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.[citation needed] 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).

Comparison

Features

DistributionWorking stateAimCreatorProducerBase distributionInstalled size (MB)Initial release dateInterfaceLinux kernelDefault file systemArchitecture supportPrecompiled packages: approximate numberDefault package manager toolsDefault installer
Aurora2009 Last release, discontinuedAsus Eee PC optimizedEeebuntu communityUbuntu2009-05-15GNOME or GNOME + Netbook RemixArray kernel (modified kernel)APT
CrunchBang Linux 11-201301192015-02-06 DiscontinuedLimited hardware machinesPhilip NewboroughDebian2013-01-19Openbox3.2.35x86 + x86-64APT
Debian Eee PCAsus Eee PCDebian
Debian WheezyWritten from scratchi386, x86-64, PowerPC, SPARC, ARM, armhf, MIPS, S390, s390x, Loongson
EasyPeasy 1.62012 Last release, discontinuedAll netbooksEasyPeasy CommunityJon RamviUbuntu2010-04-24GNOME + Netbook Remix2.6.32ext4x86APTUbiquity
EeedoraAsus Eee PC 701Martin AndrewsFedoraXfceRPM
Firefly Linux 1.0 Beta 12009 Last release, discontinuedFirefly Linux communityArch LinuxLXDE2.6.29.4x86Pacman
Fuduntu2013-04-14 Last release, discontinuedAll netbooksAndrew Wyatt "Fewt"Fuduntu.orgNone (originally based on Fedora 14)2012-10-01GNOME3.6.9ext4x86 + x86-64RPM + YUM
gNewSenseFree softwareBrian Brazil and Paul O'MalleySam Geeraerts with sponsorship from the FSFDebianLinux-libre 2.6.32Loongson, x86, x86-64APTUbiquity (software)
Joli OS 1.2 (formerly named Jolicloud)2013-11-22 Last release, discontinuedAll netbooksJoli OSJoli OSUbuntu2011-03-09HTML5 + GNOME2.6.35.10ext4x86APT
Kuki Linux 2.02009 Last release, discontinuedAspire One optimizedKuki Linux communityUbuntuXfce
Linux4One 1.5Aspire One optimizedLinux4One communityUbuntuGNOME 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 15.102015-10-22 Active DevelopmentLimited hardware machinesLubuntu Community and LXDE FoundationUbuntu2011-10-13LXDESynaptic
Manjaro Netbook Edition2015-07-25 Active DevelopmentAll netbooksRob McCathieManjaro LinuxArch LinuxXfceIntel Atom-optimized Manjaro kernelext4x86, x86-64Pamac (graphical frontend for pacman)
MidinuxAll netbooksRed Flag Linux2007ext3x86
MeeGo 1.22012 Last release, discontinuedIntel Atom processor netbooks, Nokia ARM smartphonesIntel, Nokia, Maemo communityIntel, Nokia, Linux FoundationNone (it is a distribution developed out of Maemo and Moblin)2010-10-28"Netbook User Experience" (based on Clutter)2.6.35btrfsx86 with SSSE3 supportRPM
Moblin 2.12009-04 Last release, discontinuedAll Intel Atom processor netbooks and MIDIntelIntel/Linux FoundationNone (borrows components for various distributions)2009-11-04ClutterRPM (may change)
OpenGeeeU 8.102012-08 Last release, discontinuedLuca De MariniEasyPeasy2009-03-23Enlightenment plus GNOME2.6.27ext3x8626000APTUbiquity
Puppeee Linux 4.3XLinpus is 64-bit onlyAsus Eee PCs with Intel ChipsetsJemimah RuhalaPuppy Linux 4.3.1200MBChoice of: IceWM, OpenBox, Flwm with ROX-Filer, PcManFM, LxLauncher2.6.33AUFS + SquashFS + EXT2Atom / CeleronMPetPetGet
Trisquel Mini2014-11 Last release, discontinuedLimited hardware machinesTrisquel2010-09
Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.102010-10 Last release, discontinuedIntel Atom processor netbooksCanonicalCanonicalUbuntu2010-10-10Unity2.6.32x8632000APT
DistributionWorking stateAimCreatorProducerBase distributionInstalled size (MB)Initial release dateInterfaceLinux kernelDefault file systemArchitecture supportPrecompiled packages: approximate numberDefault package manager toolsDefault installer

Specific Features

DistributionTarget Boot TimeWhole OS Loads to RAM (Default)LIVE MediumTarget UsersSSD 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 1.540 seconds
Manjaro Netbook Edition
Moblin 2.05 seconds
OpenGeeeU 8.10
Puppeee Linux 4.3X30sLoads to RAMLayered filesystem - caches writes in RAMLightweight kernel compiled for EeePCs only
Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.10

See also