Chromebook, tablet, or Linux

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Coffee
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Re: Chromebook, tablet, or Linux

Post by Coffee »

I've been using Zorin (Linux distro) for the past year or so and have been very happy with it. I'm not a tech guy; Zorin's set up has a very similar feel to Windows. It's been 100% reliable. No crashing, no blue screen of death.

I have no idea if it's light weight or not, but might be something to look into.

I tried Mint and just didn't like the "feel" of it.
"Now remember, when things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. 'Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is. "
WiseOne
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Re: Chromebook, tablet, or Linux

Post by WiseOne »

I'm interested in finding a Linux distro that would be easy to install on a random Intel desktop, and would be easy and intuitive for a die-hard Windows user to get used to.  Thanks for the tip about Zorin!

At work, I have a mainframe (HP Blade) server running Debian Linux for research data storage and heavy duty data crunching, living in the university's main server room.  It has a dedicated power line to it from Con Edison and was designed from the ground up for that purpose.  I got tired of losing expensive desktops to old-building-caused floods and power failures, and also to wandering idiots stealing parts.  The idea is that the students use cheap Mac or Linux desktops for X interface access to the server, and they can also work from home over VPN.  Some people like that plan, others have been more resistant.  One grad student in particular won't even consider a Mac.  I've been using Ubuntu for the desktops, but would certainly appreciate suggestions!

Pugchief, if I'd picked up on this thread earlier I'd have suggested a cheap netbook for your kitchen table.  That's probably their best use, as they don't travel well.  They mostly seem to break within a few months, but I imagine if you only use it in one place at home once or twice a day, it would probably last a reasonable amount of time.
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Mountaineer
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Re: Chromebook, tablet, or Linux

Post by Mountaineer »

This site might be of interest to those wanting to know more about linux:

http://distrowatch.com

Note a new Zorin distribution was released August 1.

... M
Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help. Psalm 146:3
gizmo_rat
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Re: Chromebook, tablet, or Linux

Post by gizmo_rat »

I happened upon a build of ChromiumOs ( the open source bit of the chromebook OS) that includes a quite a few older device drivers and so stands a reasonable chance of running on older equipment.

It worked on an old very generic laptop I had laying about and is impressively quick even off a USB stick.

Build
http://arnoldthebat.co.uk/wordpress/201 ... -r46-7323/

Instructions
http://arnoldthebat.co.uk/wordpress/chromium-os/
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