Best Linux distro for MSI Wind U110?

[Stat-K]

I have an Intel GMA 500 and driver support is iffy plus when I installed ubuntu netbook remix, it only runs in desktop mode not netbook mode. Plus I cant control the brightness with the MSI hotkeys. What do you guys think? Any suggestions would be awesome, thanks .

Cheers
Joey

[Hal343]

A little research led me to this:
http://www.happyassassin.net/2009/01...youre-screwed/
which explains the problem with Ubuntu Netbook remix.

[Stat-K]

A little research led me to this:
.

Well as far as I know JoliCloud has a native driver for the GMA 500 built in, should I just go with that for now?

[reed9]

Ubuntu does have support for the GMA500 now. (EDIT: But you have to install the drivers.)

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupp...oCardsPoulsbo/

[Hal343]

If their driver works, I would go with that for now, because many of the comments below the rant I posted above mentioned that the driver didn't work on many different different linux distros. In the future, someone may fix the driver.
I guess reed9 and I were posting at the same time. I would check out his information.

[Stat-K]

Ahhh yes I saw that website and followed the directions for
PSB drivers


"Drivers are available in the gma500 PPA repository for Maverick, Lucid, Karmic, Jaunty and Intrepid. With the note that Jaunty and Intrepid versions are no longer supported and guaranteed to work.

Open a terminal and type:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gma500/ppa && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install poulsbo-driver-3d
reboot for the changes to take effect.

Note: remember to perform after a version upgrade the commands in the terminal again to update to the gma500 packages matching your Ubuntu version."



The only thing was that I wasnt really impressed with the flash video performance versus windows 7 with recent drivers. I'm a total noob to linux and I have no idea how to install anything. would installing those alternate flash plug ins at the bottom help?

[reed9]

The only thing was that I wasnt really impressed with the flash video performance versus windows 7 with recent drivers. I'm a total noob to linux and I have no idea how to install anything. would installing those alternate flash plug ins at the bottom help?

Flash performance on linux is sub-par regardless. First, as with most proprietary software, linux is not a high priority for the Adobe. Second, for a variety of reasons (which in many cases also boils down to companies not putting much effort towards supporting linux), flash is unable to utilize hardware acceleration under linux, while it does in Windows. (I believe, though, the exception is if you're using an nvidia graphics card with their proprietary driver.)

[Stat-K]

Flash performance on linux is sub-par regardless. First, as with most proprietary software, linux is not a high priority for the Adobe. Second, for a variety of reasons (which in many cases also boils down to companies not putting much effort towards supporting linux), flash is unable to utilize hardware acceleration under linux, while it does in Windows. (I believe, though, the exception is if you're using an nvidia graphics card with their proprietary driver.)

Poop... lol well I'm glad I know now before I went and installed a billion linux distros trying to figure out which one is best. Thank you for all your help though everyone, I'm sure i'll have some other noob problem soon.

(already have one lol) is there any chance that the hot keys for brightness and sound work in linux for my msi wind? or is there a way to change the brightness in the control panel somewhere?

[reed9]

Both sound and brightness keys ought to work ought of the box if you're using either GNOME or KDE as a desktop environment. At least, the Arch Wiki for the MSI Wind 120 indicates the kernel recognizes them ought of the box. That should be the same with any current distro it's unlikely the 110 would be different in this regard. (Hotkeys will work in non-GNOME or KDE environments, but won't necessarily be mapped for you.)

[MASONTX]

Other distro's you might try are easypeasy, peppermint, and AntiX.