i really really dont get linux- help


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Ok, so i got a netbook last night.

always been a windows user at home, mac user at work..

so i turned it on, and i couldnt understand squat, all there is for a 'desktop' is a screen divided into 4

Fun

Work

Files

Internet

the only way i can see any files is if i go into the all files icon, and thats it.

is this how linux is generally, i know there are like 1000 different versions, but can someone help me out in somehow making this stupid 4 option screen go away and have a normal desktop with normal icons..and why cant the "MEDIA MASTER" lol, why cant it play avi files.. pffff

any help, info, whatever, will be much appreceated.

im thinking of partitioning the hard drive to install xp on the side..how can i partition it?

also, to avoid buying an external DVD drive, is there any way known to install xp without the cd..?

thanks again,

sorry if in wrong forum :/

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I'm not too familiar with netbook's but what kind of netbook do you have? (Brand/model#)

Also you could try installing xp from a usb stick, although I have never done it, try searching google on how to do it.

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is it USB bootable ?

how much harddisk space do you have ?

if you have sufficient space on HDD & its usb bootable, you can install either Ubuntu or Windows Xp !

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Also from my understanding of netbooks they are meant to be used for very light pc use. For example like, browsing the internet and typing in a word processor. Not watching movies

and No linux is not normally like what you are describing, it sounds like the netbook you have has a custom version of linux installed

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I'm not too familiar with netbook's but what kind of netbook do you have? (Brand/model#)

Acer One 150 AB

Linpus? Linux? Lite version , Sapphire Blue, 8.9" WSVGA Acer CrystalBrite? TFT LCD, Intel? Atom? processor N270 (1.60 GHz, 533 MHz FSB, 512 KB L2 cache), 512Mb RAM, 120GB SATA Hard Disk Drive with SD? Card reader for storage Expansion, Mobile Intel? 945GSE Express Chipset up to 8MB Shared Graphics Memory, Acer InviLink? 802.11b/g Wi-Fi CERTIFIED? network connection, 3-cell Li-ion battery pack, Integrated 0.3Mp Acer Crystal Eye webcam, 5-in-1 card reader, 3* USB 2.0

is it USB bootable ?

how much harddisk space do you have ?

if you have sufficient space on HDD & its usb bootable, you can install either Ubuntu or Windows Xp !

is the laptop usb bootable? how do i see that? in the bios boot settings, it does have as an option usb drive, usb stick bla bla

120gb hdd and its empty pretty much

i would like to do both probably, but how do i get my windows xp onto a usb hdd? or a 4gb usb stick?

thanks guys

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What you are seeing is a massively customised (rectrictive?) front-end.

i really really really hate it, makes me feel as if im in an internet cafe and all i can do is browse..pffff

@ XAhid, will read..thanks :)

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i would recommend you to install ubuntu. IMO it's the nicest distro for daily desk/laptop using, getting simple things done is easier than in windows

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If you are making an archival image of any CD, you can pop it in the CD drive and either use the command line dd instruction to direct dump your data into an iso file you name. Or if you are running a Gnome desktop, you can use their CD burning application "brasero" (or "k3b" for a KDE desktop).

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If you are making an archival image of any CD, you can pop it in the CD drive and either use the command line dd instruction to direct dump your data into an iso file you name. Or if you are running a Gnome desktop, you can use their CD burning application "brasero" (or "k3b" for a KDE desktop).

forgot to mention i need to make the iso image whilst in Vista, so i guess the dd command doesnt work :/

do you know how to do it using windows?

thanks again :)

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forgot to mention i need to make the iso image whilst in Vista, so i guess the dd command doesnt work :/

do you know how to do it using windows?

thanks again :)

get a program like imgburn and do "create image file from disc"

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Ya I know what you mean. My buddy got the same netbook and it had that god awful 4 option menu that took up the whole screen haha.

If you are going to install ubuntu, make sure to strip it down. Same goes for any distro, besides ones that run pretty light on the system requirements by default, like Arch, etc.

Oh and if you are installing xp, I'd just use nlite and removing everything thats unnecessary.

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i really really really hate it, makes me feel as if im in an internet cafe and all i can do is browse..pffff

@ XAhid, will read..thanks :)

Linux can be made to look and act exactly like Windows (except for the BSODs :) ). On many netbooks the GUI has been very simplified for completely new users who have absolutely no experience using a computer. My mother's Asus Eee PC is like that as well. She likes it better than Windows because of its ease of use.

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Those menus pretty much suck in GNOME. There's also these that can be themed:

93056-1.jpg

93056-2.jpg

93056-3.jpg

Gnomenu

Those look nice, but I prefer the default Gnome menus used in Ubuntu...

But yeah, just install Ubuntu following a guide.. Google it, you'll find it. If Windows 7 goes the way Vista did, I'll end up installing Ubuntu single boot very soon. lol

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