[Ham-Computers] Windows 7

Fri May 28 14:11:46 EDT 2010

Guys - I was speaking generally.

The "concept" of a netbook is minimal local processor, minimal local storage and minimum local memory, coupled with a small display.  The driving force behind this concept is two-fold.

One, all of the hardware being downsized lessens the power requirements, thus extending battery life.

The second is the original concept was based on studies of users that found that a significant portion of the population never did anything but work online anyway - even to the point that they used web mail rather than a local client and surfed internet sites, did facebook and twitter and never used a local "office" type application - or if they did, online hosting and storage was enough for their "light" office type usage.

Based on that, the first netbooks were designed specifically NOT to do what you guys are talking about doing.

Sure, hardware makers can soup them up - even to the point of making them full blown "desktop replacement" grade laptops - but at that point are they really "netbooks"?  That's like my friend that has a "Model T" with a 1500HP big block Chevy.  Sure it's fun to drive (and show off) but is it really a Model T anymore?  (I think the radiator cover is original...)

The basic netbook is fine for people like my grandmother (who does internet stuff), but it "bites" people that buy them expecting a full featured laptop at a cut-rate price.  While they may be CAPABLE of being made to do that, not being designed for that from the get-go makes them a challenge for the average consumer that doesn't understand their limitations.

Those that do know buy the upgrade versions (or the Linux versions) or live with the limitations, but those that don't may get surpised (which looks like what has happened in this case).

And please note this isn't a knock on netbooks, just an observation on their concept (and where they've strayed from it).  I used to get mad at the people that call me complaining that their Wal-mart purchased eMachines desktop "ran too slow" - when eMachines was in the habit of selling machines with XP pre-installed but with 1/2 the recommended ram (in other words 1/4 of what they really needed).  This is the same deal - people not understanding what they are buying, then being surprised when the don't "behave" as expected.

Jay

--- On Fri, 5/28/10, Ron Youvan <ka4inm at tampabay.rr.com> wrote:

From: Ron Youvan <ka4inm at tampabay.rr.com>
Subject: Re: [Ham-Computers] Windows 7
To: "Computers (or other) used for amateur radio, communications, or experimenting" <ham-computers at mailman.qth.net>
Date: Friday, May 28, 2010, 5:40 PM

Jay Eimer wrote:
> The issue is that a netbook is not really a full featured computer - they're designed to get on the net, and then do everything from there.  They are NOT designed to host and run programs locally.
>  
> The version of Win7 installed on them is also a "stripped" version, lacking many features.
>  
> Your issue is not Win7, but the netbook, and trying to use the netbook in a way it was not intended.

   I can't agree, I have an Asus PC100HE that does more than most laptops, including built 
in stereo MICs and a color camera, blue tooth (I have a wireless mouse)  WiFi, dual headed 
video adapter, stereo speakers, white LED back lit display and 9 hours of battery time.
My netbook only lacks three things, a DVD drive, serial port and a parallel port. (and I 
have adapters, the Asus DVD-RW/CD-RW/DVD-RAM drive was $70, is external and it runs on the 
USP port, no with other power)
  It has a very fast low power Intel Atom microprocessor, (XP thinks it is a dual core) 2 
gig of RAM, 160 Gig HD, and a full duplex stereo sound card etc.
   I choose to purchase the XP version, even though I am a LINUX freq.
Only M$ supports some of my things, my camera, GPS, PDA, flatbed scanners (models with no 
LINUX support) and a few other gis-mos that I wish to use.
   I run as many LINUX programs that have been ported over to M$ as possible and most far 
out perform the original made by M$ style programmers, like the Nikon program sucks 
compared to "ufraw".  I love gimp, mc and cqview.  I run the full suite version of sea 
monkey (just like the old Netscape) and open office, in place of the sample M$ programs 
that I instantly removed.  I use "imgburn" to make cds and DVDs with no problem 
whatsoever.  I run M$ security suite, zone alarm and "spybot search and destroy," it is 
very seldom on the internet and almost always behind a NAT router.
   I have loaded just about ever M$ only HAM program that I have found and I am ready for 
RTTY and a host of other things except for my 6 year old son taking 99% of my time, 
happily.  Logging, DX spotting just name it.  I have reduced the size of the icons and I 
have 90% of the screen filled with them all, including a half a dozen games that don't run 
on the desktop machine.  I paid for none of the programs, I can only afford the free ones. 
  A free screen dump to anyone that wants to see.
   Other than three or four intentional hardware short comings I see this as a full 
service rice box.  (made in Taiwan)
-- 
    Ron  KA4INM - The next election, I know what is going to happen, I'm going to help.
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