Made a silly mistake....

Fonz_2

Linux is a great operating system and there's some really user friendly distributions out there now... but I would agree with a couple of other posters that it's not always as simple to use as Windows.

If you're not technically minded and simply want your PC to 'work' with all the mainstream software you're used to, I would go for a Windows machine.

This isn't a Linux bashing exercise, simply an attempt to save you further trouble and heartache in getting a working machine.

Fifer

mamazaac wrote: »

Thank you everybody. I think I am going to try to take back the maplin one and will probably go for the laptops direct one.

Not sure what OS is on this though as on the main features page it says linux, but on the tech specs tab XP.

The Q&A tab says linux (but also says the item was sold in November. However it's indicated as in stock, so I presume they got more. You could email and check. Delivery is free incidentally).

mamazaac wrote: »

There seems to be mixed reviews about installing linux and how easy it is, but if it turns out that this already does have linux, is it a good system to use? My son is concerned because when he visited youtube the other day it said that pretty soon he wouldn't be able to use IE6 and he would need to change to IE8 or firefox. The above pc at laptops direct doesn't say what browser is installed (presumably there is one?). He's not sure whether he can download IE8 to a linux system and apparently firefox is not usable on certain other sites he already uses (as he's tried to access them from his Grandad's pc using firefox). So I guess what I really need to know is whether linux will limit him on downloading certain applications?

The Eee PC implimentation of linux is really very easy to use. Easier than Windows IMO and I'm a regular XP/Vista/W7 user and ocassional linux user. The browser is Firefox and works very well, but you can install Opera and others (althought not IE8 I suspect, unless you install Windows). I've been using Firefox for years and have never found a site which doesn't work with it. Can you tell us what sort of sites he thinks FF doesn't work with?

mamazaac wrote: »

Sorry to ask another question but don't want to buy a linux one if is going to lead to even more problems. Hopefully, this should be my last question and can then get this sorted out.

Ask as many questions as you need to. The experts here are a friendly, patient bunch and I'm sure they'd rather you had a warm, fuzzy feeling before commiting to another purchase. Take your time.

DVardysShadow

Fonz wrote: »

Linux is a great operating system and there's some really user friendly distributions out there now... but I would agree with a couple of other posters that it's not always as simple to use as Windows.

If you're not technically minded and simply want your PC to 'work' with all the mainstream software you're used to, I would go for a Windows machine.

This isn't a Linux bashing exercise, simply an attempt to save you further trouble and heartache in getting a working machine.

I would disagree about Linux being more complicated than Windows. I have used Linux for a long time and I do have trouble with Windows XP on the odd occasion I have to use it. Linux is easier for me.

Now the point is that it is not that one is harder than the other. It is that they are about the same in ease of use - the difference being that the one you are used to has the advantage. Plus of course there are more windows users out there who know more than you do if you are a real noob.

turbobob

I have Ubuntu Netbook Remix Linux installed on an eeePC 701 (the ones you can pick up from Ebay for £100). The hardest thing about installing it was working out how to do it without a CD drive (a program is available to make a bootable USB stick with the installer on it, so thats actually pretty easy).

Other than that turn it on, make sure PC is set to boot off the USB stick, and follow the onscreen instructions. All hardware is identified, the wireless just works, it really was very easy and took about 20 minutes. The default installation comes with a full office suite. Installing the "restricted extra's package" which takes a couple of clicks gets you most video and audio codecs you are likely to need, and Flash which is needed for Youtube etc.

It uses Firefox 3.5 as the default browser and it works no problem with Youtube and most sites I've tried. I haven't once needed to use terminal commands on it. In short, don't be afraid of Linux.

I agree with whoever said that the Maplin computer is not really a netbook. With its MIPS processor its really more like PDA or something as its not capable of running normal operating systems or software.

-TangleFoot-

mamazaac wrote: »

The above pc at laptops direct doesn't say what browser is installed (presumably there is one?).

Windows XP has IE6, which can be upgraded to IE8 very easily. The customised version of Xandros Linux provided by ASUS has Firefox 2, but a combination of factors make updating this quite tricky.

Either way, you'd probably be better off with something else.

Fifer

-TangleFoot- wrote: »

Either way, you'd probably be better off with something else.

But what else can she buy from a company for not much more than £80?

jbreckmckye

On this subject, is linux in general any good? We steered clear of this when looking for a netbook for my son as neither of us know anything about it. Is it cheaper than windows because it isn't very good, or just because it doesn't have the brand name that windows does?

It's free because it's Open Source - members of the Free Software Movement have a lot of reasons why, but they all tend to believe that private property of software is a bad idea - either because software should be publicly available, or because it gets in the way of great software development when individuals can't modify their own software and distribute this improvements to others.

-TangleFoot-

Fifer wrote: »

But what else can she buy from a company for not much more than £80?

I was referring to the operating system.

Fifer

-TangleFoot- wrote: »

I was referring to the operating system.

Sorry, I misunderstood.

mamazaac

Fifer wrote: »

I've been using Firefox for years and have never found a site which doesn't work with it. Can you tell us what sort of sites he thinks FF doesn't work with?

The site he mentioned was https://www.miniclip.com. I can't check it here as don't have firefox installed, but he said he tried using firefox on his grandad's pc and it wouldn't work.