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howlifeworks.com - How to make your old PC as fast as the day you first got it
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- Zuwxiv, on 12/29/2008, -3/+42The author (in the article) seems to have a style (or at least in this article) that greatly favors (to the point of over-use) the use of parenthesis ( () ).
- radicaldementia, on 12/28/2008, -1/+38They each have their own audience. I bought a netbook (eeePC) and it's by far the best laptop I've ever purchased. It's so small and light I can take it anywhere without it killing my back or shoulders. Plus it's surprisingly powerful. I'm running Ubuntu with compiz, plus I have a full LAMP setup, and everything runs nice and fast. I think though if I was doing more media intense things like audio or video editing, or I wanted to play games on it, I'd need a more powerful machine with more storage and a bigger screen.
- Davers, on 12/29/2008, -0/+26The reason I like my Eee PC is not just as simple as the size, as some people assume. The battery lasts about SEVEN HOURS on a laptop that weighs under 2 and a half pounds. That much battery life with Wireless B/G/N and Windows XP is all any college student could ask for to take to classes.
- rolf, on 12/29/2008, -0/+20Do you want fries with that?
- leif77, on 12/29/2008, -0/+17if by crippled, you mean smaller, more efficient, longer lasting, and great for the students/desktop owners its aimed at... they aren't meant to be primary home offices... they're great for people who already have a home computer and want one to take to the coffee shop or a friends house or to school...
- MrBogard, on 12/29/2008, -0/+15The appeal is also the fact that they cost around $400 or less. How much did you pay for your W500? And I have no doubt that it's MUCH faster than my new MSI Wind U100, but for what I use this machine for, it's more or less perfect. I do wish the flash performance was a little snappier, but it's not a deal killer.
It's the perfect little machine to use on my commute. It has solid battery life.. and I use it quite frequently while I'm watching TV in my living room (like right now). I would like to own a powerful 17" notebook too, but it just wouldn't make sense to lug that around on the train, now would it? A large, desktop replacement (not that it will actually *replace* my desktop) class machine will probably be my next computer purchase, but I have no need for anything in between the two.
Oh, and you're dead wrong. It's no fad. Netbooks aren't going anywhere. - cognizantkid, on 12/29/2008, -0/+13Essentially anything that doesn't need much graphics acceleration at this point would run just fine; Microsoft Office, Firefox, an Instant Messenger, fine. 3D games and some hardcore Photoshopping, not so much. Most people use them primarily for word processing and web browsing.
- PhailQuail, on 12/29/2008, -0/+12With netbooks Linux is the better choice, since you are not going to be gaming or photoshopping, what's the point of using Windows?
Linux being more power efficient and faster makes it an insta-win.
And if you -are- going to attempt gaming on a netbook, having a separate installation that you can tweak beyond reasonable limits also has it's benefits. - MrBogard, on 12/29/2008, -1/+13I have Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign CS3 all installed on my Wind and yes--it can handle them. Is it speedy? No, not really.. but for a quick edit or to open and view a file on the road it's perfectly adiquite. I was actually quite impressed with how well AI runs. It's good enough to do some quick sketches in a pinch. That's more than I was expecting.
This isn't a work machine. What part of that don't people seem to get? - snupples, on 12/29/2008, -0/+12Yeah, great comparison there between a $1500-2000 Thinkpad W500 and a $300-500 netbook.
Also, the 14.1" W500 is nearly double the surface area and weight of the 8.9" screen Acer Aspire One.
Insignificant difference? They're not even comparable. You're obviously not the target customer. - syriusblack, on 12/29/2008, -0/+10honestly do we need to do all the reasoning for you???
EEEPC 1000h - $450
A good keyboard for home - $50
A 20 inch LCD - $100
320gb external HD - $100
= $700 Perfect for studying, taking notes at school, visting the in-laws, sitting on your front porch smoking, etc etc etc. Need a bigger screen? Well go home and plug it in to the 20 inch LCD you got.......need more HD space? plug it in.......need a bigger keyboard? PLUG IT IN!!! - MrBogard, on 12/29/2008, -1/+10But it will cost like $800 and they'll somehow manage to pack in a weaker graphics chip than the GMA950. ;)
Jokes, people. Sorta. - inactive, on 12/29/2008, -2/+11stupid q:
What apps would these net books typically be able to run, and what is beyond their reach.
and what do the generally retail for in europe. - Zuwxiv, on 12/29/2008, -0/+8Not sure about the retail prices in Europe - I would guess around 300 Euros, though.
They are built for general use and everyday programs - internet, music, some video. They won't work for a professional, they won't work for a gamer.
My MacBook (running XP, with an Intel X3100) can handle Battlefield 1942, Warcraft III, Age of Empires II, any of the good oldies. Rome: Total War runs okay, but if it's not a fairly old game it won't run very well. I assume it's similar for most netbooks. High end games (or high graphics levels) wouldn't run. Counter Strike Source is probably the highest they can go (of course, depending on the video card in the netbook).
Basic photo editing (Photoshop might be sluggish, but GIMP would probably be a little better) would probably be fine, but video editing would be sluggish and frustrating. High-definition movies might not play.
There's not enough hard drive space for much, so you won't have many movies or games on it.
So basically, they go online, you can type out essays or notes, share pictures, instant message, listen to music etc. Not much beyond the basics, but then again, 90% of what you probably do on a computer they'll do fine. - radu79, on 12/29/2008, -0/+8I have an Acer One with the extended (6 cell) battery, and it will last 5-6 hours of real use. With Linpus (the custom Linux it comes with) it can last for almost 7 hours. And I paid for it only 400 bucks.
- inactive, on 12/29/2008, -0/+8I love the portability of the netbooks. Lasts a great deal of time throughout the day and gets the job done.
- nickycakes, on 12/29/2008, -3/+10HEY GUYS ITS FINALLY THE YEAR OF THE LINUX DESKTOP LOLOLOLLLL
wait...is this about linux....guys? - youannoyme, on 12/29/2008, -0/+6In addition to what MrBogard said, there was no claim that it was powerful. The claim was that it was surprisingly powerful. As in you would expect these tiny cheap machines to be truly pitiful in terms of performance, but really, for a number of uses they are perfectly adequate. It's not *meant* to be a notebook killer. It's meant to be ultra light and portable and cheap and perfect for situations that just require a little web surfing or text editing. Not situations that actually require serious demands on the processor.
- syriusblack, on 12/29/2008, -0/+6Organic Chemistry = 8lbs
Germanic Histroy = 4lbs
Notebooks (paper) = 1lb
Backpack +calc + pens = 1lb
Dell lattitude = 8lbs....
Or save yourself 5lbs extra weight when your walking all over campus.....and get a netbook. The reasoning here is pretty obvious.
This isnt a "save my back" light. Its a "toss it in the bag" light......can you "toss" that big ass Toshiba? - kenvsryu, on 12/29/2008, -0/+6Netbooks don't need cell phone plans.
- inactive, on 12/29/2008, -0/+6"You have to upgrade so much in a desktop so often, you might as well just replace the whole thing, or just get a notebook."
No. - Link459, on 12/29/2008, -2/+7As someone with very large hands, I quickly got used to the keyboard.
- deltron, on 12/29/2008, -1/+6I was just about to buy an eeePC when I ran into a pretty good deal (you tell me): I got a black Macbook, 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM, 13.3'' Screen, etc. For $600. It was a floor model where I worked for like a month. It's a good size, fast, and I've learned to love OS X. I was deadset on a netbook but I couldn't pass this deal up.
Netbooks are still great for ultra-portability, students, anyone. They're becoming increasingly popular too. - kenvsryu, on 12/29/2008, -1/+6love my AAO, can't wait for the new Atom 2 chips. it's a good thing vista died otherwise the netbook craze wouldn't have XP.
- syriusblack, on 12/29/2008, -2/+7I'm waiting for the following
10'' 11'' or 12'' screen LED backlight
new dual core atom processors
64GB SSD at decent price
7hr battery time
8400m or above graphics power
Then I will be SOLD.
Oh all of that under $500......but I can wait a year - davidrools, on 12/29/2008, -0/+5all the netbooks from asus,hp,dell,acer,and msi have led backlit screens. when you get above 10", you're out of netbook territory. no dual core atoms yet, but soon. 7hr battery life is a bit ambitious unless you're willing to pay a size/weight penalty, but you could get a second battery and still be under your $500 price range with 6-7hrs of battery. 8400m graphics _might_ be there with the Intel Pineview/Nehalem SOC next yea, but i wouldn't plan to do any serious 3d gaming or modeling work on a netbook anyway.
- barc0001, on 12/29/2008, -0/+5Try the HP one. 90% normal size keyboard. Buddy of mine has enormous hands and he's OK with it.
- scissorfiend, on 12/29/2008, -0/+5I've avoided buying a notebook thus far because there is no way in hell I would carry one around my campus all day. Also, students are poor! Netbooks do everything I need on the cheap: allow me to type lecture notes, download course material, write essays and procrastinate over the internet.
- Culyt, on 12/29/2008, -0/+5I too love parenthesis but often find that a , will suit fine and only really need them when going off on a tangent. Although I often go off on tangents and sometimes I end up using parentheses within parentheses.
☢ - cognizantkid, on 12/29/2008, -0/+5I've actually seen a kid playing CS:S on a netbook in my speech class; so yes, (obviously depending on the model) it could run.
- UglyBunny, on 12/29/2008, -1/+5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_atom
Read about it, be astonished, buy a netbook. - radu79, on 12/29/2008, -0/+4It's not about what shape you are in, it's about the fact that it will rub on your back/shoulders and that sucks, especially if it is summer and you have to run with it.
- Ouze, on 12/29/2008, -0/+4Regarding your choice of the 2lb EEEpc vs the 3lb Macbook Air - technically, the EEEpc is significantly heavier if you're also carrying around the extra $2,000 or so in cash.
- ahthrift, on 12/29/2008, -0/+4They do in Taiwan
- OrangeSoda31, on 12/29/2008, -0/+4The intended use is browsing the internet and light word processing. Having used it for both these functions, here are my comments: It can get a little choppy when you watch a youtube video fullscreen, but I blame that on flashplayer (it isn't the most efficient media player on the planet). Also, the small screen size can be annoying, but with a few tweaks to maximize the browser's display area, it isn't that bad. As far as word processing goes, the small keyboard isn't a problem. I was able to type comfortably for several hours.
Anything that requires graphics more advanced than a web browser is where things get difficult. My Acer Aspire One runs Ubuntu with compiz beautifully, but if I enable some plugins (like Blur), the system is brought to its knees. The integrated video card is a typical intel notebook chip. Games which don't use many effects should run well. - Royish, on 12/29/2008, -0/+4I am not sure about it being a fad.
I would say the majority of people who need computers just need one that "can go online and do basic stuff like word I guess".
I hear that almost daily. - jamesmcm, on 12/29/2008, -0/+3The Macbook Air is by far the lightest, thinnest and most durable of any laptop I've used but you do pay for that privilege obviously.
- spookyttws, on 12/29/2008, -0/+4Truthfully, a netbook is what I look for in a laptop: the smallest,lightest computer, I can take anywhere and will allow me to do all the basic functions up to HD video playback. I'll use my 4 year old desktop to tackle video and photoshop editing. Dell's Mini 9 is basically my ideal laptop: http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetail ...
- TWiThead, on 12/29/2008, -0/+4While initially seduced by the MacBook Air's undeniable coolness, I eventually opted for an Eee PC 901 instead. I haven't regretted the decision for a second. The portability and battery life are phenomenal. The small keyboard isn't for everyone (a good reason to consider the Eee PC 1000), but it didn't take me long to grow accustomed to it. The touchpad, meanwhile, is startlingly good (and I say that as someone who usually despises touchpads).
Will it replace my ThinkPad? No, of course not. But is it perfect for carrying to college classes? Absolutely. And not having to blow a huge chunk of my savings was nice too. - inactive, on 12/29/2008, -0/+4I'm with you on the EeePC thing. Smartest $350 I ever spent.
- syriusblack, on 12/29/2008, -1/+5the 1000h EEEPC has 82% normal sized keyboard. Shouldnt be to bad, maybe you should try one out..... could surprise you.
- guk6kk, on 12/29/2008, -0/+4Who needs a netbook when you got an iphone or a blackberry?
- chenboda, on 12/29/2008, -0/+3I have an eee and don't care for it much at all. It's just too small. The keyboard is too small, and the resolution is too small or stuff is off screen and you have to jigger about to get to it, not impossible to deal with but not ideal. It's a nifty gadget, but largely an annoyance. This is just one person's opinion. Lots of people love them.
- UglyBunny, on 12/29/2008, -0/+3Dell has Compal Electronics build their netbooks, and so does MSI. You can save yourself some money if you buy the MSI equivalent of the Dell. I think you might even be able to get a bigger screen, if that is important to you. You can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSI_Wind_PC
I myself got the Acer Aspire One for christmas from my dad, it totally rocks. - darwinwins, on 12/29/2008, -0/+2most people don't need a notebook. a netbook should suffice. music storage? movie storage? the only thing that netbooks need area bigger hard drives and most people would not bitch about anything else on it. why? cos most people don't go beyond simple browsing and office type of applications. your notebook has 4GB of RAM? for what? "uhh ... i have to run itunes, internet browser, umm ... instant messenger." yeah, that really takes all that RAM. i hope netbooks clobber notebooks so the prices are driven down even further. apple is pretty ghetto anyway. iphones at wal-mart. you ain't cool no more.
- cognizantkid, on 12/29/2008, -0/+3I think the difference between phone and PC is getting smaller and smaller. I mean, you can even do VOIP on a netbook if you wanted.
- CATSCEO2, on 12/29/2008, -0/+3What EEE model do you own, and what version of Ubuntu are you using on it (plain ol' Ubuntu, Ubuntu EEE, or Eeebuntu)? I have a 1000 and I can't run Compiz.
- youannoyme, on 12/29/2008, -0/+3Um...I did read it properly...did you? He starts off by mentioning that each type of machine is meant for a specific usage market, which means he knows they are not meant to stack up cycle to cycle against notebooks. The only time he says the word powerful is when it is preceded by the word surprising. If you miss the distinction that single word makes then you need to reread both his post *and* mine. He also at the end says that he would need a more powerful machine if he was doing more intense things like audio or video editing (which presumably would also cover the photoshop you decided to try and slam him with).
Haha...so now that I've walked you through a grade school level reading analysis, think you can do it on your own next time? -
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