Ubuntu: Up and Running

Ubuntu Netbook Edition

This edition of Ubuntu (known as Netbook Remix in versions of Ubuntu prior to 10.04) is a different kettle of fish altogether, because it’s been totally redesigned specifically for use on Netbook PCs (see Figure 15-9), which generally have less processing power and smaller screens. If you have such a device and find your current operating system to be slow and somewhat unresponsive, the Netbook Edition may be just what you need.

Figure 15-9. The Ubuntu Netbook Remix desktop

As you can see, the icons and menus of the Netbook Edition have been enlarged to take account of the small screens on Netbooks, with the main applications you are likely to use already placed on the desktop in the Favorites menu.

Using the Netbook Edition is similar to Ubuntu, except the menus from the top left of the desktop are no longer there. Instead, each item you select from the lefthand menu displays its contents on the desktop to the right, making for a very easy interface.

To install the Netbook Edition, you will need to burn the ISO image in the distros directory of the DVD supplied with this book to a blank disc, or to a bootable USB drive if your Netbook doesn’t have an optical drive. Installation is quite easy because you just follow the prompts to tell it about your location and keyboard, and the installer then gets on with the rest.

I think that if you try it, you’ll find this edition ...