Is Linux a dud on laptops?

[oakstave]

That did it! I thought I had already installed the best I could do with flash, but I was wrong. Why Ubuntu's software center wanted to install some crappy version of flash, I don't know. 720p youtube videos now play flawlessly! I'm going to play with Ubuntu for another week before giving some other distros a go.

Now my issue is just trying to crank up the battery life. This seems a bit more daunting though. Lots of work and tons of google search in my future.

Wooah! Wait, you mean I actually HELPED someone with a Linux question??

(Checks outside)... OK, the world hasn't ended. I must be catching on to some of this stuff!

As HankB mentions above, that PPA you added is cutting-edge, and it may not work flawlessly. (But it's always worked for me.) What sucks is that it appears that a working version of flash on a 64 bit linux machine is 'cutting edge'.

I found another cutting edge PPA that allowed me to set up my dual monitor system with a Sapphire HD6870. Now THAT, took a lot of Google-Fu and patience, but it works great now! Who says AMD and linux don't mix?

Good luck with the power saving options! If you figure something out, please post back, I'd like to hear what you learned.

 

[turbohans]

That did it! I thought I had already installed the best I could do with flash, but I was wrong. Why Ubuntu's software center wanted to install some crappy version of flash, I don't know. 720p youtube videos now play flawlessly! I'm going to play with Ubuntu for another week before giving some other distros a go.

Now my issue is just trying to crank up the battery life. This seems a bit more daunting though. Lots of work and tons of google search in my future.

That installed a generic version of flash because flash is a "non-free" as in non-GNU or 3rd party codec. Same thing you will notice with the graphics drivers.

 

[curtis1552]

Posting from an Acer Aspire One D250. Currently running Fedora 14, probably going to switch to Mint 11 because i'm more familiar with the ubuntu based distros.

Other than having to find/install the wireless, fix a minor microphone issue, i don't have any issues on it at all. Battery life was the same for me wether i was running XP, 7, Ubuntu, etc. 2h5m (older 3 cell batter past it's prime).

I used to think i had issues with flash on linux (i use the non-free adobe flash plugin), but when i install windows i actually have the exact same issues. (it wasn't internet speed related, just some tearing/stuttering) But it's only on slower/older machines.

If you want to reduce resource usage you can build up from a minimal install, use a lighter weight DM/WM, or install a lightweight distro.

As for your next distro definitely give Mint 11 a try. They're keeping Gnome 2 rather than gnome 3 or unity. (or try a ldxe, xfce, or flux version of it)

 

[Stratus_ss]

My only disappointment with Mint sticking with gnome 2 is that the newer version of Evolution (which I use for work) requires gnome 3. I threw Ubuntu 11.04 in a vm to skirt this issue.

As for the laptop issue. I have been running laptops and linux for about 5 years now. Mostly dells, 1 hp and 1 system 76 netbook.

I have experienced the headphone issue I have always had a fix for it. It involved editing the alsa.conf file if I recall correctly.

On laptops I don't venture too far from Deb/Ubuntu based. Usually opting for Mint. I am actually thinking of rolling over the netbook from 10.04 to Mint 11.

 

[PepeLapiu]

I fix computers for friends. Whenever a reformat is required I offer them to install Ubuntu alongside windoze.

Well it seems that it pretty much always goes smoothly. In fact the Ubuntu install and update is always five times faster then windoze.......then windoze still needs anti-virus, anti-spyware, and driver updates.

But, that's with Intel machines. AMD CPU's and ATI VGA's are not as well supported with Ubuntu and so it seems I always get problems installing it on an AMD machine.

Cheers,
PepeLapiu

 

[cadman420]

I got an old laptop from my boss at work and it had a single core processor in it and 1 gb of ram. Installed linux mint 10 on it and it ran beautiful. I installed some games and educational programs for my daughter and gave it to her, I love that repository.