Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Wednesday, 04 June 2008 19:30
Opinion and Analysis
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Want a version of Linux for your Intel Atom powered “NetBook” – aka
Asus Eee PC type subnotebook? Canonical hopes that Ubuntu Remix will
fit the bill for OEMs – and presumably users, too - and has launched it
at Computex in Taiwan. Will it?
Canonical must be wondering why Xandros Linux is having all the fun on the Asus Eee PC, the computer that has kicked off the ultra low cost subnotebook revolution.
It’s a revolution which Intel wants to power with the slightly underpowered Atom processor, but one that comes with a very low power consumption, and hyperthreading to emulate two cores – but whether the Atom in its first release will be successful will also hinge on the operating system it is paired with, and this is where Canonical hopes
Ubuntu Netbook Remix will shine.
Canonical says that Ubuntu Remix is
designed for a “new category of portable Internet-centric devices – netbooks”. Netbooks and nettops is the name that Intel has also given to the sector, with Canonica saying they are “affordable, power-efficient, small screen devices, based on the ground breaking low-power micro-architecture of the Intel Atom processor”.
Ubuntu wants its new OS to “allow consumers to enjoy email, instant messaging, Internet surfing and on-line access to photos, videos or music with an affordable, reliable device.”
Borrowing a leaf from the Apple mantra of things that “just work”, Canonical says that Netbook Remix is “based on the standard Ubuntu Desktop Edition but with a launcher that allows users to get on-line more quickly and have faster access to their favourite applications.” please read on to page 2
