I’m thinking of getting a netbook. I would like a smaller much more portable laptop than my ‘home’ laptop. I think that all I’ll use it for is email, web browsing, storing and viewing (though not manipulating) photos, and listening to my mp3s. I’ll also do some word processing.
I’ve noticed that those with Linux are a bit cheaper. I’ve only ever used Windows. Are there any drawbacks or advantages to using Linux?
Not sure this is really GQ territory, but anyway:
Linux has found a real home on netbooks. Generally, it’s less resource hungry than Windows, and for the applications you describe, it offers everything that you need. If you’re looking at a well supported laptop, I’d say it’s probably a better bet for you. If you’re at all comfortable with technical details, Linux can be customized to a much greater extent, but that’s just an added bonus, and current distributions are more than equal to Windows for what you want.
On the other hand, Windows XP is easily supported by netbooks (Vista is frankly a bit too resource hungry for lower end machines), and if you were looking for games or specific applications, it might be a better choice. Personally, I’d not consider a netbook adequate for most modern games, anyway, so my original recommendation stands.
For what you are doing, linux will work as well as XP. Your biggest difficulty is that it’s just going to be “different”. Things aren’t going to be where you are used to them being.
E-mail: There are plenty of e-mail programs available for Linux. The only one I have experience with is Thunderbird. It won’t be that much different than what you are used to with XP.
Web: Linux, like XP, has multiple browsers available. For the most part they all work fairly well. You will occasionally find a web site that won’t work correctly under linux, but most web sites will work fine. Again, this won’t be that much different than what you are used to with XP.
Storing and viewing photos: I don’t know what you are using now, but google picasa is available on linux. It works basically the same as the windows version.
mp3: Linux has several mp3 players available. My advice is to try a few out and pick one that you like.
General: Linux is a different operating system. Some things just are different with it. This will take some getting used to.
The things that linux does poorly generally won’t be an issue for you, assuming that you are only using the netbook for what you listed. Games usually aren’t available in a linux version. Some hardware doesn’t have linux support (not an issue for the hardware that is built into the netbook). Getting linux to install properly is just as easy as windows if everything goes ok, but is a nightmare if everything doesn’t go ok. In the latter case, you sometimes end up editing cryptic command files and recompiling stuff, which is way over the “user friendly” line. Since the netbook will come with linux pre-installed, none of this is an issue for you.
One thing you’ll have to get used to is the fact that linux has administrators (called “root”) and users, and you’ll generally be running as a user. Windows is usually set up so that you are the administrator all the time. Running with full admin privileges all the time makes your life easy. You never get denied anything because of user privilege level. However, it’s also a huge gaping security hole which is one of the things that makes windows less secure than linux. It will take a while to get used to the idea of running as a user and only having root admin privileges when you install stuff, but once you get used to it your system will be more secure.
Viruses and worms and such won’t be as much of an issue. One of the reasons for this is the user/admin issue I mentioned above. Another reason is that linux benefits from “security through obscurity” (the vast majority of people use windows, so virus writers usually don’t bother targeting linux machines since their virus won’t be as effective). Linux also doesn’t attract the hatred from virus writers the way microsoft does.
You might want to burn a linux “live cd” that you can boot and play around with and see if you like it. This will let you try out linux before you get the netbook and make sure that you are ok with it as an operating system.
Thanks for your responses. I use Thunderbird and Firefox. I use a free image viewing program called Faststone, but I’m not too fussy about what I use to view photos or listen to music on a netbook. I have no intention of playing games.
The only hardware I’d use with it is USB sticks, an external USB hard drive and my Canon Pixma printer.
I’m not sure how happy I am to learn a completely new OS. I am very familiar and comfortable with Windows. All I really want is a mini-me. If it’s a steep learning curve, I’m not sure I’d bother. And, from what you say, there don’t seem to be any real advantages. I use anti virus and spyware programs, and (touch wood) in ten years I haven’t had any viruses.
I think the real issue is that if youre only using thunderbird and firefox today but what happens if tomorrow you need to run a windows-only app? Or need to work in a windows-only environment. Granted, things like samba and wine can help you here, but will require a bit more technical knowledge than the point and click you are used to. For most uses of a netbook linux is fine, but XP only costs 50 dollars more (dell mini 12 ubuntu vs windows pricing). If you buy it with ubuntu and suddenly need XP you’ll need to buy a retail XP license, which used to sell for $150 but is now no longer in production, so you’ll need to pay some kind of premium on ebay.
At the very least you should download a live linux CD (the standard ubuntu CD will work fine) and boot from it. You will be able to test drive ubuntu linux on your current computer. Perhaps that will help you come to a decision.
If I’m forced to use what’s available, rather than what I want, I’m becoming less happy about Linux.
To be honest, to me, samba is a dance, and wine is something I’m very happy to imbibe, but if you’re referring to something to do with Linux, you’ve lost me.
I have 4 … no, 5 now, Windows computers and 2 Linux computers at home. The learning curve for everyday tasks is very smooth, IMHO. I use Ubuntu Linux.
I got the 4 gig eeepc with linux, and have reformatted it with Xubuntu, and it’s done well with all those things you mentioned and more. There were a few things I had to learn, like the symantec tool for downloading and installing new software packages, but in general it was eeeasy. 
I’ve been thinking about getting another netbook with more storage capacity, and this time I’ve been leaning more towards XP so I can do some work stuff, use more programs that I’m familiar with. That’s likely to be the tradeoff for you too - is it worth to pay a bit more for familiarity?
The linux world has some very cool programs, almost all free, and some of which are not available exactly the same way for Windows. But if you don’t already know about those, you probably won’t miss them.
Just chiming in to say my eeePC is running Linux and I love it. Had never used Linux before but it was incredibly intuitive - when it turns on, the desktop has an icon for ‘web,’ for ‘email,’ for ‘documents,’ and a few others. No confusing clutter, it’s very straightforward. I love it.
It also turns on extremely quickly, which was a pleasant surprise. Maybe 15 seconds tops.
I’m hoping you mean Synaptic. I’ll be really sad if Symantec gets their grubby little fingers all over Ubuntu. 
Well, XP has a very big downside: Mainstream support ends next month. Remember, XP as a Windows version is eight years old; I couldn’t imagine spending money on a piece of software that is definitively on the way out.
On my main laptop, I’m dual booting Vista and 7, and I believe that 7 has a small enough footprint (like XP) to fit on a netbook, so eventually I guess that that is what will be used on netbooks. I’m not too bothered about support ending for XP. I*'ve been using Windows since v2, and never used MS support.
Microsoft is definitely targeting netbooks with 7, specifically 7 Starter Edition. I have no idea if it will be better than distros like Ubuntu Netbook Remix or not; we’ll see.
The reason why XP’s mainstream support being retired is important, incidentally, is not because of tech support. Rather, it marks the end of all non-security updates to the operating system. That could mean disappointment down the road.
Just to give you a window into what is going on with linux netbooks:
Apparently companies have been stating that people are returning them by the droves. It’s something ridiculous like only 2% of the netbooks sold (and not returned) are linux ones.
People go into it expecting to save a few bucks, and then find that their pet apps or new apps they want to try won’t work or have issues.
You’re saying that 98% of Linux netbooks are returned? I’m beginning to have severe doubts about a Linux netbook, but I’d have to say: cite?
Well, the second item in Kinthalis’ paragraph might not have anything to do with the first one - they’re not at all the same thing. It could be that around 30 times more windows netbooks are being manufactured and marketed than linux, for instance, which would explain most of that difference at a stroke. Returns could be a very small data point. (It isn’t clear where open-box resales of returned units would fit in.)
The people I associate with are probably not typical, but of the 5 netbooks purchased by people around me in the last 4 months, one runs XP. None have been returned, all are well-liked.
the premise of the statement is that very large numbers of people who buy a Linux equipped netbook do not realize that they can’t easily run Windows programs on them? I find that very hard to believe. I suspect the 2% (if that number is correct which I also find hard to believe) is due to the preponderance of Windows machines purchased in the first place. That I do believe.
To be fair, the ‘forced to use what’s available’ thing is true, whichever OS you choose - it’s just that the range of apps available for Windows happen to be better known.
Aside from specific games, there aren’t many things the desktop user could want to do that aren’t catered for by software available for Linux. Furthermore, it’s often the case that you’d have to buy an app for Windows, where a close equivalent is available for free for Linux.
I don’t really view a netbook as a small laptop - it’s basically an appliance that has built-in wifi, email, browser, notes, office, etc apps. If you look at netbooks like that, you’re probably better off with a linux netbook than a windows netbook - it should come with pretty much everything you already mentioned, and should have built-in software updates & expansions for many more stuff - not just the basic OS - my eeepc does, at least.
If you want to have full windows compatibility*, you’re better off with windows. On the other hand, the linux netbooks can be customized to your exact needs if you really want to spend the time doing that.
Anyway, the linux netbooks are usually cheaper, and if you really want to use it just for your mentioned you’ll be fine (though you may want to check if your printer will work).
If you’re unsure, get one that also runs windows, so you can at least install XP yourself if linux doesn’t suit you.