Slashdot Mirror
Installing Linux On ARM-Based Netbooks?
An anonymous reader writes "I am sure that many other Slashdotters have noticed an increase in ARM-based netbooks over the past several months. For example, the Augen E-Go. It is a widely touted theory that it is impossible to install Linux on one of these notebooks, replacing the commonly installed Windows CE operating system. The sub-$100 netbooks carry decent specs, including 533MHz ARM processor; 128MB DDR RAM; and a 2GB Flash drive, as well as most expected netbook components (USB, Wi-Fi, etc.). I find it hard to believe that a computer with these specs is impossible to hack and install Linux to, but Google searches have been largely unsuccessful in finding proper information. Do any Slashdot readers have experience in installing ARM Linux distros to these cheap netbooks like this? If so, what distros do they recommend?"
(In particular, I wonder if anyone can comment on Ubuntu on ARM.)
Has anyone written a post-boot kernel loader for Windows CE along the lines of LOADLIN.EXE? That would save a lot of people a lot of agony.
Sure it's a kludge. Not the kludge we need, but the kludge we deserve.
DRM: Terminator crops for your mind!
"should" is a weasel-word having no place in specs...
Evidently you've not read too many specifications, then, because it is absolutely nothing of the sort.
I think you'll find many, many specs not only use "should", "may", and other such words, they actually go to some lengths to provide precise (and useful) definitions for them before doing so.
(For those of you playing along at home: I've noticed that use of the term "weasel-word" is usually a cover for "I can't be arsed to do my homework, so I'll just parrot something I read on Wikipedia".)
Il n'y a pas de Planet B.