a system based on the dual core Atom (i.e.
coresponding to the 330 desktop CPU). I haven't seen one yet.

In general, the small form factor is very appealing, but strictly
speaking you can get a more powerful laptop for the same amount of money
if size/weight/age considerations are eliminated. For example, older
Dells D610/D620 etc. will run VMWare acceptably. I don't think any of the
current crop of netbooks have the horsepower to do that.

--
Douglas Mayne

On Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 09:48:49PM -0600, Douglas Mayne wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:15:46 +0000, rm wrote:
>
> > Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about using slack with
> > any netbooks? We have been thinking of buying one but we don't know
> > much about them.
> >
> > Would you have to install from a flashkey? Netbooks don't have
> > DVD/CD drives, do they?
> >
> > What about networking? Rogers.com advertises special usb network
> > keys that apparently use the cell network. Does slack recognize
> > that stuff? Has anybody actually worked with it?
> >
> > mv flameage /dev/null
> >
> > cordially, as always,
> >
> > rm
> >
> I installed Slackware 12.2 + Dropline Gnome 2.26 on a Samsung NC10. It is
> a nice netbook, with adequate keyboard and 1024x600 screen. Here is a
> screenshot from an earlier thread:
> http://www.xmission.com/~ddmayne/slackware/ss.2009-09-20.01.png

Nice wallpaper. Can you upload it somewhere?

On Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:14:05 +0600, Murat D. Kadirov wrote:

> On Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 09:48:49PM -0600, Douglas Mayne wrote:
>> On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:15:46 +0000, rm wrote:
>>
>> > Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about using slack with
>> > any netbooks? We have been thinking of buying one but we don't know
>> > much about them.
>> >
>> > Would you have to install from a flashkey? Netbooks don't have
>> > DVD/CD drives, do they?
>> >
>> > What about networking? Rogers.com advertises special usb network
>> > keys that apparently use the cell network. Does slack recognize
>> > that stuff? Has anybody actually worked with it?
>> >
>> > mv flameage /dev/null
>> >
>> > cordially, as always,
>> >
>> > rm
>> >
>> I installed Slackware 12.2 + Dropline Gnome 2.26 on a Samsung NC10. It is
>> a nice netbook, with adequate keyboard and 1024x600 screen. Here is a
>> screenshot from an earlier thread:
>> http://www.xmission.com/~ddmayne/slackware/ss.2009-09-20.01.png
>
> Nice wallpaper. Can you upload it somewhere?
>
That image is "stolen" from Fedora 11.
http://mirrors.xmission.com/fedora/releases/11/Fedora/i386/os/Packages/
leonidas-backgrounds-common-11.0.0-1.fc11.noarch.rpm

The rpm contains versions of the image setup for various screen aspect
ratios: 2048x1536, 1280x1024, 1920x1200

I applied a Slackware "decal" that I made using the Gimp. Here is a
similar wallpaper, sized for the netbook's screen:
http://www.xmission.com/~ddmayne/slackware/leonidas-1-noon.mod.1024x600.jpg

Here is the "decal":
I made: http://www.xmission.com/~ddmayne/slackware/slackware-sine.png

--
Douglas Mayne

Douglas Mayne <doug.TakeThisOut@localhost.localnet> :

[good stuff, omitted for space][

> In general, the small form factor is very appealing, but strictly
> speaking you can get a more powerful laptop for the same amount of money
> if size/weight/age considerations are eliminated. For example, older
> Dells D610/D620 etc. will run VMWare acceptably. I don't think any of the
> current crop of netbooks have the horsepower to do that.

Thanks for the article. I too am leaning towards a "real" notebook,
because the blackberry is enough in an emergency...but sometimes the
blackberry is just too damned small...

cordially, as always,

rm

On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:53:50 +0100, Peter Chant wrote:

> Works fine an an eee 900. Using 12.2. Did a little tweeking, but not
> much really.

Are you able to get all the hardware components working? I have an
EeePC700 (I can't believe it's been a couple of years already) that I've
left so far with the stock (Xandros Linux) OS (plus patches when they're
available) because I'm not sure I'll know how to get all the hardware
working with a personal installation. I'd much prefer to run Slackware
on it, though.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sylvain Robitaille syl.TakeThisOut@encs.concordia.ca

Systems analyst / AITS Concordia University
Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science Montreal, Quebec, Canada
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sylvain Robitaille wrote:


> Are you able to get all the hardware components working? I have an
> EeePC700 (I can't believe it's been a couple of years already) that I've
> left so far with the stock (Xandros Linux) OS (plus patches when they're
> available) because I'm not sure I'll know how to get all the hardware
> working with a personal installation. I'd much prefer to run Slackware
> on it, though.
>

I think I upgraded the kernel, the lan, wifi and I think sound chipsets were
all very new stuff that was not in the default kernel iirc.

Pete

--
http://www.petezilla.co.uk

On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:56:34 +0000, Peter Chant wrote:

> I think I upgraded the kernel, the lan, wifi and I think sound
> chipsets were all very new stuff that was not in the default kernel
> iirc.

Ok, so Slackware with an upgraded kernel on the EeePC is good to go,
then? I have a large SD card that I think I'm going to try installing
Slackware-13.0 on to try booting the EeePC from. Am I aiming for
disappointment, or should it be reasonably doable? Otherwise, I suppose
an external hard drive, connected to the EeePC via USB might be just
as good? The idea here is to get this working to my liking before
contemplating replacing the original Xandros OS ...

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sylvain Robitaille syl RemoveThis @encs.concordia.ca

Systems analyst / AITS Concordia University
Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science Montreal, Quebec, Canada
----------------------------------------------------------------------