Optimum Software Configuration for Netbook
Optimum Software Configuration for Netbook
I am about to buy a Netbook (Dell Mini 9) with 8GB SSD, wireless broadband, bluetooth and Win XP. Does anyone have any advice on the free apps I should consider loading up to keep the machine running safely, smoothly and not weighed down with unnecessary functionality? What's the best Windows compatible office suite to use and should I think about holding any software on a USB drive? Any advice gratefully received. Thanks.
Fairly straightforward Word, Excel and Powerpoint plus email and general web search and access. No fancy graphics, audio or video; no gaming. No major database activity.Drutt wrote:What sort of tasks are you going to be using it for? Web dev., graphics, word processing...
For office suites; there's Open Office, SoftMaker Office 2006 etc. Check the database for many separate solutions.
Well, four essential apps I always recommend friends and family to have (on USB at least) are:
CCleaner - file and registry clean up tool
Defraggler - defragmentation tool (or JkDfrag if they're tech. savvy)
Recuva - file recovery
KeePass Password Safe - secure password storage
They cover the necessities, everything else I consider extra.
Hope it helps.
CCleaner - file and registry clean up tool
Defraggler - defragmentation tool (or JkDfrag if they're tech. savvy)
Recuva - file recovery
KeePass Password Safe - secure password storage
They cover the necessities, everything else I consider extra.
Hope it helps.
Many thanks. Very helpful.Drutt wrote:Well, four essential apps I always recommend friends and family to have (on USB at least) are:
CCleaner - file and registry clean up tool
Defraggler - defragmentation tool (or JkDfrag if they're tech. savvy)
Recuva - file recovery
KeePass Password Safe - secure password storage
They cover the necessities, everything else I consider extra.
Hope it helps.
On a SSD, defragging won't matter. If nothing else, I recommend trying to use flash drives for portable programs and data storage as much as possible: that 8 GB SSD will really fill up fast, and good file management will help you get the most out of that machine.
Make sure you set temporary internet files to delete automatically when you close your browser, and set up and learn CCleaner to keep temp files from eating up your space (I say learn because you'll want to tweak settings so it doesn't delete any settings files).
As for Office, you could go with an older version of Microsoft Office (like, say, 2000) or one of the free alternatives (already mentioned).
Get a good hosts file and consider a software firewall (ZoneAlarm is my favorite, though it takes a bit of tweaking to reduce its performance impact). Anti-virus software would bring a netbook to its knees, so I advise against it; instead make sure to keep Windows and your browser of choice patched up to date, and really, just browse wisely and you can be safe.
With such a small drive, you may also want to disable system restore, as useful as it can be if managed right. =/
After you get everything working, consider making a backup copy of the drive on another computer for recovery purposes.
Queue
Make sure you set temporary internet files to delete automatically when you close your browser, and set up and learn CCleaner to keep temp files from eating up your space (I say learn because you'll want to tweak settings so it doesn't delete any settings files).
As for Office, you could go with an older version of Microsoft Office (like, say, 2000) or one of the free alternatives (already mentioned).
Get a good hosts file and consider a software firewall (ZoneAlarm is my favorite, though it takes a bit of tweaking to reduce its performance impact). Anti-virus software would bring a netbook to its knees, so I advise against it; instead make sure to keep Windows and your browser of choice patched up to date, and really, just browse wisely and you can be safe.
With such a small drive, you may also want to disable system restore, as useful as it can be if managed right. =/
After you get everything working, consider making a backup copy of the drive on another computer for recovery purposes.
Queue
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dennis123123
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:44 pm
virtual drives and desktops
VIRTUAL DRIVES
You won't have a DVD drive and you won't have a way to use disc dependent software (video games etc) without
using virtual drives or hauling a DVD drive as big or bigger than your PC
A few are in the database just try them, but I recommend "Virtual CDRom Control Panel" http://portablefreeware.com/?id=624
See Micro$oft for a free and unsupported installable to do this as well.
VIRTUAL DESKTOPS
You can always use alt,tab to switch running applications. Because of the small screen I recommend a virtual desktop program.
I recommend Boss Key and Yodm3d or the alt,tab method.
Boss Key http://portablefreeware.com/?id=158
Yodm3d http://portablefreeware.com/?id=1286
See Micro$oft for a free and unsupported installable to do this as well.
RECOMMENDED
I recommend installing FireFox and the AdblockPlus add-on (Screen space saver etc), 7zip, OpenOffice.Org, and the KMPlayer.
SCREEN SPACE
I would also recommend setting each and every program to increase available usable screen space.
(eliminate unused tools and icons as well as functional duplicates for other tool bars and icons etc)
In Fire fox as noted on a previous post I have optimized its display area for my needs.
Fire Fox optimized for me
You won't have a DVD drive and you won't have a way to use disc dependent software (video games etc) without
using virtual drives or hauling a DVD drive as big or bigger than your PC
A few are in the database just try them, but I recommend "Virtual CDRom Control Panel" http://portablefreeware.com/?id=624
See Micro$oft for a free and unsupported installable to do this as well.
VIRTUAL DESKTOPS
You can always use alt,tab to switch running applications. Because of the small screen I recommend a virtual desktop program.
I recommend Boss Key and Yodm3d or the alt,tab method.
Boss Key http://portablefreeware.com/?id=158
Yodm3d http://portablefreeware.com/?id=1286
See Micro$oft for a free and unsupported installable to do this as well.
RECOMMENDED
I recommend installing FireFox and the AdblockPlus add-on (Screen space saver etc), 7zip, OpenOffice.Org, and the KMPlayer.
SCREEN SPACE
I would also recommend setting each and every program to increase available usable screen space.
(eliminate unused tools and icons as well as functional duplicates for other tool bars and icons etc)
In Fire fox as noted on a previous post I have optimized its display area for my needs.
I have removed the status bar the bookmark bar and the redundant Icons which duplicate functions in the explorer bar
I have also reset my Icons to small and no text
I then added the open tab icon and set the Tab bar to show only in use
I finally removed the flexible space next to the explorer bar so I could put the search bar there making the search bar and the address bar much larger
I further use Adblockplus with the filters EasyList,and EasyPrivacy which collapse Ad areas saving usable screen space.To clean it up further I might try removing the search bar and putting everything left on a single line then setting the task bar to hide either
with full screen mode or by editing the registry to lock it while hidden in the hidden position but I like my present configuration just fine
Fire Fox optimized for me
additionally
You should probably Install and use up to a 16GB SD card from http://www.supermediastore.com/securedi ... -16gb.html
( I recommend supermediastore.com for 'cheap' Flash drives and SD Cards)
You can leave it in and set up your favorite portable apps with your favorite Launcher/Menu
I Recommend P Start as a very good start menu (my favorite)
With anything over 1GB you could start evaluating portable applications by trying some of the compilations found on the links page and else where.
Try these preloaded launchers:
Lupo PenSuite http://www.lupopensuite.org/index.htm
winPenPack http://www.winpenpack.com/main/news.php
Kitchen Sink http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dmg8ntv_10dmmks4
PortableApps http://portableapps.com/
and many more are available just try the links page and search google etc
( I recommend supermediastore.com for 'cheap' Flash drives and SD Cards)
You can leave it in and set up your favorite portable apps with your favorite Launcher/Menu
I Recommend P Start as a very good start menu (my favorite)
With anything over 1GB you could start evaluating portable applications by trying some of the compilations found on the links page and else where.
Try these preloaded launchers:
Lupo PenSuite http://www.lupopensuite.org/index.htm
winPenPack http://www.winpenpack.com/main/news.php
Kitchen Sink http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dmg8ntv_10dmmks4
PortableApps http://portableapps.com/
and many more are available just try the links page and search google etc