Press "Enter" to skip to content

Category: reviews

BTH – evaluating OS’s for use on the EEE 901

So… I really like the form factor of the smaller, “original” EEE series (701, 900, 901) netbooks. They’re just the perfect size for use on busses, trains, etc. They don’t require much in terms of packaging or storage, they’re just very simple to carry around. My first EEE was a 900, since then I’ve tried the 1015PEM but I quickly realized it was too big for me, so I was relly happy when I found the 901 – it’s like the 900, but with much better battery life and processor. The only thing It’s lacking is a 3G slot, and I’m currently looking for a 901 Go though they seem kind of hard (and slightly expensive) to get ahold of.

Anyways, I have been trying out different operating systems and distros on the 901, trying to choose one for everyday use. What I want is basically what everyone wants in a netbook: fast boot time, responsive interface. Right? A simple way to get right into the processor of surfing or writing or whatever. My first choice was Ubuntu with Gnome 3 as a launcher, since I am absolutely in love with Gnome 3. But I found that the poor little 901 processor/ram/SSD couldn’t handle the Gnome monster very well. Sure, it booted up OK, but then I had kind of a 2-second delay between pressing the Super button and the menu actually appearing… Just not responsive enough. So I went a’shoppin. Since I know I was going to test quite a few distros and OS’s here, I created a simple test.

Testing Clementine (audio player)

Despite many a test, I have as of yet to find an audio player that beats Foobar2000. Functionality, lightness, customizability, modularity. I’ve more or less abandoned the proprietary Windows platform, only returning to it for Adobe and Autodesks products and for a small handful of games. Foobar2000 is still my weapon of choice for assaulting my ears with music, despite running it through wine.