Comparison of netbook-oriented Linux distributions

Last updated

Netbooks are small laptops, with screen sizes between approximately 7 and 12 inches and low power consumption. They use either an SSD (solid state disk) or a HDD (hard disk drive) for storage, have up to 2 gigabytes of RAM (but often less), lack an optical disk drive, and usually have USB, Ethernet, WiFi and often Bluetooth connectivity. The name emphasizes their use as portable Internet appliances.

Contents

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 VOIP and web-focused tools, including proprietary applications rarely seen installed by default by mainstream desktop distributions[ citation needed ]. For instance, Nokia Maemo and Asus' customized Xandros both ship with Skype and Adobe Flash installed, and Ubuntu's Netbook Edition offers the option to do the same for OEMs. [1]

Comparison

Features

DistributionWorking StateAimCreatorProducerBase DistributionInstalled Size (MB)Initial Release DateInterfaceLinux KernelDefault File SystemArchitecture SupportApproximate Number of Pre-compiled PackagesDefault Package Management ToolsDefault Installer
Aurora 2009

Last Release, development stopped

 Asus Eee PC optimizedEeebuntu community Ubuntu 2009-05-15 Gnome or Gnome + Netbook RemixArray kernel (modified kernel) [2] APT
CrunchBang Linux 11-201301192015-02-06

Development Stopped

Limited hardware machinesPhilip Newborough Debian 2013-01-19 Openbox 3.2.35x86 + x86_64 APT
Debian Eee PC Asus Eee PCDebian
Debian WheezyWritten from scratchi386, AMD64, PowerPC, SPARC, ARM, MIPS, S390, armhf, s390x. Loongson [3]
EasyPeasy 1.62012

Last Release, development stopped

All netbooksEasyPeasy Community Jon Ramvi Ubuntu 2010-04-24 Gnome + Netbook Remix2.6.32ext4x86 APT Ubiquity
Eeedora [4] Asus Eee PC 701Martin Andrews Fedora Xfce RPM
Firefly Linux 1.0 Beta 12009

Last Release, development stopped

Firefly Linux community Arch Linux LXDE 2.6.29.4x86 Pacman
Fuduntu 2013-04-14

Last Release, development stopped

All netbooks [5] Andrew Wyatt "Fewt"Fuduntu.org [5] None (Originally based on Fedora 14)2012-10-01 Gnome 3.6.9ext4x86 [6] + x86_64 [7] RPM + YUM
gNewSense Free software Brian Brazil and Paul O'MalleySam Geeraerts with sponsorship from the FSF Debian Linux-libre 2.6.32 Loongson, x86, x86-64 APT Ubiquity (software)
Joli OS 1.2
(formerly named Jolicloud)		2013-11-22 Last Release, development stoppedAll netbooks [8] Joli OS Joli OS Ubuntu 2011-03-09 HTML5 + Gnome 2.6.35.10ext4x86 APT
Kuki Linux 2.02009

Last Release, development stopped

 Aspire One optimizedKuki Linux community Ubuntu Xfce
Linux4One 1.5 Aspire One optimizedLinux4One community Ubuntu Gnome or LXDE
Leeenux Linux v102016 Last ReleaseAll netbooksAleksandar CiricUbuntu 16.04 LTSLXDE, XFCEext4x86, AMD64APT, Synaptic, Software centerUbiquity
Leeenux 2020Supported until April 2023All netbooksAleksandar CiricUbuntu 18.04 LTSLXDE, XFCEx86, AMD64APT, Synaptic, Software center
Lubuntu

15.10

2015-10-22

Active Development

Limited hardware machinesLubuntu Community and LXDE Foundation Ubuntu 2011-10-13 LXDE Synaptic
Manjaro Netbook Edition [9] 2015-07-25

Active Development

All netbooksRob McCathie Manjaro Linux Arch Linux Xfce Intel Atom-optimized Manjaro kernelext4x86, x86_64Pamac (graphical frontend for pacman)
Midinux All netbooks Red Flag Linux 2007ext3x86
MeeGo 1.22012

Last Release, development stopped

 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 2.12009-04

Last Release, development stopped

All Intel Atom processor netbooks and MID Intel Intel/Linux Foundation None (borrows components for various distributions [10] )2009-11-04Clutter RPM (may change [10] )
OpenGeeeU 8.102012-08

Last Release, development stopped

Luca De Marini Easy Peasy [11] 2009-03-23 Enlightenment plus Gnome 2.6.27ext3x8626000 APT Ubiquity
Puppeee Linux 4.3XLinpus is 64-bit only Asus Eee PCs with Intel ChipsetsJemimah Ruhala Puppy Linux 4.3.1 200MBChoice of IceWM / OpenBox / Flwm with ROX-Filer / PcManFM / LxLauncher2.6.33AUFS + SquashFS + EXT2Atom / CeleronMPetPetGet
Trisquel Mini 2014-11

Last Release, development stopped

Limited hardware machines Trisquel 2010-09
Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.102010-10

Last Release, development stopped

Intel Atom processor netbooks [12] Canonical Ltd. Canonical Ltd. Ubuntu 2010-10-10 Unity 2.6.32x8632000 APT
DistributionWorking StateAimCreatorProducerBase DistributionInstalled Size (MB)Initial Release DateInterfaceLinux KernelDefault File SystemArchitecture SupportApproximate Number of Pre-compiled PackagesDefault Package Management ToolsDefault Installer

Specific Features

DistributionTarget Boot TimeWhole OS Loads to RAM

(Default)

LIVE

Medium

Target UsersSSD Write Optimization

(SSD degradation, I/O optimization, etc.)

Specific Supported Hardware
Aurora 3.0
EasyPeasy 1.6LIVE MediumBeginner, highly mobile netbook users.
Eeedora [4]
Firefly Linux 1.0 Beta 1
Joli OS 1.2
Kuki Linux 2.0
Linux4One 1.540 seconds [13]
Manjaro Netbook Edition
Moblin 2.05 seconds [14] [15]
OpenGeeeU 8.10
Puppeee Linux 4.3X30sLoads to RAMLayered filesystem - caches writes in RAMLightweight kernel compiled for EeePCs only
Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.10

While no public numbers measuring the install-base of these operating systems are available, Google Trends data on a handful of them indicate their relative popularity:

Netbook linux compared June 2010.jpg

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Live CD</span> Complete, bootable computer installation that runs directly from a CD-ROM

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanotix</span> Linux distribution

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ubuntu</span> Linux distribution developed by Canonical

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Puppy Linux is a family of light-weight Linux distributions that focus on ease of use and minimal memory footprint. The entire system can be run from random-access memory (RAM) with current versions generally taking up about 600 MB (64-bit), 300 MB (32-bit), allowing the boot medium to be removed after the operating system has started. Applications such as AbiWord, Gnumeric and MPlayer are included, along with a choice of lightweight web browsers and a utility for downloading other packages. The distribution was originally developed by Barry Kauler and other members of the community, until Kauler retired in 2013. The tool Woof can build a Puppy Linux distribution from the binary packages of other Linux distributions.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wubi (software)</span> Ubuntu Linux installer for Windows

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References

  1. ↑ Ubuntu 10.4 UNE
  2. ↑ "Array kernel site". Archived from the original on 2009-05-17. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
  3. ↑ "DebianYeeloong - Debian Wiki".
  4. 1 2 Eeedora project at Google Code
  5. 1 2 "Fuduntu Website". Archived from the original on 2011-03-17.
  6. ↑ "Fuduntu i386". Archived from the original on 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
  7. ↑ "Fuduntu x86_64".[ permanent dead link ]
  8. ↑ "Jolicloud Compatible Devices". Archived from the original on 2011-01-12.
  9. ↑ Manjaro Netbook Edition at SourceForge
  10. 1 2 Moblin FAQ Archived May 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ Archived May 1, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ "Canonical | About the company". Archived from the original on 2009-02-14. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
  13. ↑ "Features of Light version of Linux4One". Archived from the original on 2009-11-25. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
  14. ↑ Fast boot in Moblin page Archived January 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ↑ Youtube video showing Moblin 2.0 prerelease booting in 5 seconds.

See also

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