OS for netbooks

Computer and Notebooks have evolved over the past few years. The use of applications are now internet centric. A couple of days back a friend of mine spoke to me about an OS for netbooks - Jolicloud. He said its similar to iPad and good support for drivers. I decided to give it a try. 

Jolicloud is a linux based OS, with simple GUI for netbooks. The OS has quite a lot of promise and has a smaller footprint. Now a thought struck me, can I run Jolicloud in a VM on my powerful desktop. Btw, I own a Phenom II X4 965 with 8 GB of DDR3 1600 RAM. 

Here are the steps.

1. Register in Jolicloud

2. Download the .ISO torrent for Jolicloud, not the Windows installer

3. Download the actual Jolicloud using the torrent. 

4. Download SUN's opensource VM solution Virtualbox.

5. Install Virtual box.

6. Open Virtualbox, 

7. Click Add New (to create a new VM). Hit Next

9. Give a name for the VM and select Linux and Other Linux, Hit Next

10. Select Base memory - 256 MB would be sufficient. 512 MB will be adequate.

11. In Virtual Hard disk screen, Check Boot Hard disk and select Create new hard disk. Hit next. Hit next again

12. Select Fixed or Dynamic storage, Fixed is good for experimental purpose (10GB should do). For Dynamic, select 5 GB, the VM manager will expand the size as required. beyond 5 GB. Hit Next

13. Click Finish.

14. Click Start. Hit next.

15. Its time to select the ISO file, Click on the folder icon.

16. Click Add icon, navigate to Jolicloud's iso and select Open.

17. Click Select

18. Click Next

19. In Summary screen, click Finish.

20. You will get the Jolicloud installer. Select your language.

21. Select Install

22. Go through the installation steps (they are simple), In prepare disk space, select use the entire disk.

23. Click Restart now.

24. Click Machine -> Close and Select power off machine.

25. Change boot order now, Settings, System, make Hard Disk as first bootable option. Click OK

26. Start the VM

27. OS comes up, Click Start, Define model - Desktop, Other, VM, Click Next

28. Give computer name, Click Close

29. Install update and App Sync.

30. You are done.

 

Jolicloud is a very good neat option for today's requirement.