What to install on my netbook, Meego or openSUSE + light desktop

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

The geek-in-me won and I bought a spiffy little Acer Aspire One netbook, windows 7 starter installed. Now I take it to clients’ workplaces instead of my 19" laptop (that I also bought because the geek-in-me won that time too).

So what do I install in the Suse/openSUSE range? I want a lightweight Linux, like Meego or openSUSE with a light Desktop. I need to be able to use remote connections like RDP and VNC to both Linux and windows machines, so maybe Meego can’t do that? But maybe openSUSE with a very light Desktop will. I’ll use gmail from the netbook, no need for Thunderbird etc. I like to have multimedia.

What’s your advice, what’s your experience?

#2

I tried them all.
The meego is a pain if you’re an experienced user. It’s more for the novice user who likes a full screen for everything and all the rest hidden.
LXDE, unless added later gave some funnies when loading from the lxde build service iso.
I run full 11.3 on my acer or samsung without a problem (gnome).
You need to just set the desktop fonts to use a sans 8 point font and hide the taskbar and you get adequate desk space…
This way, you have full distro with whatever else you need.
(My root partition is around 10 gigs with the rest /home. I dual boot with XP pro on around 60 gig partition for the times I ‘need’ windows.)

With all the live distros around, play around and see what you like. As a suse user, I keep going back to suse.
IMHO, the only other distro for netbooks worth anything is eeebuntu, where ‘everything works out the box’ for an inexperienced user, but it doesn’t five suse’s admin tools.
Fedora runs well also, if you like fedora.
BTW, Acer’s sd slot allows booting (unlike Samsung) so you can use it with one of the live distros as well without destroying the hdd partitioning.
Enjoy your new toy!

#3

Ok thanks, I’ll try openSUSE Gnome then – and maybe add LXDE after the event, just for fun.

#4

An afterthought: KDE is great for attaching a second (large) monitor. How is Gnome for that?

#5

I have an Asus eee 900 with Suse 11.2 KDE 3.5 and can confirm that it works. It supports the hardware switches via the function keys (wireless on/off, volume, etc.). Plugging in a monitor works flawlessly.

#6

Thanks for that advice.

I tried Gnome, which is great 0 – except I have trouble with the switching between monitors. So now I’ll install KDE4 and see how that goes.

#7

I now have KDE 4 on openSUSE 11.3 on my Acer Aspire One Netbook.

Everything seems to “just work” including wireless and monitor flipping by using the Fn keys.

So I’ll stick with that for now.

Thanks for the tips.

#8

I now have KDE 4 on openSUSE 11.3 on my Acer Aspire One Netbook.

Everything seems to “just work” including wireless and monitor flipping by using the Fn keys.

Hi Swerdna, I’m considering a netbook, and installing openSUSE on it, with all working well on yours, may I ask model number (or perhaps a link to ‘dmesg’ output or similar)

#9

The model is Aspire One 532h-2Db

Windows 7 starter
N450 processor
1Gb RAM
10.1 inch screen
250Gb HDD
6 cell battery (lasts all day – great battery)

Here’s a link: Acer Aspire 532H

#10

Thanks for the response, It’s nice to have a good idea of what hardware works well when considering a purchase. Thanks again.