Lubuntu - best replacement operating system for netbooks

MasterOfNinja

Hi all

Just wanted to share my experience of getting a new operating system for my Acer A501h netbook - this is quite an old netbook, and the standard windows 7 operating system took at least 10 minutes to load up. Seeing that it was slow and quite unproductive I went out of my way to find a new operating system.

This is probably quite relevant for those with Windows XP where Microsoft isn't making any further updates.

I initially tried a version of Google's Chrome OS that they use on their Chromebooks. Unfortunately the version that Google makes is only for their netbooks, and the unofficial versions made for other netbooks leave a lot to be desired. This means there are no auto-updates.

I finally found an operating system to recommend to all - Lubuntu. This is based on the open source Ubuntu operating system, but a little slimmed down so that it works quite fast on low powered machines. Although the system is minimal, for basic work and what people do everyday the system is more than adequate and very fast. A benefit is that the newest version is a "long term support" version so will have security updates for a few years.

Not affiliated to Lubuntu, but a satisfied customer. I am recommending to MSErs in that it is free, and a good replacement so that you can keep old computers running well into the future. Why throw out good hardware when you can keep it going!

henm2

I agree with your comments re Lubuntu but even better is LXLE http://lxle.net/ which is based on Lubuntu and is an enhanced version.
LXLE works well on all computers not just netbooks and is particularly a good replacement for those looking to move from Windows XP.

NiftyDigits

Never seen nor heard of a ACER A501h. I know of Aspire One 531h.

Is it a UK model. The Aspire One AO531h can take 2GB of RAM. No reason for slow loading under normal circumstances.

I have an Aspire One ZG5 on 1.5GB RAM with the 120GB HDD, running Windows 7 Starter. I'm using it in under a minute from turning it on.

cinderfella

Linux has come a long way in the last couple of years.
Have a look at Linux Mint 13 Xfce. This system should be great for newbies.
Password hacking has become a terrible problem in recent years. It is well worth using 20 character passwords & making sure they are all different for your various sites. Using windoze has become just a little bit too much of a risk as far as I am concerned.
When online I prefer to use an Ipad with a paid VPN, keeping passwords complex & long.
Linux does eliminate the need for Anti Virus software, so it is a step in the right direction. Couple that with an almost instant boot time (less one minute).
Having been a victim recently, I can assure you that hackers at the moment are right on top of their game.

http://www.wired.com/2012/11/ff-mat-honan-password-hacker/all/