Moblin: Radically Different Netbook Distro

Small Wonder

© Yang MingQi, 123RF

© Yang MingQi, 123RF

Article from Issue 109/2009
Author(s):

This alternative desktop is designed specifically for computers harboring Intel's Atom processor.

Almost all currently available netbooks have one thing in common: They are powered by Intel's Atom processor designed specifically for low-cost, ultra-portable devices. To help hardware manufacturers and users get the most out of machines based on the new processor, Intel launched the Moblin project [1], a Linux-based operating system heavily optimized for the Atom chip. The goal of the project is not only to build an OS that boots and works fast, but also to design a radically new and more efficient interface. Although it was conceived by Intel, the Moblin project is now managed by the Linux Foundation. Moblin is still in beta, but it's pretty usable and gives a good impression of what you can expect from this new distribution.

Getting Started

Moblin is distributed as an image file that you can directly write to a USB stick by running as root:

dd bs=4096 if=path/to/imagefile of=/path/to/usbdrive

[...]

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