New member, future buyer. (long post)

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PeteyT

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Hello, I am a long time Mac user (don't hate), who has been using Macs since they first came out in the 80s. I have an iBook G3 that is close to ten years old. Just put a new HD in it but alas it is just way to slow. Videos on youtube are all jerky, downloads take for ever. The Ram is maxed out. It is just an old computer.

Anyway, a couple of guys I know on a great board (nonewbs.com) told me about the Aspire One. I have done a lot of research on it and it looks like just a fantastic little web surfer. Cheap too! I am very nervous about buying a PC though, I am used to able to fix any problems on my Macs without knowing any code or a PC language. I use PCs at work but we have a tech. department to keep them running. I am worried about viruses as well.

I was kind of looking for some positive feedback and some pointers from you guys.

Thanks in advance for any help or wisdom.
 
PeteyT,

Ok, I am also a Mac user that uses them for professional reasons (graphic design and photography). I have also used Windows in the past and have Parallels using Windows XP on the iMac. Windows XP does not require a knowledge of DOS, but it can be helpful. As far as using an AspireOne, have no fear it is really simple and can many of the things that you do already. With Apple cross-platforming many programs, you will find some of your files already can be used on your AAO. I made the investments in an AAO because up until recently the MacBook top cases did not hold up on long trips, and it was in for repair after each one. With AAO I can do some of the processing while I am away, and then bring it over to the Macs when I am back using either an USB flashdrive or DVD from the external DVD drive I carry with my kit. I find the AAO to be a reasonable alternative to a machine I need for field work. I find the machine to be quite durable.

Also for anti-virus programs, you can download a free one like avast home edition.
 
This model is considered quite stable. While the color is a matter of personal preference, be forewarned that the darker models pick up fingerprints and, to some people, that can be an irritant. Most U.S. models come with a fairly well configured McAfee Internet Security (firewall, antivirus, mail scanner, and several other tools) which should keep you fairly safe as long as you keep it updated and running, and are not clicking on emails from strangers or visiting smaller, unknown sites (90 day trial). If you are in Asia, you might end up with a year's licence of Kaspersky's internet security program. You can add additional spyware programs according to need, and drop McAfee for excellent freeware programs if you don't want to pay the price and feel qualified to install/uninstall them.

Apple's OSX Leopard can be seen running quite nicely on the AAO on YouTube and several members here seem to be pleased with their own installations of it. There may be one or two things that don't work, so you would have to decide if you want to get into that process in which you may end up in a tight spot. You might be best off just keeping the XP configuration as is, and investigate whether you can dual boot it with Leopard later on, at your leisure. You can always sell the AAO on eBay if for some reason you are unhappy with it (I doubt that).

There are also rumors of a Mac netbook to be announced at MacWorld in January, and you know that Apple "doesn't do cheap," so it will probably be a nice one. At the moment though, I think that Apple is behind in the netbook space and if they rush their machine to the market (June?), it may very well be buggy. The Acer with XP is ready for prime time now in the above configuration which is excellent (XP SP3 is the most supported OS in the world I believe). If you are interested in Linux, you will have to do a lot of the fine tuning yourself. In time, better implementations and possibly other distributions of Linux will begin appearing on the AAO or the AA2 from Acer itself.

I hope this helps and Good Luck!
 
Here are people on the forum that put Mac OS X on this little machine, but I'm not one of them so I can't tell much about it.
Just thought I'd say that it is possible to run Mac OS X on this. :P
 
XP has been very stable for a few years. Everything on the Acer worked fine out of the box for me and continues so - appears to be the same for most. I ran my 2002 Dell on XP (less guts than this Acer) through 2007 without a Windows problem. On the other hand, I don't like mixing platforms. If I was running one Apple, the second would be another, if only for file and network compatibility. The Apple rumor mill is back and forth about launching its own netbook pretty soon, though would be pricier.
 
Installing Mac OS on the Aspire One requires a lot of Terminal.app knowledge, and is not (and probably will never be) as easy or foolproof as using a Mac. I'd hate to tell a Mac user to get a PC, no matter how mature XP has become.
You can get a MacBook for ~$1000, less if you look at refurbs from Apple. If you are considering the AAO, I'd recommend the Linpus version; it's great for basic computing, and isn't as prone to security issues as Windows. Microsoft has to issue security updates almost every month for Windows, and you need to stay on top of it to be safe.

I am a Mac person, but I fix Windows for a living. Don't use Windows if you don't have to.
 
Thanks PhyrePhox , what is the "Linpus" version? Do you mean Linux?
 
PeteyT said:
Do you mean Linux?
Click to expand...

Yes.

EDIT: I use an iBook G4 800MHz as my main computer. It's not supposed to run Leopard, but I put it on anyway, and it's very slow, so I feel your pain. My wife is threatening to get me a new MacBook for Christmas, and I'm very OK with that, but then I heard about these netbooks and how folks were hacking them to run Mac OS etc. and I got drawn in. I like hacking computers, and PCs are always more fun to hack than Macs.

These devices are similar to the hardware that Apple ships, so cleverer people than me have gotten Mac OS running on them with all but a few things working, and running fairly stable. I have attempted to install Mac OS on non-Apple systems before, and when it's bad, it's very, very bad. I intended to buy the Linux AAO (Acer marketing calls their flavor of Linux "Linpus", so that's what you'll see in the specs), set up a working XP or Vista (or maybe Ubuntu linux) install so that I have a working PC when I need it, then install Mac OS (in a dual boot setup) to play around with, and hope that eventually I could get the Mac OS install to run stable and functional enough for full-time use.

If you are comfortable with replacing and modifying kernel extensions, opening application bundles and modifying the files, and running Mac OS in single user mode and using the Terminal, then you are about as well equipped to try to get Mac OS running on the Aspire One as I. If any of those activities are unfamiliar to you, then you have a steep learning curve. There are how-to guides on these forums, but like I said before, if something goes wrong, it is often very hard to get it working again.

As far as Windows, it's the same on the Aspire One as it is on any other computer. Some people are installing customized, "lite" versions of XP in order to get the most performance out of it. The truth is, these cheap laptops are still faster than the minimum spec for XP way back when it was new, so the Aspire One runs XP pretty well out of the box. If you are familiar with XP, then you will have no trouble learning to use this device, 'cause it's still XP. Just make sure you run Windows Update regularly, install antivirus and antispyware apps and scan the computer frequently (daily, overnight), install Firefox and remove every shortcut to Internet Explorer so you can never even accidentally launch it instead. Develop alcohol- and food-dependent relationships with neighbors that are computer techs, so you can lure them for help with a six-pack or a lasagna if you get something weird happening. Believe me, my neighbors keep me well fed!
 
PhyrePhox said:
PeteyT said:
Do you mean Linux?
Click to expand...
... install Firefox and remove every shortcut to Internet Explorer so you can never even accidentally launch it instead.
Click to expand...

Actually, you need Internet Explorer to access the Microsoft Windows Updates (Microsoft's Active X is not supported by FireFox) and it would be a big mistake to disable it. I use a very good FireFox extension called "IE Tab" that seamlessly runs IE within FireFox - it's the only way to avoid starting IE but retain its functionality for the few sites that really need it. You can set IE Tab to go into Internet Explorer mode whenever you browse to "microsoft.com"
 
Forone said:
you need Internet Explorer to access the Microsoft Windows Updates
Click to expand...

Thank you for making that clear. However, I did not suggest removing IE, just the shortcuts. The "Windows/Microsoft Update" shortcut in the start menu is sufficient to launch IE to the Windows Update site. Also, configuring Automatic Updates to run daily makes going to the web site almost unnecessary.
 
Thanks again guys, thanks PhyrePhox, I am not planning on trying to install any Mac OS to the Aspire. I am going to use it the way it comes. And of course stay up on updates and anti virus stuff. I will also install Firefox because I love it and unrarx and VCL movie player.

Those are just things that I love and have never had a problem using them.
 
OK, I am one of the early members of the form, and the aspire one is my second hackintosh, and the first I have actually bothered trying to fix. I have also run OS X on it pretty much since I got it in mid july, with only small periods where I have tried to run windows exclusively, and just thought this is boring lol.
I also have a very conclusive guide into installing 10.5.5 (iAtkos version) and updating it to 10.5.6. Another member called diablonet also has a similar guide. Both guides also have a download attached which includes all the stuff needed to get it installed to the best of the AAO's ability. Which to be fair is pretty well.
Summary:
Sleep doesnt work...
Extended display doesnt work
Line in doesnt work.
Pretty much everything else does.

I am on mine now, running OS X exclusively, I never have to use terminal, verbose mode, safe mode or single user mode. I dont have to type in any kernel flags when I boot. I have Adobe Acrobat Pro installed, and iWork 08. For use as a word processor, and a netbook, it is pretty much perfect. It boots in sub 1 minute, so sleep isnt an issue for me. It never crashes, itunes works fine plays videos great and all normal tasks. Which cannot be said for XP Vista HP or Windows 7, which all were pretty slow loading anything at all.

So take the people who say that OS X doesn't run well with a pinch of salt.
I'm not saying you have to go with it, just trying to point out that for what a netbook is meant to do, it runs perfectly well. And it has convinced me to get an actual macbook, macbook pro (if I can afford it) or a macbook mini if its better than my aao, and comes out in january.
Anyway, happy buying
Rory
 
Just make sure you run Windows Update regularly, install antivirus and antispyware apps and scan the computer frequently (daily, overnight),
Click to expand...
I have 6 PCs and in nearly 15 years have only ever received one virus and that was from a floppy disk way back. I stopped doing Windows updates way back as they usually created problems. I use the Google Chrome browser as it's way faster than any other browser. If I did ever get a virus I'd just restore the most recent image and be back up and running in 15 minutes.
 
Y'all, I wasn't trying to start a flamewar here.
A Mac OS user with little Windows experience has a learning curve to go through. Average Windows users need antivirus/antispyware protection, and to apply the Microsoft updates when they are released. Considering the serious IE exploit that Microsoft patched last week, I would say that, for most users, turning off Automatic Updates is a recipe for disaster.
In fact, for most users, I would say that Linpus is more than enough; unless you have a specific app that you need to run, and it's only available for Windows/Mac OS, stick with the Linux setup.
It's all just my opinion, qualified by 10+ years corporate IT support. Take what you like and leave the rest...
 
Yes, it's the same the other way too (I had some Macs for a while). Probably why I have no Windows update issues is that I stopped using IE so long ago.
 
Hi!

I am also a Mac user and I loved it. One of the reason that I don't use a PC is that I don't like the way Microsoft do business, and I don't like their products because there are too many concerns especially virus. I am using a Mac mini(no money) and later I also purchases a Aspire One Linux version. There is Windows version out there but I still choose Linux one because: 1)I don't want to deal with virus 2)More expansive. 3)I just need a simple one with mobile use, Macbook seems to be too powerful. After all, AA1 fits my needs, it is ultra portable, and it's easy to use. Linux used to be difficult for normal users, but the Linux used in AA1 is customized by Acer so it is easy to use. There are software on the Acer's site for example, Skype and GIMP. But installing third party software other than those on Acer's site will be a little bit difficult. Normal use is OK, Office work, and also Internet browsing. The keyboard is not too small, and the resolution of the screen is so high that it is very clear. But I remind you, if you want to use a ultra portable computer comfortably, you should buy a Macbook Air rather than AA1, a full sized keyboard and a large screen will keep you eyes healthier. the Advantage of using the linux version over windows one is that you won't have to deal with virus and "windows" strange problems. Good luck buying, and Merry christmas!
 
Hey guys, CircuitCity has two models of the Aspire one, one of them is $299.99 now and has the small hard drive, the other is around $350 and has the larger hard drive. They both have 1GB of RAM.

Is the cheaper one with the smaller drive the Linux one?
 
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