[ubuntu-uk] Netbook Ubuntu v. plain Ubuntu

[alan c]

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.
>
> 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?
>
> 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! :)

Easiest whatever to make a couple of live USB sticks, 10.04 netbook, 
and 10.10 netbook, run them each live and check everything works, then 
suggest a reinstall of something modern. !0.04 netbook (will have lots 
of updates) is a fairly benign netbook interface, so you will escape 
unity until the dust settles

If he *wants* a new one, then maybe don't swim against the tide *too* 
much, just offer to install Ubuntu anyway, and they will see the old 
one is probably good competition for an expensive and potentially 
troublesome, new one......
-- 
alan cocks
Ubuntu user