(K)ubuntu @ Asus Eee PC 1001HA - request for advise.

[Dotan Cohen]

> Two questions in this context.
>
> Question 1. What means here 'composting window managers'?
>

Compiz, or Kwin effects.


> Question 2. Is there anything I can do in the longer run to help
> contributing to the development of a more power-economic Kubuntu/ KDE
> - in a way doable for me taking into account my still limited and
> modest Linux experience?

File bugs! Perform tests with powertop and report your experience. You
might want to check out the Phonorix forums for some help, there are
some real gurus there and power economy seems to be on-topic there.


> If so, do I need to take into account what our neighbours working at
> OpenSuse have found out regarding power consumption and KDE4 - at the
> forum indicated by you today in this thread?
>

No, perform your own tests on your own equipment.


> Another option I am considering with a view to contributing to a
> power-economic Kubuntu, is to carry out comparative experiments with 3
> operating systems at the same netbook:
> the WIN7 OS coming with the netbook, for the time being at a separate partition;
> Kubuntu Karmic netbook remix at another partition - installed in the
> way advised by some others who haver contributed to this thread;
> some different Linux distro - either inside 'Virtualbox' within
> Kubuntu, or at a separate partition. This third distro could be
> Xubuntu or Moblin.
> Could such comparative experiments be useful?
>

If the distros are running on the hardware (not virtualized) then it
could be interesting. But the only real useful information would be a
definitive statement such as "XYZ application draws excessive power
under ABC conditions". Powertop will help you figure that out.


>> often gets the better battery life. Using a composting windows manager
>> in Windows can will reduce it's battery life to closer to Linux's, and
>> disabling composing can increase Linux's battery life.
> What means here: 'to compose a window'?
>

I do not know why they chose the word Composting. In Hebrew we call it
"spun" in the sense of thread being created from cotton. I'm sure that
there is a technical reason for the name, try wikipedia. In any case,
to disable it you would disable the Compiz or Kwin effects.


> After getting started with the netbook, I will keep this forum posted
> about my battery experience - with a view to evaluating the
> interaction between Kubuntu and the specific battery I will work with.
>

Thanks! CC me.

>> The powertop application
>> can help the user figure out where his battery life is going.
>
> Final question for now. "Powertop application": from Kubuntu at
> previous laptops I remember a kind of battery icon at the panel. It
> indicated the power used and still available.  Is that the application
> you are aiming at?
>

No, I mean this gem:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powertop
http://www.lesswatts.org/projects/powertop/


-- 
Dotan Cohen

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http://gibberish.co.il

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