UbuntuNetbookRemix is coming!

MarkShuttleworth has fulfilled his promise that Ubuntu has already begun to market outside of desktop PC. UbuntuNetbookRemix is coming! UbuntuNetbookRemix is designed specifically for portable laptops, that is, computers like EEEPC. UbuntuNetbookRemix is based on The GNOME desktop environment, but a new user interface (customized tumobileedition) is designed)

Mark Shuttleworth has fulfilled his promise that Ubuntu has already begun to market outside of desktop PC. Ubuntu Netbook Remix is coming!

Ubuntu Netbook Remix, designed specifically for portable laptops, that is, computers like EEE PCs. Ubuntu Netbook Remix is based on The GNOME desktop environment, but a new user interface (customized Ubuntu Mobile Edition) is designed. This interface replaces the desktop for application and startup and some system operations. For example

I think it is strange to be familiar with ordinary desktop users, because Netbook Remix will force the maximum number of started applications, and only one main form can be displayed on the screen at the same time. This leads to the strange layout of GIMP above.

Of course, because Netbook Remix is still under development, I believe everything will be solved when it is officially released.

If you are curious, do you want to play with this desktop? Follow these steps:

Installing Ubuntu Netbook Remix on Ubuntu hard 8.04

You may have heard of "Ubuntu Netbook Remix", a special edition of Ubuntu for so called "netbooks", which was showcased by Canonical at Computex.

A quick search revealed, that at this time it seems there isn't any kind of installation ISO or VirtualBox image of Netbook Remix available.

Fortunately, the Ubuntu Netbook Remix Team offers a Personal Package Archive (PPA) of their great work.

A word of warning about installation: The Ubuntu Netbook Remix packages change a lot of settings on Ubuntu hard, including session files and Nautilus setup. SoDO NOTInstall the packages on your regular desktop. It might be a good idea to install a Ubuntu hard VirtualBox image and use it to add Ubuntu Netbook Remix package to the default desktop.

After you prepared a virtual machine, installation if fairly easy:

1) Add the PPA to your sources list:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/netbook-remix-team/ubuntu hardy main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/netbook-remix-team/ubuntu hardy main

2) Update your system and install Ubuntu Netbook Remix:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install go-home-applet human-netbook-theme maximus ume-launcher window-picker-applet

3) After installation, you need to restart TPD:
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart

You shoshould now see a running UME-Launcher

If your theme didn't change automatically, please check your appearance settings. There's a new "human netbook theme" available.

There are still some graphical issues with the Netbook desktop, but it's usable right now.

It seems code for Netbook Remix is available at Launchpad.net.

I guess Netbook Remix will come with it's own installation ISO's and a lot of changes regarding the boot process and software selection, compared to"Common"Ubuntu hard Heron. But the Netbook Remix PPA offers a glimpse at current development.