[Lugstuff] Ubuntu on a laptop?

[Mike Weiss]

Steve and all,

Long time listener--first time caller here. Stuck in a PEPCO power outage
and bored so I am going to relate what I know that might help you.

Steve,

First, assuming your old laptops aren't too old and have CDROM, you should
be able to burn the basic Ubuntu live CD and then boot directly into the CD
with no installation needed. This would enable a test drive before
installing.

As for the ASUS netbook...I have an one as well (eee901?) that is readily
compatible with the "Ubuntu netbook remix" as it includes special drivers
for power management, etc. Since the machine has no CD you will need to
"burn" this version of Ubuntu to a USB stick and make changes to the
hardware setup to enable USB booting.

The first option above would be easiest with the second requiring some
research, but there are loads of webpages dedicated to the ASUS netbook and
Linux...specifically Ubuntu. Of course there are several other great Linux
distributions (various software components grouped with the Linux kernel).

I think the cool thing about Linux is the availability of information on the
Internet(s) and the value in really teaching yourself all you can and or are
interested in learning. It's kind of like brewing you own beer or fixing you
car when it requires a major repair--you're not quite sure what you're doing
but you learn real quick. I would suggest digging a bit further and doing
the installation yourself as it's a lot more fun. Another great place to
start is one of the many Linux intro books you can get from the bookstore.
Once you get past the Linux specific hardware issues you'll find yourself in
somewhat familiar territory if you've ever touched a commercial UNIX
platform. Of course the default ASUS distribution is not too bad either for
exploring a bit further.

--MikeW

Sent from my crappy iPhone

On Jan 26, 2011, at 8:43 PM, Stephen Wehrenberg <
stephen.wehrenberg at verizon.net> wrote:

Sorry to broadcast like this but couldn't find another way to contact anyone
in LUG.

I live in Bowie, and I'm looking for a Ubuntu "journeyman."

I have a couple of old laptops, a Dell with a Celeron processor at 2.6 gHz
and a Gateway with  AMD Athlon 64 4000+ at 2.59 gHz.  I would love to load
Ubuntu on one and take Linux for a spin.  No problem getting the OS on there
(I have a Ubuntu 10.10 boot disk) but getting all the drivers loaded in and
usable seems to be just outside my experience envelope.  Linux is not
Windows, or DOS, or even CP/M!

So I'm in the hunt for someone who wouldn't mind a little side job, for
which I would be willing to pay a reasonable price, getting one of these up
and fully functioning.  Then I can play around and maybe even learn
something.

If that worked out, I also have an ASUS netbook with their wild
implementation of Linux on board that I can't do a thing with and which
seems no longer supported.  I tried Ubuntu on that, couldn't find drivers
(my common problem); gave up on that, put Windows on it, which ground it to
a halt of course, then reloaded the proprietary version of Linux.  It works,
in that it has old versions of Firefox, Thunderbird, and OpenOffice, but the
interface is all ASUS and impenetrable ... I can't even update what's on it.
  I'd kind of like to get that up with Ubuntu on board, as well.

So any pointers to someone who would take this on would be appreciated.  I
tried the Geek Squad, but they tell me they don't support any Linux work.

Collegially,

Steve


-- 

*Stephen B. Wehrenberg, Ph.D.***
**
* *Human Resource Strategy and Capability;  Director, Future Force;

and Director of Executive Development, US Coast Guard
Organizational Sciences, The George Washington University
202-475-5010     stephen.wehrenberg at verizon.net

*"The vehicle for progress is not the answer reached through*

*logic but the question addressed through stories."*    Charles S. Jacobs





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