Best Netbook Unix Operating System

[Pong18]

Hi!

Been a while since i had the time to go online. missed all the fun here, guys! how long has it been for me? like a year or so? hehehe i have been busy with my job as an IT helpdesk for National Grid and found little time for myself. anyway, if you have time, I just got my hands on a Toshiba NB220 Netbook [intel atom 1.6g, 2gb ram, 128mb intel graphics 3-cell li-ion(lasts for like a bum 100mins+ on full power)] with Windows XP as it's default out of the box Operating System. I was sniffing on search engines for a while for which linux os would best fit it for learning and practicing penetration testing. i was thinking of back track 5 r2 but i remembered the last time tried it was not so successful for i had trouble configuring the ethernet and wireless and aborted the attempt and went back to ubuntu 11.04. i am currently downloading bt 5 r2 x86 gnome version. any of you guys have any suggestions? i always have loved how Gnome, nautilus, and ubuntu meet my preferences in style and usability, so if you know anything of the sort please comment it here. thanks! so glad to be back in suck-o!

[lilrofl]

I have Mandriva 2010 running on my netbook, currently with lxde desktop environment, it's a'ite, a little heavy for a netbook but the urpmi repository is solid for all of my needs and it's supported well.

BT is built off of slax so you can more then likely get all the drivers you need for your machine off of the slax site, to be honest though I've never really been fond of backtrack when compared to slax alone which is a nice netbook linux if you can get the wifi working lol.

Deft 7 is basic but good. it's a spin off of lubuntu so ymmv.

[Pong18]

hmm i haven't tried slax yet or haven't spent a lot of time off of it when i tried bt or maybe i got off on the wrong foot trying bt before. will it become confusing if you were used to ubuntu based linux systems? because in my 6 maybe 7 years in using linux i have only had the experience of using ubuntu and it's ubuntu-like derivatives, some slitaz, bt, and puppy. i guess my question would be how different is it? in your opinion will it be a tad difficult transition? thanks for you input btw. =)

[Pong18]

ok i think i have had too much to drink nowand can't organize a proper reply. i'll doze off for now, just comment in and i'll get back to it laterr. tthnsk!

[bad_brain]

I'm using Debian on my netbook (Toshiba NB200) with xfce desktop....after the install everything worked out of the box.
BT is nice, but when it's about stability there's nothing better than Debian, and in the Debian repositories you surely find 99% of the software installed on BT (ok, maybe not in the most recent version)....and that's the drawback with BT imo: you don't need a lot of the installed programs anyway. so I prefer a slim and fast Debian over a bloated BT.

[lilrofl]

that's the drawback with BT imo: you don't need a lot of the installed programs anyway. so I prefer a slim and fast Debian over a bloated BT.

the voice of reason... that's what I was trying to say

[Pong18]

i'm back! tough day at work. debian sounds like a good idea. while i was searching in the office earlier i have stumbled upon an OS called nUbuntu Formula One, so, i read up on it, basically it's an ubuntu derivative for penetration testing with the goal of making an ubuntu for pentesting, but upon checking i don't think it's an active distro, seeing that it's website is not even active at the moment (it's http://www.nubuntu.org btw if you wanna see for yourself). however i found a source where i can download it with current stable version 6.10 and an 8.12beta and it can be found here. i was wondering if any of you has tried it and if you can give feedback for it.

info on it can be found in wikipedia nUbuntu

[visser]

This is one of my favorite topic so I have to chime in here.

As BB mentioned BT is bloated with a lot of things you wouldn't normally need. While it has been ages and a half since I have touched that OS I remember that the last time I was installing it on a desktop we ended up getting backtrack to look exactly like Ubuntu but with a shit ton of programs already installed. This was done on accident but it still gets my point across: the version of backtrack we were using was really just a fancy Ubuntu.

So you could go with Ubuntu. Or the Ubuntu netbook remix has had a lot of promise.

About a year ago I was dating this big tittied brunette who absolutely loved a thing called "jolicloud" http://www.jolicloud.com/jolios and she had that shit on her netbook. I dont know if thats what you would want really as well, its for big tittied facebook loving women it seems. Regardless, I really liked the idea behind it.

Speaking of large breasts... Linux Mint is another way sexy operating system. Its based off of Ubuntu and therein based off of Debian. Its rocking the gnome3 desktop so I dont know how your netbook will like handling that sometimes unstable guy. Overall tho the OS itself runs pretty smooth and I really liked the feel of it. http://linuxmint.com/

The one that I really would recommend as of recent is arch linux. http://www.archlinux.org/ I would HIGHLY recommend that you research that one before jumping into that deep end. I go to a school where the NSA and the DOD higher a lot of our graduating network security students. Those students don't use backtrack, they use arch, hence why I heard about it. You have to build your entire OS from the ground up, but boy is it worth it!!! When you get your system running by the end of it not only do you know exactly what is running but you know how to control almost every aspect of your system. Its a GREAT learning experience. Just a thought.

and after that novel. back to cigs and code.

[Pong18]

Nyahahahahahaha I was ROFL with the bigtittied gooma you had! hahahahahahahaha i've tried the latest mint in my main PC and i didn't like it much in Gnome2 or Gnome3. for me linux mint is ubuntu with eye candy without experiencing the challenge of thinking up of a unique look for your OS. I've seen Arch but have not tried it yet, i heard that It was like Gentoo. arch would be nice if i think about, will it run smoothly on a 1.6ghz with 2gb ram? i haven't tried it yet so i ask if it will. NSA and DOD huh? though i have no plans on working for them it's a nice thought. hehe i want to learn and practice pentesting because i seek inner freedom of the mind. i will wait for your response since you the way you put is like you really love arch. thanks! i'll read up on arch.

[Pong18]

i'm currently reading up on the Arch Wiki! it's looking great so far. i'll read more but i think I'll go for Arch. basing on their definitions it's an elegant, minimalist approach to unix. and what i'm looking for right now is an elegant and minimalist system because i am a minimalist.

[visser]

Make sure you take some time to check into getting your system set up for a netbook as well.

There are a few things that are not enabled by default, even the desktop wont run at first boot. So things like battery manager, or your wireless netwroking, all have to be handled with an application that you are going to install. By the end of it you will be fairly efficient in linux.

[Pong18]

noted! i'll surely be careful during installation. I'm a take down the bull by it's balls type of guy not a take it down by it's horns. =) still reading up so i'll have knowledge on it. i'll try it this saturday. thanks!

[visser]

Yeah man hit me up if you have any questions or concerns.

That arch wiki is the coolest thing ever. So much time has been spent on that guy and its so worth it.

[Pong18]

i sure hope our schedules would meet this saturday taking into account were from opposite sides of the planet. hehehe. as for me, i don't sleep at all (except when i'm piss drunk) and i'll do it anytime saturday. thanks for offering a hand to help! =) it is very much appreciated.