el rinconcito

As I mentioned previously (here and here), my sturdy desktop computer seems determined to have a catastrophic hardware failure. I don't have time to troubleshoot it anymore until next week, so I have pressed the little netbook I have into service as the main machine for awhile. It looks a little funny with so much stuff jacked into it. Connecting it to a regular monitor and a USB keyboard makes things a lot more comfortable. It's hard to believe this tiny little thing with an Atom processor runs so well.

All images are clickable for greater detail on flickr.

Image #1: Ubuntu Netbook Remix is designed to make the most of a tiny screen of a netbook. It looks a little funny running at 1280 x 1024 on a regular monitor.



Image 2: I'm lucky this little babe has a place to hook up an external monitor.



Image 3: Stuff all hooked up.



Image 4: She workin' like a big girl now.

The obligatory screenshot after upgrading my netbook to Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10 (Karmic Koala).

It just gets more beautiful with each release, jawdropping almost. The Netbook Remix makes the most out of the small screen sizes of netbooks. I can use it fine, even with my weak near vision.

Image is clickable for greater detail. Select "all sizes" after landing on the flickr page.

All you *buntu freaks, it's almost here again, upgrade time. Distro upgrades are always fun. This Thursday, 29 October 2009, is the next release, 9.10 (Karmic Koala, WTF!) so fire up those torrent clients and look busy.


See my CD-less speedy combo method of upgrading. Download servers will overload on Thursday, so if you use bittorrent to fetch, you'll save a lot of time.



All of these are fun and run smooth as silk:

• Ubuntu - for you Gnome-ers. Safe with most medications.
  
  
• Kubuntu - KDE eye-candy fantasy. Goes well with spicy Chinese take-out, or Vietnamese.
  
  
• Xubuntu - for people who like the military-like precision of the Xfce desktop like I do.
  
  
• Edubuntu - Ubuntu enhanced with educational applications, tools, content, and themes.
  
  
• Ubuntu Netbook Remix - runs dreamy on my Sylvania Meso netbook.
  
  
• Microsoft Windows 7 - obligatory "I'm kidding" link. What a freakin' downer!
  

If you can't decide which one to get, just pick any of the first few listed above. One can be converted to another with little hassle.

Reminder, if you are upgrading from a previous *buntu system, get the *alternate* CD iso file, not the main one. If it's a virginal install, any of the iso files will do. In fact, if you're new to all this, get the recommended main file. You can boot it live and see how it looks before you install it.

Upgrades: get the *alternate* file! Virgins, get any file, especially the main one.

All install easy as pie, especially with beer. Don't forget to install Opera after you get 'er running.

Control + C. I'm done!