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Yay, new netbook for the cost of an ultrabook... uhhh.

JeffRaderekvn, on 27 June 2012 - 12:25 PM, said:

Maybe your eyes confuse "4" with "9".

isn't there a driver issue with the powervr based gma3600s on linux (and probably *bsd)?

Although almost anything ADOBE on this machine would be WAY out in left-field... It would be SO VERY NICE if a company such as ASUS or GOOGLE would push Adobe to develop their suite of software to run natively on 'nux systems. We run an UBUNTU office here with the exception of a single Windows machine -used solely for Adobe stuff. And NO, GIMP just doesn't cut the mustard for high volume production work.

Although almost anything ADOBE on this machine would be WAY out in left-field... It would be SO VERY NICE if a company such as ASUS or GOOGLE would push Adobe to develop their suite of software to run natively on 'nux systems. We run an UBUNTU office here with the exception of a single Windows machine -used solely for Adobe stuff. And NO, GIMP just doesn't cut the mustard for high volume production work.

This is great news, until you factor the fact that for $100-200USD more, you get almost twice the power and batterylife. 500gig 5400rpm HDD? Welcome to 2008! Seriously my ultrabook from Acer came with a 128gig SSD for right around the same price. It had the option of 1tb, I chose the SSD. I am not trying to split hairs here and I hate to piss in anyone's cheerios, but I can see why there was no fanfair. Asus is openly pissing on the open source community. It was Linux that drove the open popularity of netbooks, yet we are treated to a higher price. The only difference was that I bought mine at the Windows store that just opened here in my city, for the low price of $499. It has 4gig DDR3 ram, USB3, Intel Core i5 2.0ghz, and a 8 mega pixel camera. This thing they are passing off comes with a camera that comes on your kid's nintendo DSi. 0.3mp really? This is by far from a good deal, in fact this is brightly colored dung!

If Canonical want to move Linux out of left field and into the mainstream it needs to be with a netbook or ultrabook designed around Ubuntu, rather than Ubuntu preloaded onto what is in reality a parts-bin-special.

The person who would actively seek out an Ubuntu/Linux machine would more than likely realise you'd be better off spending a 1/4 of the cash on a secondhand previous generation 10" netbook, treating it to a RAM and SSD, then putting a lighter distro on it.

DuncanHamilton, on 29 June 2012 - 12:30 AM, said:

I think there is such a machine - the ChromeBook. We have a cr-48, which my Sweet Bride uses - she lives in the cloud, and the cr-48 is the first "start the car and drive away" computer I've seen.

An Acer Aspire A0722-series with AMD C-60 dual core, 4G/500G sells for about $320.
The Asus' 2GB memory cannot even be expanded,as it is hard-soldered in place. What kind of scam is this?

"...One of particular interest for Linux fans, in fact, was quietly rolled out by Asus recently, apparently without any fanfare at all."

Asus' quiet roll-out and lack of fanfare is absolutely understandable, given the total lack of any value and compelling features whatever in this offering.
My take?: ("...One of particular interest for Linux fans...") Asus is trying to take advantage of the Linux community.
This machine has no compelling or, redeeming reasons for even being considered as a viable device--and, indeed, for even existing.

@Katherine Noyes--
Please get in contact with Asus and demand some answers from them as to their reason(s) for this pathetic device's being offered by a heretofore high-quality vendor.
Please report back.
Many thanks, and keep up the great reporting.

"Still, as Windows 8 approaches, there are bound to be plenty of consumers out there looking for an alternative. I'm thinking there's going to be a growing need for machines like these...". There will be, at around $200, with no operating system and as hobbled as it is. Check out the Acer AO722-0427 at Walmart, selling for $268 right now. AND, after you install your favorite Linux OS, you get to keep Win7 on the back burner for all those times WINE or Gimp just won't cut it. Asus products have dropped off my list.

Yes, a growing need, but for business owners like me trying to leave MS behind, Linux has a VERY long way to go. Just signed up at LinuxQuestions dot org, tried to make sense of the basic issues there, and quickly learned that I'd basically have to write the code myself. There are no unified turn-around packages except for the OS, and there are 20+ versions to choose from, none of which are particularly clear.

So a great opportunity for OEMs like Asus, exists: gimme a pre-installed computer I can operate right out of the box, like I expect from a computer I'd buy with Windows.

Include word processing, email, browser: all of which are BACKWARDS-COMPATIBLE with major yesteryear programs like Word 95, WordPerfect 5.1 and Lotus 1-2-3 version 2.01. Allow me to configure a window so I can use UMBs for TSR programs. In short, make DOS compatibility viable, because MS is getting rid of it.

DOS works well as a window in XP. Many financial people (i.e., local city governments) still use DOS, because its old products still work. That's what I've done, for 30 years. Only my Windows programs, give me trouble.

So capture that in a turnkey computer one can buy off the shelf, and you'll get a lot of the business market, plus many of those who work that way. Because now with Win8, we're all gonna be left out in the cold. We have old files and programs, we need to keep using. The OS which will allow that, will get our money.

I have been using Ubuntu solely since 2006, even at work I use Ubuntu. So there is no need these days for wine except for a relaxing afternoon.

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Generally speaking, you don't need to know how to code. Some of the devices are a bit complicated to get working, however I haven't had a single problem with a device since 2008, and I run the latest hardware.

Although as I right this, since you haven't specified the distro and the hardware you were having problems with. It suggests to me you haven't spent any time working with Linux, and only wanted to bash Linux.

BrendanEdmonds, on 15 October 2012 - 08:45 PM, said:

Then you use very little hardware. I can start you off with a list of three devices to be known not-functional in Linux. All current even.

1. ANY USB Broadcom wifi based device. That's right, ALL of them.
2. LTE 4G modems - in particular the LG VL600. You can get 3g working, but nothing more.
3. Canon MP620b wifi printer.

If you would like, I could make a point of poking around my home to find more hardware that doesn't work? This has nothing to do with not using Linux. As I most certainly do use Linux a great deal. I enjoy Linux. I also know the limitations. Something many Linux bible thumpers don't pay any attention to.