We're actually pretty high on HP's
Mini 1000 Mi Edition, which trades in XP for a custom Ubuntu build with a slick, polished interface, and it looks like early Mini 1000 owners can now
get in on the action as well -- a Mi Edition installer will soon available for download. If you're currently running Mi Edition or know someone who is, you can actually build an installer flash drive right now, but we'd wait for the official Windows-based utility to appear in the next few days. No guarantees that HP's Mi Edition installers work with any non-Mini 1000 machines out there, but given the proliferation of drivers and tools for hacking OS X onto various netbooks, we're definitely hoping the community takes to hacking the much more open Mi Edition the same way.
[Via
Download Squad]
posted Feb 5th 2009 7:03AM
Looks awesome!!! but if I get that netbook, it gets the windows 7 treatment....
All my recent experience with ubunbu (7.10, 8.04 and 8.10) been dreadful.
Unless you score a 45-50 on this test...
http://i.gizmodo.com/5142331/gsat-the-geek-social-aptitude-test
...you probably don't have the time to deal with the obnoxious geekfest that is Linux.
Is this already available as a live cd?
I might put this on my mini 2133
I'm really impressed that not only is HP making it easy to customise their netbooks, they're also making the benefits of their software available to everyone (apt-get glassy-bleu-theme). More companies should be like this!
Looks very HP-ey
hmmm. Its a tough call between XP or Mi
XP is good and all, but Mi is sooo simple
Is the linux community listening?
This is people want -- a user friendly operating system that's free. There is no reason Linux can't be as easy to use as Mac OS X or Windows.... It just doesn't seem to be the focus of the linux community.
Yes I've use Ubuntu and all the other major distros...
Couldn't agree more.
Step one: Gnome? KDE? I DON'T CARE, PICK ONE AND UNIFY AROUND IT.
Step 2: 300 minesweepers? No! REAL APPS
Step 3: filing bug-reports? No! FIX THOSE OTHER 65000 FIRST
Step 4: 25 half-arsed wikis to document work-arounds for OSS and ALSA? No! MAKE A REAL API/ABI
Did you re-read this before posting?
Looks nice!
I have been using MIE on my HP Mini 1000 mi for a few days now, and I must say, its really pretty slick. I wish it was slightly more customizable (I would love an rss feed down the right instead of the picture and music browser, and get rid of HP Mediastyle, replace it with a UI designed for mouse input, the use of a 10ft interface is really stupid on a netbook). I hope that they release the source for this as well, because it has such potential, with a little tweaking it would could easily be the easiest and nicest looking system out there. HP also needs to crank up speed on approving applications for use in the installer (I don't mind using synaptic, which is available, but I am sure there are many people out there that would be a little intimidated).
For one horrible moment I thought you said you were using ME on your computer, as in Windows Millennium Edition. I nearly vomited.
Why would this need to be hacked to run on other netbooks ?
It looks like just a large phone screen and I already have a phone.
I'll wait for Win7 and run that on a netbook instead.
DO WANT
DAMN They made Ubuntu Pretty!!!! (no, sorry fanboys, it wasn't before)
and it being HP, hopefully they'll make it so that programs wont randomly shut down and shit, and the drivers'll work, so you wont have to go edit some lame config file through terminal
I wouldn't mind dual booting between this and Windows XP. Better yet, if you could leverage the virualization technology of something like HyperSpace and switch back and forth between the two. That would be killer.
It's probably possible to dual boot this...I would hope. This would seem nice for class and being on campus for quick access...
This would make a great dual booting machine.
As much as I want to love this laptop, the lack of a 6-cell option is a real deal killer for me :(
You can get a 6cell for the mini 1000, but its insanely expensive, like $160 expensive, not worth it for a system that starts at $329
I was thinking the same before I picked one up. With the 3 cell, I'm getting approx. 2 1/2 hours with wifi/bluetooth enabled doing browsing, music, etc. Nothing too intensive. The 6 cell that's available is ludicrously overpriced IMO and it's kind of buried on HP's site. I'm hoping when they come out with a more commercialized version, we'll see it for less than $160 or so that they're charging right now. Other than the lack of the 6 cell though, I think the mini is an excellent netbook for most needs. And the 92% full size keyboard is really nice.
You can fluff up Linux all you want but it's not going to satisfy the end user when they find out they can't just start using their favorite IM program or that new DOCX file they received won't open in OpenOffice. Windows 7 is the future for devices like this one.
DOCX works just fine in OpenOffice 3. And Pidgin is great!
It's hilarious when people try to bad mouth Linux by giving great examples of things Linux actually does better than Windows. Out of the box on a Windows install you can't open docx or do multi-protocol IM. You can't on these Linux netbooks. The ironing is delicious.
usually people are more upset when the Microsoft Office trail that they get on their new computers stops working, that's when I refer them to OpenOffice.org
mmmm, "ironing"
So, has someone got the Ubuntu command line working yet? I seem to recall that being disabled in the Mi Edition.
the command line isn't disabled, you are free to open a terminal any time you want. HP is advertising that the command line is disabled to make people feel less afraid of Linux.
The command line is there, the "disabled" thing HP had on their product page was misleading and probably cost them sales.
Not only can you activate a "root terminal" in the add/remove apps control panel, you can Alt-F2 to a standard gnome launcher and run gnome-terminal from there.
I have to say, I'm kinda psyched about this. I already have Win7 running on my mini and i'm really enjoying it. Might have to try to get this on it and dual boot between this and Win7. Has anyone tried this out with any success?
You can get the harbor-launcher package here:
http://dell-mini.archive.canonical.com/dists/hardy-hpmini/restricted/
Most of the files are in /usr/share/harbour-launcher on the Mini and it runs off glade-3 so /usr/share/harbour-launcher/glade/harbour-launcher.glade is probably the key file you'd be looking at if you wanted to customize the dashboard interface. I took a quick peek but haven't played around too much yet.
All said, though it certainly looks nice, I'm finding the dashboard (ie "Mi") interface kind of useless. The center portion is useful in that I can jump to frequent sites real quickly but the left side depends on Thunderbird for mail notification/status so if you use a webmail interface, it's not as meaningful (and it doesn't seem to work right with IMAP anyway).
The right side is similarly pointless, at least for me, since I'm not storing photos/music/videos on my 8GB unit (which has less than 2GB free out of the box).
Hopefully, either HP or some enterprising soul will provide details on making this all more customizable - RSS feeds are the immediate idea, but something like Mac OS X's dashboard with loads of 3rd party widgets would be ideal.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?s=9aaf291a2d550d216a76a2f01ffb0ee6&p=6663594&postcount=2
theme
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqkMNReGaJs
video explaining the home button for the interface
http://www.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/hp_mini_1000_with_mie_3.jpg
a big image of the mini with Mi
I don't know where or what they are using for the HP Mobile Internet interface launcher, but it looks cool
@Beastage
Looks awesome!!! but if I get that netbook, it gets the windows 7 treatment....
All my recent experience with ubunbu (7.10, 8.04 and 8.10) been dreadful.
Where to begin?
You think Ubuntu is bad?
Have a look at these Windows 7 luvva:
This is a Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex w/ Gnome-Do and Compiz Fusion running on a Macbook Pro
1. http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/vv268/savvman/ubuntu2.png
2. http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/vv268/savvman/ubuntu1.png
--------
@AVG
Unless you score a 45-50 on this test...
http://i.gizmodo.com/5142331/gsat-the-geek-social-aptitude-test
...you probably don't have the time to deal with the obnoxious geekfest that is Linux.
For a little trouble learning something new, and a little bit of effort you can have an amazing free operating system with free software... Yeah, that's obnoxious alright. Maybe you like spending $200 and up for an OS that is full of bad code like Windows, and be lazy, stupid, and a bigot to boot.
For those who think they will dual boot this with Windows, think again.
By default, the installer overwrites everything on your hard drive, so there's no simple way to dual boot this with Windows.
This is great if controlled by a remote, but with a mouse it is hugely inefficient and annoying to use.
It also offers no internet based media options.
If you are going to go through the effort of learning a new OS, and getting all the benefits, go with Linux. Here are a few great suggestions.
1. Mandriva
2. OpenSUSE
3. Ubuntu or Kubuntu (Gnome or KDE respectively)
Give Linux a try, it's easier than you think and you can test run the os from the CD before installing.
savvman
So many linux bashers? I tell people linux is really simple -- burn the live cd, boot from it. If everything works install it. If something you need doesn't work -- try another distro or try again in 6 months. It's really that simple. If you're just starting keep it simple and use WUBI (windows ubuntu installer) by putting the ubuntu cd in your computer while windows is running.
And if what you want is eyecandy -- then get www.linuxmint.com its a version of ubuntu that gets polished for a little bit longer and errs more on the side of simple & pretty.
Usually if your computer is 6 months or older the most recent version of linux (fedora, ubuntu, mandriva, suse, archlinux are all good choices) will support all your stuff out the gate much easier than windows (with its, update this, install this driver, reboot nightmare).
installed on my compaq desktop and works flawlessly except i just have to configure the wired connection but seems to be an easy fix
i've downloaded the Mi Linux version, but cannot install programs beyond the add/remove programs.
anyone know how to do this? looks like HP has it locked down...