Asus to offer Linux on all motherboards
Posted by Daniel Fleshbourne on 16 May 2008 - 18:35 · 28 comments & 8428 views
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Full name: Daniel Fleshbourne
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Full name: Daniel Fleshbourne
Forum name: Daniel
Contact: via forum PM
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(2 replies)
#1 Posted by Windam on 16 May 2008 - 18:48
- This is a great step.
I'd be amazed if people started using this as a default OS -
#1.1 Posted by
markjensen on 16 May 2008 - 18:57
- I don't know about "default OS", as it seems to be somewhat limited, but being able to power on and go online to google for solutions if your hard drive with Windows fails to boot for any reason sounds amazing!
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#1.2 Posted by Kushan on 16 May 2008 - 19:26
- (markjensen said @ #1.1)I don't know about "default OS", as it seems to be somewhat limited, but being able to power on and go online to google for solutions if your hard drive with Windows fails to boot for any reason sounds amazing!
Indeed, especially if it has read/write NTFS support as standard, at least that way even if Windows gets absolutely skupppered, you'll be able to (relatively) easily get your important data back. Plus it never hurts to have a second, "backup" OS anyway.
I'm wondering how long it'll take for Microsoft to produce a special version of Windows PE for this sort of thing.
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(5 replies)
#2 Posted by markjensen on 16 May 2008 - 18:51
- Interesting...
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#2.2 Posted by cardg on 16 May 2008 - 22:44
- (Burst404 said @ #2.1)(markjensen said @ #2)Interesting...
Yes...
Agreed... -
#2.3 Posted by +Dakkaroth on 16 May 2008 - 23:23
- (cardg said @ #2.2)(Burst404 said @ #2.1)(markjensen said @ #2)Interesting...
Yes...
Agreed...
Indeed... -
#2.5 Posted by +DrunkenMaster on 17 May 2008 - 13:45
- (Dakkaroth said @ #2.3)(cardg said @ #2.2)(Burst404 said @ #2.1)(markjensen said @ #2)Interesting...
Yes...
Agreed...
Indeed...
I'll take that and raise you one: supercalifragalisticexpialidotious
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#3 Posted by Doli on 16 May 2008 - 19:05
- Do an HTPC like this (using Myth TV I guess) and ill be super happy
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(2 replies)
#4 Posted by x-byte on 16 May 2008 - 19:49
- Smart move. It would be great if you also can diagnose and rund recoveryprograms.
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#4.2 Posted by Shadow Dragon on 17 May 2008 - 16:10
- (Airlink said @ #4.1)rund?You really don't have a life do you?
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(1 reply)
#5 Posted by BBinder on 16 May 2008 - 21:12
- sounds ok, maybe in the future they could use it for editing the bios
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#7 Posted by HalcyonX12 on 16 May 2008 - 21:46
- Great move. Hopefully you can mount your hard drives and fix problems as well. Maybe in the future these distributions will contain helpful recovery tools and backup/restore solutions. I've always bought ASUS in the past, and I'm glad to see them moving this to support all of their motherboards instead of a few premium ones. Hopefully other motherboard makers will follow suit.
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#8 Posted by C_Guy on 16 May 2008 - 22:23
- Giving customers more flexibility and choice is a good thing and this is an innovative way to do it. Will help people with the limited mindset that computers "only" run Windows.
As mentioned this is a great idea for running utilities if you cannot start up from an OS on your hard drive.
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#9 Posted by ajua on 16 May 2008 - 22:50
- This is great. I also hope that i will allow users to modify the embedded files in the flash chip in case we need something more than what the Splashtop offers.
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(2 replies)
#10 Posted by +rm20010 on 17 May 2008 - 00:22
- Sounds like a great idea. However, how can one be sure Splashtop's graphics drivers are kept up-to-date and compatible with new GPUs coming out every few months? Using the generic vesa driver could work, but then watching Youtube videos - or even browsing sites for that matter - might be horrendously slow.
Worse case scenario is Splashtop refuses to load. An instant-on OS failing before booting into the user's everyday OS? Freaky.
I assume there's still a way to boot into a failsafe BIOS menu. -
#10.1 Posted by markjensen on 17 May 2008 - 00:38
- Latest graphics drivers?
News-flash. This is not a gaming OS they have installed. Just a quick-boot from flash web browser and messenger/voice app suite. Great for a quick message to a friend as you stop for a quick bite to eat or a coffee on the go.
If you want latest drivers and full OS... You set up a traditional dual boot.
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(1 reply)
#11 Posted by TEX4S on 17 May 2008 - 07:38
- Im already running 3 OS - getting crazy as it is....
XP64, Vista Ulti64, ubuntu -
#11.1 Posted by cork1958 on 17 May 2008 - 09:49
- I see absolutely no sense to running multiple Windows OS's, now a days.
Well, might be a good idea in your case, seeing as the one is that bloated, crappy Vista!
Much better choices out there other than Ubuntu also!
In regards to the topic though, looks very promising!
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(1 reply)
#12 Posted by Angel Blue01 on 17 May 2008 - 12:37
- OK, but what about viruses? I know, this is Linux, but I'd be scared if a worm could boot into this OS then delete all my data off my hard disks.
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#12.1 Posted by markjensen on 17 May 2008 - 13:40
- I would be far more concerned about viruses on your installed Windows partitions than one on the Linux firmware.
- This "splashtop" seems to not access the hard drive at all, certainly not in any "write" capacity.
- Booting into this is an optional step that must be taken manually at the local machine, so I see no way that it would get corrupted while running your Windows OS.
- Your "worm booting into this to delete your hard drive" is highly complicated. Instead watch for the regular worms that just do their work within the currently installed OS.
- If you are still hyper-concerned about malware on this, then I suppose you could keep it updated, just like you would for firmware BIOS.
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(1 reply)
#13 Posted by +DrunkenMaster on 17 May 2008 - 13:44
- There's a few neat little Media OSes that run on Linux. You can use them to play DVDs and CDs and MP3s. This would be a nice thing to use on the Mobo. It doesn't take all the horsepower to run full blown Linux or Windows.
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#13.1 Posted by HalcyonX12 on 17 May 2008 - 16:41
- I know it would be complex, but it would be cool to see a miniaturized games-only distribution where you could just locate your installed game on the hard drive and play it with nothing else running in the background, then your regular OS could just be used for browsing and productivity. If PCs switch to EFI you could also use that to play DVDs.
The Linux-based software will be extended immediately to the new P5Q Deluxe, P5Q-WS, P5Q3 Deluxe and P5Q-E series motherboards, and Asus has pledged to produce a further million Splashtop motherboards per month. Part of Splashtop's appeal is that it complements rather than replaces Windows, offering users the option to run a choice of operating systems.