A netbook computer is a small laptop computer, with a screen size between about 7 to 12 inches and low power use. They use either a solid state disk (SSD) or a hard disk drive (HDD) for storage, have up to 2 gigabytes of random-access memory (RAM), but often less, lack an optical disk drive, and usually have Universal Serial Bus (USB), Ethernet, Wi-Fi and often Bluetooth connectivity. The name emphasizes their use as portable Internet appliances.
Netbook distributions There are special Linux distributions, called netbook distributions, for these machines. All such distributions purport to be optimized for use with small, low-resolution displays. They tend to include a broad mix of Voice over IP (VOIP) and web-focused tools, including proprietary applications rarely seen installed by default by mainstream desktop distributions. For example, Nokia Maemo, and Asus' customized Xandros both ship with Skype and Adobe Flash installed, and the Ubuntu Netbook Edition offers the option to do the same for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).Ubuntu 10.4 UNE
Comparison
Features
+ Distribution Working state Aim Creator Producer Base distribution Installed size (MB) Initial release date Interface Linux kernel Default file system Architecture support Precompiled packages: approximate number Default package manager tools Default installer Aurora 2009 Last release, discontinued Asus Eee PC optimized Eeebuntu community Ubuntu 2009-05-15 GNOME or GNOME + Netbook Remix Array kernel (modified kernel) APT CrunchBang Linux 11-20130119 2015-02-06 Discontinued Limited hardware machines Philip Newborough Debian 2013-01-19 Openbox 3.2.35 x86 + x86-64 APT Debian Eee PC Asus Eee PC Debian Debian Wheezy Written from scratch i386, x86-64, PowerPC, SPARC, ARM, armhf, MIPS, S390, s390x, Loongson EasyPeasy 1.6 2012 Last release, discontinued All netbooks EasyPeasy Community Jon Ramvi Ubuntu 2010-04-24 GNOME + Netbook Remix 2.6.32 ext4 x86 APT Ubiquity EeedoraEeedora project at Google Code Asus Eee PC 701 Martin Andrews Fedora Xfce RPM Firefly Linux 1.0 Beta 1 2009 Last release, discontinued Firefly Linux community Arch Linux LXDE 2.6.29.4 x86 Pacman Fuduntu 2013-04-14 Last release, discontinued All netbooks Andrew Wyatt "Fewt" Fuduntu.org None (originally based on Fedora 14) 2012-10-01 GNOME 3.6.9 ext4 x86 + x86-64 RPM + YUM gNewSense Free software Brian Brazil and Paul O'Malley Sam Geeraerts with sponsorship from the FSF Debian Linux-libre 2.6.32 Loongson, x86, x86-64 APTUbiquity (software) Joli OS 1.2(formerly named Jolicloud) 2013-11-22 Last release, discontinued All netbooks Joli OS Joli OS Ubuntu 2011-03-09 HTML5 + GNOME 2.6.35.10 ext4 x86 APT Kuki Linux 2.0 2009 Last release, discontinued Aspire One optimized Kuki Linux community Ubuntu Xfce Linux4One 1.5 Aspire One optimized Linux4One community Ubuntu GNOME or LXDE Leeenux Linux v102016 Last releaseAll netbooksAleksandar CiricUbuntu 16.04 LTSLXDE, XFCEext4x86, AMD64APT, Synaptic, Software centerUbiquityLeeenux 2020Supported until April 2023All netbooksAleksandar CiricUbuntu 18.04 LTSLXDE, XFCEx86, AMD64APT, Synaptic, Software centerLubuntu 15.102015-10-22 Active DevelopmentLimited hardware machines Lubuntu Community and LXDE FoundationUbuntu2011-10-13LXDESynaptic Manjaro Netbook EditionManjaro Netbook Edition at SourceForge 2015-07-25 Active Development All netbooks Rob McCathie Manjaro Linux Arch Linux Xfce Intel Atom-optimized Manjaro kernel ext4 x86, x86-64 Pamac (graphical frontend for pacman) Midinux All netbooks Red Flag Linux 2007 ext3 x86 MeeGo 1.2 2012 Last release, discontinued Intel Atom processor netbooks, Nokia ARM smartphones Intel, Nokia, Maemo community Intel, Nokia, Linux Foundation None (it is a distribution developed out of Maemo and Moblin) 2010-10-28 "Netbook User Experience" (based on Clutter) 2.6.35 btrfs x86 with SSSE3 support RPM Moblin 2.1 2009-04 Last release, discontinued All Intel Atom processor netbooks and MID Intel Intel/Linux Foundation None (borrows components for various distributionsMoblin FAQ ) 2009-11-04 Clutter RPM (may change) OpenGeeeU 8.10 2012-08 Last release, discontinued Luca De Marini EasyPeasy 2009-03-23 Enlightenment plus GNOME 2.6.27 ext3 x86 26000 APT Ubiquity Puppeee Linux 4.3XLinpus is 64-bit only Asus Eee PCs with Intel Chipsets Jemimah Ruhala Puppy Linux 4.3.1 200MB Choice of: IceWM, OpenBox, Flwm with ROX-Filer, PcManFM, LxLauncher 2.6.33 AUFS + SquashFS + EXT2 Atom / CeleronM Pet PetGetTrisquel Mini2014-11 Last release, discontinuedLimited hardware machines Trisquel2010-09 Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.10 2010-10 Last release, discontinued Intel Atom processor netbooks Canonical Canonical Ubuntu 2010-10-10 Unity 2.6.32 x86 32000 APT Distribution Working state Aim Creator Producer Base distribution Installed size (MB) Initial release date Interface Linux kernel Default file system Architecture support Precompiled packages: approximate number Default package manager tools Default installer
Specific Features Distribution Target Boot TimeWhole OS Loads to RAM (Default)LIVE MediumTarget Users SSD Write Optimization (SSD degradation, I/O optimization, etc.) Specific Supported Hardware Aurora 3.0 EasyPeasy 1.6LIVE MediumBeginner, highly mobile netbook users Eeedora Firefly Linux 1.0 Beta 1 Joli OS 1.2 Kuki Linux 2.0 Linux4One 1.5 40 seconds Manjaro Netbook Edition Moblin 2.0 5 secondsFast boot in Moblin page Youtube video showing Moblin 2.0 prerelease booting in 5 seconds. OpenGeeeU 8.10 Puppeee Linux 4.3X 30s Loads to RAM Layered filesystem - caches writes in RAM Lightweight kernel compiled for EeePCs only Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.10
References
See also
Android List of Linux distributions that run from RAM List of tools to create Live USB systems