Many mainstream Linux distributions like Fedora, Ubuntu, and Mandriva provide support for popular netbook models. Consequently, they run on your little companion pretty much right out of the box. However, the desktop metaphor that works so well on conventional PCs and laptops doesn't translate very well to the netbook computer.

Why? Because netbooks are designed for radically different usage scenarios. Realizing that, developers have been trying to build an alternative interface that would provide quick access to key applications and let you operate your netbook with a minimum of effort.

The Easy Mode of the original Asus Eee PC 701 was a first attempt to replace the conventional desktop with a more efficient interface. The Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR) goes a step further and provides a sleek interface that fits perfectly with the netbook philosophy. In fact, the UNR interface works so well that you might wonder what else can be done to improve it. Quite a lot, actually, and the Jolicloud distribution [1] is set to prove that.

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