My OperaLinux temping.
Thursday, March 12, 2009 1:57:42 PM
Most people don't have multiple computers to test different linux distros on, to see if they might want to use it. And even if they have, you can't really predict how well the distro will behave with your hardware. For example, I have an EeePC 901 with an SSD disk - and wiping the pre- installed Windows boot from the drive, spending a day figuring out the best partition- scheme, and installing it all on the SSD, which takes ages, then configuring some more, compiling code for a day - ....just to see if the wifi and touchpad works.. that's not going to happen.
So, while I've been agonizing about whether to keep my win- boot or not, someone named Geza Kovacs made uNetbootin - http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/ - which drops a linux- image on an usb flash- drive, which you can then boot up.
In my case that meant 30 minutes downloading an image, moving it to the drive. And then going into the bios- screen (hammer f2 at startup), and choose the USB drive as the first hard- drive (it's detected as a fixed drive, not an external drive, which is the flash- card reader, for example), and then make sure "external device" is nr. 1 in the boot priorities.
Reboot, see how it works, what sort of performance you get in compiz. Really, really great. Linux test in less than an hour without any preparations.
(If you're wondering about what sort of linux distros to try out, take a look at the new Eeebuntus here: http://www.eeebuntu.org/
And Sabayonlinux will have lite- versions over Gentoo, if you want to look out for what to eventually include in your boot: www.sabayonlinux.org . My guess is fluxbox will work best for now, and that you'll be better off using a stage 4 tarball.
Also, look out for a version of E17 with a stable ecomorph build (compiz- fusion like effects) over here:
http://www.elivecd.org/Download/e17-compiz . An unstable build is available on a live- image.. that you can drop on an usb- stick. Enjoy, and don't forget to drop a penny in their tip- jar).
So, while I've been agonizing about whether to keep my win- boot or not, someone named Geza Kovacs made uNetbootin - http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/ - which drops a linux- image on an usb flash- drive, which you can then boot up.
In my case that meant 30 minutes downloading an image, moving it to the drive. And then going into the bios- screen (hammer f2 at startup), and choose the USB drive as the first hard- drive (it's detected as a fixed drive, not an external drive, which is the flash- card reader, for example), and then make sure "external device" is nr. 1 in the boot priorities.
Reboot, see how it works, what sort of performance you get in compiz. Really, really great. Linux test in less than an hour without any preparations.
(If you're wondering about what sort of linux distros to try out, take a look at the new Eeebuntus here: http://www.eeebuntu.org/
And Sabayonlinux will have lite- versions over Gentoo, if you want to look out for what to eventually include in your boot: www.sabayonlinux.org . My guess is fluxbox will work best for now, and that you'll be better off using a stage 4 tarball.
Also, look out for a version of E17 with a stable ecomorph build (compiz- fusion like effects) over here:
http://www.elivecd.org/Download/e17-compiz . An unstable build is available on a live- image.. that you can drop on an usb- stick. Enjoy, and don't forget to drop a penny in their tip- jar).
