I've only used one, and it belongs to a friend, so I haven't tried to change anything to improve it, but it's a piece of junk as-is. To call it a toy would be an insult to toys; this thing isn't even worth playing with.

It has 1GB RAM, and it's running Windows 7, some sort of crippled version that does stupid things, like it can mount a network drive, but the backup software can't see it. Heavier apps like Word or IE tend to lock up as "not responding" for a minute or more every now and then, even if they're the only thing running. Windows updates take an incredibly long time, as do file transfers across the network, so I'm starting to wonder if the networking is built on a 1200-baud modem base or something.

Basically, it seems to have the capability of a laptop from 10-12 years ago, at best, but it's running a pig of a modern OS. I've thought about offering to put a lightweight version of Linux on it, but I'm not sure it's worth the trouble. For the $200+ she spent on it, she would have been way ahead to pick up a used laptop, since she's not using the thing on the road all the time where weight and battery life may be the primary concern. Maybe there are some good netbooks out there; I don't know. But this one has sure soured me on the concept.

Aaron B.
My Woefully Neglected Blog, where I occasionally mention Perl.

In reply to Re: (OT) Experiences with Netbooks by aaron_baugher
in thread (OT) Experiences with Netbooks by bms

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