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[Areyar]

I need some recomendations about which is the best choice.
The people in shops have been totally useless, invariably pointing to the most expensive in stock.

I'm looking to buy one of those small 'laptops' of about 20cm wide,
planning on using it outdoors etc to read files, play DF etc, so I require
*a bright and shiney screen
*a well accessable and out of the way USB-socket
*prefer a solidstate drive
*processor/RAM capability to be able to do more than do word.
*inbuilt Wireless networking would be nice, but can be plugged in via the USB port.
I also prefer a nice design that is solid enough for repeated bumps as I will be travelling with it
and all that for no more than a couple hundred euros.

Thanks in advance for any insights you can provide.

oh, ps : I am also fed up with windows and mac, so any other OS would be great. Just heard about google chrome going gold, too soon for factory installed GC-OS, buut will it be any good?

[IndonesiaWarMinister]

Wut.

Google Chrome, OS?

I expect more 'big brother watching' then.

[Peewee]

You're asking about a netbook... to play DF on?
HA HAHA HAHAHAHAHAAAA aaah hah... You're funny.
The highest speed processors in netbooks run at 1.66GHz.

Google chrome is a web browser, like firefox or internet explorer.

The operating system you're looking for is linux (ubuntu, most likely).

What's your price range, anyway?

[Areyar]

Hah. Netbooks yeah.

I really want to just read e-books on it, edit some files.
Occasional DF would be nice, but you are right: the clockspeed on those netbooks is 1.6 at best.

Read Google is going to go OS based on linux. Compared to MS, I'm less wary of big brother G.
Is Ubuntu compatible with netbooks?

[Little]

Compared to MS, I'm less wary of big brother G.

That's how they trap you! Don't fall for it!

IT'S A TRAP!

[Rysith]

Hah. Netbooks yeah.

Is Ubuntu compatible with netbooks?

Yes, there are netbooks that run/can run Ubuntu. Check the Ubuntu forums, there is usually a listing there. Playing DF on a netbook will be an exercise in frustration. However, you may be able to get some older games to work well if you need some gaming, look around.

I'd say that your chief concerns are going to be weight and battery life, as limited by price. Focus on those above all else. I haven't looked at the netbook market, so unfortunately I can't make any actual suggestions.

[IndonesiaWarMinister]

Compared to MS, I'm less wary of big brother G.

That's how they trap you! Don't fall for it!

IT'S A TRAP!

If this is in the New VN, I'll post some bridget.

[Peewee]

As long as you have the proper drivers for any oddities you stick on it, any modern operating system should be compatible with any modern hardware.
So yes, there are ubuntu flavored netbooks. They just so happen to cost around $100 less than comparable netbooks that come with mac or windows installed... which is why a friend of mine has one netbook and one real laptop.

[Zironic]

Google doesn't want your secrets, they want everyone's trends, so they can sell the data.

(Secret notice: Google is a statistic based company - the search engine and free stuff simply is used to track trends and to sell ad space - they make bucks on your trends.)

[Areyar]

I've never yet wanted to go through the hassle of studying up on Linux, but a recent string of terrible crashes and update shanadigans has shifted the balsnce from apathy to activism.
So I'll look into Ubuntu/linux/gChrome_OS somemore.

Thanks for the advice so far, please continue sharing.
I'll post the resulting specs as soon as I either buy a netbook or decide that I'm too broke afterall.

[ChairmanPoo]

I bought an Asus EEE 1000H last New year's eve. I am quite happy with it. I take my notes in class with it, play games (some are more playable than others, but in general you should be able to play anything from 2003-4 backwards.), and read books in it. Battery lasts a lot too.

[Areyar]

So, I went out today and got a magazine featuring a test of ~20 netB's, which only confirms that the current crop of netB's is very homogenous. :sigh:
I'll look out for long battery life and a solidstate drive (only toshiba has drive shockprotection)

That eee might be an option, as an older model, it should be quite cheap...if still available.
(I prefer go to a shop and feel/test some of them, to ordering online.)

[zarmazarma]

Feck the netbooks, get an old laptop; it'll be cheaper and better.

[Areyar]

don't need no heavyass laptop. 
I have all my favorite files and DF safely tucked on a USBstick that I take anyplace I go.

Just hate reading books sitting behind my desk or with a hot laptop on my lap/ breaking my neck by sitting next to me.
Hence the need for a netbook.
Also I'd hate to buy a restricted device like an e-book reader. 

Been a bit occupied recently, so no progress on the outfitting of my empty netbook space.

[ChairmanPoo]

As I've said elsewhere, I'm quite happy with my 1000H. I take it to class, do some moderate gaming on it. I wont say that DF runs optimally, but youŽll get 25-30 fps with 100 population.

As for e-bookm readers: I feel that ATM they are not worth it. They cost as much as a netbook (or more). I'm waiting till they cheapen down a bit to buy one.