Nothing particularly - just that I didn't know what level of knowledge the OP had, so I was recommending the pre-configured netbook images, rather than installing stock *buntu and then installing the Netbook UI overtop. In any case, if you want the Netbook UI, that's easier. Also, I believe *buntu (and probably most other netbook-specific distros/remixes) offer an image that is easy for new users to load onto a flash key for installation, given the lack of an optical drive on most netbooks. I hope that clarifies my comments.

They're calling it a "tech preview", and AFAIK, it isn't actually slated for official KDE release until 4.4 in January (being just completed as a GSoC project this summer), however, given that KDE and *buntu's release cycles are inconveniently almost completely out of phase, they got it out the door for Kubuntu. Furthermore, from what I've heard from those involved (both first-hand and on the Internets), I would surmise that the tech-preview designation is implying that things may not be finished, rather than that things are broken/non-functional. Note that I have not personally tried it - this is just what I gathered from following the development of it.

Without hijacking the thread into a KDE 3 vs 4 flamewar (or even debate), have you tried it recently? Again, I don't want to discuss it at all in this thread, but if you tried at a while back, said "this is broken/unpolished/etc.", and gave up, I'd advise you to take a look at the Netbook Remix. All it costs you is half an hour and the use of a flash key, and you might be surprised. Whether or not you like it is a matter of personal preference, but at this point it's stable and featureful, and still not even hitting it's stride in terms of potential and innovation, so I wouldn't discount it without trying it.

Okay, first major disaster with easy peasy... was prompted to update to Ubuntu 9.10 which totally broke everything: interface went weird, mouse stopped working, everything became really really slow.

I'm now going to try installing the official version of the netbook remix to see if that works any better.

Ubuntu is Linux for ordinary consumers? Not if they want to install from USB it's not. Check out these "easy" instructions:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/In...n/FromUSBStick

Although the instructions could do with some love (note that they are written by the community on a wiki) it looks easy enough to me.

2 cents: I've been running, and prefer, Kubuntu (not the netbook remix) on my Dell mini9, myself.

There are multiple ways with Ubuntu based distros. I use http://www.linuxliveusb.com/ if in Windows or USB-Creator from the Ubuntu repository if in Linux to create a Live USB key from an ISO, and install from that. Works everytime. Nothing could be easier.

Well I'm guessing you're not an ordinary consumer then.


That looks quite cool!

Why can't they link to something like that for use during the Ubuntu download process?

Linux Live USB only works with certain distros, but the supported list is decent. It allows you to set your persistence file size and everything. AND it allows you to install to a partition as well as run from the drive.

I use it with Linux Mint 7 Gloria.

Yes, it works great.

Okay, latest update, finally got the official version of Ubuntu Netbook Remix installed and it works like a dream (though it took me a while to work out that the installer was trying to put the OS on the memory card rather than internal storage).

There wasn't anything wrong with Easy Peasy in itself, but it broke when I tried to update it and using the official netbook version instead seems to be the only way to solve this problem.