Mandriva Joins Ubuntu With a Linux For Netbooks

Slatterz writes "Linux publisher Mandriva has unveiled a version of its platform designed specifically for the new breed of mini laptops. Mandriva Mini features a fast boot-up, comprehensive connectivity support and multimedia codecs, and is adapted to work on key netbook platforms such as Intel's Atom. Mandriva previously offered a customised version of its 2008 Spring release for the Asus Eee PC, and was a distributor of Linux for Intel's Classmate PC initiative."

Re:The final frontier

[David Gerard]

It'll be where an open Linux netbook with a phone built-in crosses over with a locked-down iPhone [today.com] (which is what a general-purpose computer that's been DRMed to b*ggery looks like, in case anyone wondered what Trusted Computing would feel like - capricious, arbitrary and expensive).

A little bit late?

[tmk]

I was exited when I saw the Eee-PC first. With a large install base of the same hardware base Asus could have built a new iPod revolution and break with the limitations of conventional operating systems because it was made-to-measure. But after a few month Asus blew it. At the CeBit they presented the Eee-PC with an unusable Windows XP configurations and a lot of extenions that did not or did not fully support Linux. Today there are hald a dozen Eee-PCs and I guess a hundret other netbooks with different screen sizes, hard drives, chipsets.

All distros can be modifed for a 'netbook'

[Anonymous Coward]

There really isn't much difference in a customized "netbook" distro, so we'll soon be seeing many more.

The minor list of customizations needed for a netbook (besides making sure everything just works, as on all laptops):

1) fast bootup. in order to reach a sub 30 second bootup you need only two things: a lighter kernel, and pruned system services (no crond, nfs, etc).
2) optimizations for SSD. i.e., noatime in fstab for ext3/2, use of tmpfs for /tmp and /var/log. firefox cache in tmpfs too.
3) lighter application and OS defaults. i.e.: XFCE instead of gnome, and abiword instead of openoffice.

btw - check out http://onelinux.org and #onelinux on freenode for an ubuntu-based distro tailored just for 'best' netbook currently available - the awesome Acer Aspire One.

Re:A little bit late?

[CastrTroy]

I agree, When they first pitched it, I was excited because they were talking about a $200 price point. That would have been possible if they kept the specs low, and stuck with Linux. However, they kept on upping the screen size, processor, and RAM. Now the higher end EEEs are almost on par with some of the regular notebooks, and the price seems to be ever increasing.

Re:All distros can be modifed for a 'netbook'

[Anonymous Coward]

Easier said than done. Creating a distro is hard work.

Re:A little bit late?

[Anonymous Coward]

I agree, When they first pitched it, I was excited because they were talking about a $200 price point. That would have been possible if they kept the specs low, and stuck with Linux.

Exactly. This is another case of a partner pandering to Microsoft and getting shafted as a result.

Aside from Microsoft themselves, who was clamouring for Windows on these machines? There was no need to put that OS on their laptops, but now that they have, they need a subsequent bump in specs. Making the EEE exactly the same as all other laptops.

Awesome

[motang]

Awesome, aside from Ubuntu the other distro I really like is Mandriva. I wonder if they are going to use LXDE as the desktop environment.

SSD drives and writes

[SEMW]

with the limited number of write cycles with the SSD in some models, you want to avoid any unnecessary writes

I've heard this said often, but the only time I've seen any actual numbers crunched, the conclusion was that it wasn't worth worrying about [eeeuser.com]:

With the Eee PC SSD, a typical user (6 hours/day, 10% write rate) will write for 36 minutes per day resulting in a useful lifespan of ~25 years in the worst assumed case [only 50% effective wear levelling, 100k writes to a sector before failure].

Besides, even if that wasn't the case, one of the things about the Eeepc is its moddability [ivancover.com] -- back up often (which you should be doing anyway), and then if/when the SSD drive goes, swap it for a new one. It'll also probably be a nice upgrade over the smallish original, given the speed that SSD drives are improving in capacity and speed.

Re:SSD drives and writes - My Experience

[Threni]

> And it happened to both of my SONY cards so it's not an isolated incident.
> Perhaps my real world testing trumps lab testing, for real world results?

I don't know the details of your card failing, but it might have failed for reasons other than too many writes to the same place. It's hard to imagine you've filled it up 64,000 times. It could have been static damage, or you stamped on it or something. It's not guaranteed to work for ever. A hard drive doesn't have a known limited number of writes but they don't go on forever either.