By BlubsterPosted Monday 6th October 2008 14:28 GMT
If Asus actually supported the Xandros version of the eee pc. There's minimal updates and few repositories. The so-called eee pc update/download website has lots of downloadable programs available in CNR (click `n` run) format, but guess what? Xandros doesn't support CNR as yet.
By Ken HaganPosted Monday 6th October 2008 14:36 GMT
It's not you. Asus have just lost the plot. Doubtless they will eventually withdraw the entire Eee line on the grounds that only the cheaper models ever sold very well.
By Mike RichardsPosted Monday 6th October 2008 15:37 GMT
...there's no easy way of keeping software up-to-date without getting under the hood. Asus offer an updater for some utilities (but it's been a while since that's had anything new on it), but stuff like Firefox which is shipped with the machine, can't be updated without resorting to the command line. Okay, most of the people here won't worry about that; but just try explaining sudo to a Public used to clicking one on-screen button and being told what to do.
And this is a real problem, unless updating is going to be made as simple as on more familiar OSs, there will be plenty of unpatched machines going around. And that can't be good.
By Anonymous CowardPosted Monday 6th October 2008 16:51 GMT
They haven't really got it yet.
Their repositories are out of date, even if you do make it to a command line, you won't be updating to the latest patch.
They see opensource as being free in that they have to put zero effort in, and if they are going to do that they should at least install a community distro on it. Then they could just setup a mirror, problem solved. But, instead they go for a commercial linux, modify and have stale repositories.
There are lots of GUI package managers around, and I think they have bundled one, somewhere.
ASUS could have had a lot of fun with opensource, had they been just a little bit visionary. Most of the buyers prefer to stick with what comes with a machine, irrational perhaps, but that seems to be a trait, with that type of install base they could have given some of the distros a run for their money, instead they just sort of gave up.
Ubuntu netbook seems to have filled the gap for a few, but there a lot of EEEs out there, running unpatched I would imagine.
Until I looked in the Dutch shops and saw that it's gone up by 50 euros since it was first released...
I got my 1000H for 399 euros (just over 300 quid). At that price point it was perfect - I checked in the shop against the 901 and the Acer One and it was the nicest to use.
I have to say I don't have the issue with the keyboard flex that others have pointed out - it fits the bill perfectly for what I need from a sub-notebook. Whilst the screen resolution isn't a gain over the 901, the keyboard is a *huge* gain, and I don't have stubby fat fingers (I can type just fine on the 701 that my wife has) it's just *nicer* :)
By QuirkafleegPosted Monday 6th October 2008 19:28 GMT
By not providing source for software which is distributed under licences such as the GPL, they're breaking the licence conditions and, as a result, they do not have permission to distribute the binaries.
"Some buyers may prefer the familiarity of Windows, especially if they need to run specific apps or hardware that lacks Linux support, but there can't be many of those."
AutoCAD & Paint.NET (amongst others) don't run on Linux (and Wine & Gimp are not valid arguments).
XP tax comes in at about £20 on these machines after the shakedown. Which is decent enough value as far as I'm concerned. Faffery and hacking around in Linux would come to much more than £20 worth of my time.
Shame the XP machine only comes with a HDD rather than an SSD. Shame also that MS won't be honest and just flog XP off the shelf at £20. Then I could buy a desirably specced Linux SCC and install my favoured OS.
Comments on: Asus Eee PC 1000 10in Linux netbook
Price? #
By Stu Reeves Posted Monday 6th October 2008 11:09 GMT
sorry, is this really an eeeeeeepc article? #
By nobby Posted Monday 6th October 2008 11:30 GMT
what is the point of 1024 x 600 #
By paul Posted Monday 6th October 2008 12:07 GMT
good for the fatties.. #
By b Posted Monday 6th October 2008 12:19 GMT
Re. Eee Girl #
By Tony Smith, Editor, Reg Hardware Posted Monday 6th October 2008 12:21 GMT
It would be better..... #
By Blubster Posted Monday 6th October 2008 14:28 GMT
Re: Price? #
By Ken Hagan Posted Monday 6th October 2008 14:36 GMT
Re: what is the point of 1024 x 600 #
By John Hughes Posted Monday 6th October 2008 14:56 GMT
Biggest problem with the Asus... #
By Mike Richards Posted Monday 6th October 2008 15:37 GMT
Deja vu #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Monday 6th October 2008 16:30 GMT
ASUS and opensource #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Monday 6th October 2008 16:51 GMT
I was going to ask about the price in the UK #
By s Posted Monday 6th October 2008 17:00 GMT
Show us the source, ASUS #
By Quirkafleeg Posted Monday 6th October 2008 19:28 GMT
Said it before #
By W Posted Tuesday 7th October 2008 12:38 GMT