[ubuntu-uk] Netbook Ubuntu v. plain Ubuntu

[Rob Beard]

On 04/02/11 21:22, Dianne Reuby wrote:
> A friend has asked me to look at her husbands netbook, which is running
> Linux. He bought it from Tesco two years ago, so I think it probably
> *is* Ubuntu.
>

It could also be Linpus (if it's an Acer) or one of the many other 
distros.  IIRC the only Netbooks I've seen with Ubuntu installed were 
Toshibas or Dells.

> His problems are mainly that it doesn't recognise USB devices when
> they're plugged in, and it downloads updates but doesn't install them.
> He wants to do more than email and web browsing, which is all he feels
> he can do at the moment (it has shortcuts on the desktop for email and
> firefox).
>
> If it's two years old, and he hasn't upgraded, will it be pre-Unity? As
> I've never used a netbook, only Ubuntu on desktops and laptops, will I
> be able to find my way around it?
>

I'd hazard a guess it is pre-unity.  It's probably a good idea to find 
out if it is Ubuntu first.  If it is (or isn't) you can always boot off 
an Ubuntu USB stick and copy his data off (maybe on to a separate stick 
for good measure) and then reinstall a fresh copy of Ubuntu (maybe give 
him the option to try Ubuntu Netbook and the standard version of Ubuntu 
to see what he prefers.

> She thinks his cunning plan is to break it so he can buy a new one, but
> I don't want to be the one that breaks it! :)

So cunning that he'll end up with a netbook with a cut down copy of 
Windows 7 on it most probably :-o

Rob