Everyone and their brothers talking about it, and I’ve seen a few around the uni, I even hear my old mate Adam has one too! I’m talking about the Asus EeePC, I thought I’d document my recent purchase as taking photos of it gives me an excuse to clean up my desk!
It’s a small, inexpensive laptop which I thought might be useful while at university. It’s in no way intended to replace a desktop computer, but it’s very handy at getting on the internet while out and about. No messing around with mobile phone browsers when I can get free WiFi around the university campus, at home and at my girlfriend’s house.
Still not decided what operating system to run on it though, the default install was too limited, so I replaced it with XP, since then I’ve installed Mint Linux, and now I’m considering going back to XP.
My main concern is related to its screen size; some windows become inaccessible as their height is fixed meaning some of the content is out of sight, and without scrollbars it becomes impossible to use. Most frustrating 😐 The solution? In Linux, Alt + left-click to drag the window up to reveal the out of sight content. In Windows, you can use the bundled utility to up the resolution, allowing you to “pan” up and down.
There isn’t much more I can say, so until next time, I wish you all the very best.
Asus EeePC Photos
Nice, I’ve seen those Eee’s on the internet, looks really cool 🙂
xxx <3
I have an EEE. it’s great. Left the default build on it then used some scripts and instructions on the wiki.eeeuser.com to change the easy mode to a MAC OSX look and to have a full KDE as an option.
I then tweaked the system fonts to suit the best better, and used the guide on the Wiki to give more real estate to Firefox and Thunderbird.
I have plugged it into a 19″ monitor, USB keyboard and USB mouse and the thing worked great. I’d resist XP. Restore the default build, use the pimp my eee script from the wiki, see the link here http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:getkde and see the tweaking Thunderbird and Firefox.
http://wiki.eeeuser.com/
Don’t go to XP, or at least get more storage if you feel you have to.
Did you violate you EULA when you installed it?
Bill Wallace: I decided to stick XP back on it. I’m only using the EEE to surf the net while on the move, and XP just feels familiar.
jsoulejr: The EEE comes with detailed instructions on how to install XP so I assume its all legit.
Hi again
Well, since I use Thunderbird as my email client and Firefox as my browser of choice on my Windows and Linux machines then familiarity is not a problem.
This is being typed on the EEE and the tweaks give me plenty of space o read your words of wisdom.
If you do install XP then you only violate your EULA if you install XP bought for another OEM machine or if you bought an install disk that you already use elsewhere.
If you bought the XP disk for the EEE then you are OK.
You did do that didn’t you?
Anywy, sad Linux user hat back on again, not problem I have.
The Xandros xfc is optimised for the EEE, though as I said you can do some more. I’m sure someone will have a similar guide for XP on the machine.
There is bound to be more on it when the XP version is officially released.
Bill Wallace: My university gives me access to the MSDN Academic Alliance, so my XP licence came free.
So from my point of view cost never came into my OS decision.
When I get some free time, I’ll play with the various EEE optimised distros.
I don’t know if it will it be covered by that Alliance licence, but apparently Asus is working with Microsoft to produce an EEE optimised XP.