Vanvalkinburgh.org

Finally got sound working in everything, got it to work in aplay, but wasn’t working in vlc. Might be easier if your not using XFCE, but if your using xfce do the below as root. Also I’m using alsa, you can read on their wiki how to set that up.

Add the following to /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf:

options snd-hda-intel model=3stack-dig
 
alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel
alias sound-slot-0 snd-hda-intel

You might only need the first line though.

pacman -S gstreamer0.10-plugins

Type y when it asks “install whole content?”.

pacman -S audacious-plugins

That might actually be what fixed it. So you can try only installing that before gstreamer-plugins.

You also have to unmute stuff in alsamixer or you can use amixer. I unmuted “Master”, “Front”, “PCM”. You might be able to use the mixer thing in xfce.

Oh yeah and I got my video working at 1280×768, was trying to display at 1366×768, but doesn’t look right. I made a shell script with the below in it, and added it to xfce startup applications.

xrandr --newmode "1280x768_60.00"   79.50  1280 1344 1472 1664  768 771 781 798 -hsync +vsync
xrandr --addmode VGA 1280x768_60.00
xrandr -s 1280x768

You can get correct modeline by doing “cvt 1280 768 60″, replace 60 with the refresh rate.

Currently I’ve tested the following distros on the acer aspire one:

Ubuntu & Xubuntu
Xubuntu is faster, both are easy to get working, just download a custom kernel from aspireonekernel.com.

Dream Linux
Currently that’s what I have on it, everything seems to work, didn’t do any tweaking. Seems somewhat slow, probably because I haven’t done any tweaking, to bad it doesn’t do it for me. Used the OEM installer, as I couldn’t see the buttons in the regular installer. I think I prefer xubuntu over this, so probably won’t tweak it. Perhaps I’ll try the recently released zenwalk linux 6.0.

Fedora 10

The simple answer is to run ssam_lnx.dynamic, which is in ssamtfe/Bin. Found that on a russian forum, used google translate…

Full instructions below.

First install 32 bit libraries and linux32.
sudo apt-get install ia32-libs linux32

Now go download serious sam the first encounter installer from here.

Now make the installer executable.
chmod 755 Desktop/serious.sam.tfe_1.05beta3-english-2.run

Insert disk and run the installer, you can double click it and select run, or enter below in terminal.
Desktop/serious.sam.tfe_1.05beta3-english-2.run

After you install it open the ssam_lnx.dynamic in ssamtfe/Bin, which can be found in your home folder.

Damn I hate tax, would of been cheaper if there was no tax. Got the laptop instead of desktop, cause the HDMI made it to tempting to resist, guess the video card isn’t as good as new macbook’s, but still decent, and not intel. Video is better then the $999 macbook, but the $999 macbook has a little faster processor. Has ubuntu on it too. Best deal I could find, don’t like dell’s crappy selection. Hmm now what to do with netbook… Maybe put it on ebay, low on cash now. Good thing I have no bills, otherwise I’d have to file for bankruptcy. Oh yeah I got the default configuration, didn’t change anything.

Now it’ll take longer for my money to get piled up, darn. Hmm I could always make it a hackintoush maybe, not sure how well OS X would work on it, or I should say, I don’t know what hardware would work in it, which is the reason I probably won’t do that. Linux has more free software anyways then OS X.

Pangolin Performance on system76.com

Update
It is in the “manufacturing process”, and they will ship it within 8 business days. Read on their forum, that it only took em two days to ship somebody else’s system out. Shouldn’t take to long, didn’t change anything.

I bought two TRENDnet TEW-644UB wireless N adaptors from amazon, they were on sale for around $20 per card. Gave one to my mom, and was going to give the other one to sister, not sure if she wants it, so I tried it on Acer Aspire One, and after doing dmesg, it said something about RaLink, searched google for “linux tew-644ub” and found that it uses the rt2870 module, which can be installed using yum in fedora. Still using the card works great in linux, can suspend and it’ll work after resuming too, haven’t had any problems with it yet..

lsusb info for wireless card:

ID 148f:2770 Ralink Technology, Corp.


Update
You can get ubuntu or better xubuntu working very easily with a custom kernel from aspireonekernel.com. Xubuntu will obviously be faster on the aspire one. No need to wait for kuki linux if you don’t want to.

Update
Now using Fedora 10 xfce spin off, much faster then gnome version.

Went to distrowatch.com today, to see what new linux distros are available, and Fedora 10 is out. Went to google, searched, and found this blog post, that says everything pretty much works out of the box. Will update this post after I install it. Still downloading.

Update
Tried copying the ISO to thumbdrive using unetbootin, didn’t work. It starts booting, then at the end it goes to a shell, where it says it can’t find the root filesystem. Now using the official instructions on fedora’s site, to create the bootable thumbdrive.

Update
Installing to hard drive. Wireless works, easy to connect.

Read more…

You can get the Acer Aspire One on woot.com, for $289.99 + $5 shipping today, or for my time zone today and tomorrow, as their time is some hours ahead. Nice thing about woot.com, is I go there around 10 pm my local time, and they have a new deal, so for me its two deals everyday or something like that, haha. Don’t bother reading the comments, that say linux sucks, as linux is much better then windows. Those who buy it and put windows on it, are morons. The $329 I payed on amazon for this laptop sometime ago, was well worth it. Don’t really need another one, so probably won’t be buying another one.

Well I thought this thing would work out of the box, nope one major annoying as hell problem. After using it for not very long the screen goes blank, or turns off, clicking buttons doesn’t turn it back on, only solution power the piece of shit off. Tried “reinstalling” with the dvd, by an external dvd burner, didn’t work, still have same problem. So updated the bios, the way that might void the warranty, which didn’t fix it. Now trying a restore again, but I used the option on the dvd to create USB restore, which copies the files to a thumb drive, and then you can use that to restore, had to do it on the acer aspire one, because it doesn’t work on my mac mini, doesn’t see the USB thumb drive on my mac, but does on the aspire one. I kind of doubt this will fix anything, looks like I’ll be sending this piece of shit back. Searching google is no help, can’t find crap, find crap for laptops that aren’t mine.

Oh yeah this problem doesn’t seem to happen in damn small linux. Maybe this is a feature of linpus linux lite.
Read more…

Why didn’t they tell me they had the new Sylvania laptops with Ubuntu Netbook Remix on them earlier, like before I bought the Acer Aspire one. Ahh well Aspire One was cheaper anyways, to bad you can’t seem to download Ubuntu Netbook Remix, or can you now? Last time I checked I didn’t see an iso to download. You might be able to install the netbook remix gui in ubuntu after you install ubuntu.
Read more…

Just bought an Acer Aspire One laptop with linux on it for $329, got the one day shipping, also bought a 2.5 enclosure for my old mac mini hard drive. Might replace the linux distro that comes on the Aspire One, depending on if I screw it up or not. Should get both items tomorrow. I still have money left, haha, good thing I waited until almost the end of the month to buy this.

I would of got the blue linux one, if amazon sold it directly, want one day shipping, and don’t want to order from anybody else.

Read more…

Dell has announced their new netbook’s, the cheapest one runs linux, powered by ubuntu, not the full ubuntu, a “mini ubuntu”. Might have to buy one of them, I’d buy the linux one of course, I don’t use windows. Wonder when the release date is, you can pre order them on dell’s site. The linux netbook from dell maxed out with 1.3 pixel webcam and bluetooth, is $494.

Dell, a Bit Late, Gets Small – Bits Blog – NYTimes.com
Dell Inspiron Mini 9

Update
Looking for more info on the “mini ubuntu” that comes with the linux version, I found this post, on ubuntuforums.org. On the second page there is a link to a review on laptopmag.com. Yes I know what ubuntu is, but I wouldn’t want the full ubuntu on a netbook, first the screen is smaller then standard laptops, meaning the resolution is smaller, so if it has no optimizations, it will be difficult to use.

Looks like it has a custom dell interface. Just watched the video, hmm the keyboard is smaller then the acer aspire one? That might not be good for fat finger people like me.

Cool the Acer Aspire One is out. It looks better then the eee pc, better processor. And best of all another option to choose form, if you’re buying a cheap linux laptop, or I hear people call them “netbooks”. Those who install windows on any linux based computer, are fucking morons, windows is crap, linux is better, buy a windows computer, if you want windows. Read that Dell will be announcing new products next week, which might include a netbook, hopefully a linux netbook, so there will be more choices.

Don’t be fooled, that you can get an asus eee pc, with more space, for $399, it may have more space, but an older crappier processor, and it doesn’t look as nice as the Aspire One.

Hmm maybe next month, I’ll find out if I qualify for SSI. If not, then I guess I better start looking for work. I should probably look for a job anyways.

Amazon.com: Acer Aspire One 8.9″ Mini Laptop 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, 512 MB RAM, 8 GB Solid State Drive, Linpus Linux Lite White: Computers & PC Hardware

Looks like for a limited time you can get a Everex CloudBook for $299. One review says installing windows make it better, that is a false comment, installing windows on a linux laptop, defeats the purpose of the linux laptop. I probably wouldn’t keep the pre installed OS on it, I’d put a better linux distro on it. I won’t be buying one though, don’t need one, iPod touch does enough for my portable needs.

I can’t comment on how well its made or anything, I don’t know if its a good buy, the Asus EEE PC’S, I think have better reviews, and are more popular, so probably getting an Asus EEE PC, would be a better buy, though installing windows on any linux device, should void the warranty, because windows suck, face it, and get over your fucking windows.

Though the best buy would be an iPod touch, because it has a touch screen, and its only $299, and its made by apple, and the 2.0 firmware is buggy, and apple might have a price drop and new products soon, so you might feel ripped off.

The Cloudbook max will have WiMAX and will work on Sprint’s open WiMAX network. It will also have a 8.9″ screen, with a resolution of 1024×768, Bluetooth, GPS, 2 megapixel webcam, 80 GB hard drive, 2 GB of ram, and more.

You can read the full article here.

You can download the CloudBook recovery ISO from here.

Reading the forums, it appears as thought multiple people are loosing files. See here and here. I would suspect that either the file isn’t finishing being backed up to the Zonbu service, your upload speed sucks like mine perhaps, or your not connected to the internet. The internet has to be functional for the data to be backed up. Though I don’t know for sure, that’s just what I think. That is a good reason not to buy a Zonbu device, at least not the mini desktop, because it only has 4 GB of space, and every file is stored online. Backing up data over the internet can be slow, and buggy. Oh yeah and they talk about a cache on the forum.

Though I could be totally wrong, as I don’t personally own a Zonbu device. I don’t ever plan on purchasing one either, as my upload speed is shitty, and I don’t trust Zonbu to store my personal data on their servers. Guess I’d have to pay the full price for any of the systems, if I wanted one. Which I don’t.

Now, emarrello, you cannot install any software whatsoever to your Zonbu.

Quote from here.

Another great reason not to buy any Zonbu devices. Its based on linux, yet they are a total dick, and lock it completely down. Probably wouldn’t be to hard to “hack”, so you could install other software. I’m guessing its based on ubuntu. Would be fun to hack it, yet it isn’t worth the money to purchase it, for hacking.

If you know anything more about any of the Zonbu devices, or have one, feel free to comment below with your knowledge. I will edit this post to include valuable information.

The $279 laptop from everex without windows, yet out of stock.

Zonbu

Hmm might have to buy one of the mini desktop computers, starting at $99.

Wait that’s a rip off, you have to buy support, if you get a month to month service plan for the laptop, then the laptop is really $479.

Another linux based laptop with a 15.4 widescreen display. Full specs below, same price as the CloudBook.

15.4″ WXGA+ Widescreen Display (1440 x 900), 1.5GHz VIA C7®-M Processor (128KB L2 Cache, 1.5GHz, 400MHz), 60GB Hard Disk Drive, 512MB DDR2 667 SDRAM, DVD-ROM/CD-RW, 802.11b/g wireless, (1) 10/100 Ethernet Port, (1) VGA Port, (3) USB 2.0 Ports, (1) Headphone/Line-Out Port, (1) Microphone/Line-In Port

gBook product page on everex.com
Buy gBook at walmart.com for $398

Though they will fufill all preorders, they released a statement to their customers including this line:

Due to the amount of money we have lost granting refunds (due to bank transaction fees) we can no longer sell the Cloudbook.

From CloudBooker.com.

You can still buy it at walmart.com though.

I will be switching this site to drupal, and hopefully many new features will be added. Such as posting your own how tos, and maybe a forum, and who knows what else. I will also make a new theme for this site.