Comments on: Presto pre-OS released in beta, retail version on April 13th

By: davetweed

davetweed — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:00:10 +0000

There are command line and gui versions of package managers in just about every linux distribution. There are probably two reasons the myth about “package installation being command line only” persists: (i) Unfortunately when writing a blog post explaining how you installed some cool new thing it’s easier to paste command line fragments than do gui screenshots and describe what to select, which given these are what most web searches on a package will turn up is unfortunate; (ii) Some of the more advanced things, like recording a sequence of steps so it can be implemented on multiple machines, is pretty much only possible via the command line, and again many web-pages are interested in doing this sort of thing.

By: Albson38

Albson38 — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 06:41:09 +0000

I do tested it on viao p and it does not work : no gdlr..

By: Ben

Ben — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:30:52 +0000

Installing instant on software shouldn’t complicate any other instant OS as long as they are correctly installed to their respective partitions and have separate place on the boot table.

I tried installing Presto on the VAIO P, but unfortunately it isn’t installing correctly. Most likely an issue with Vista. Disappointing because I was hoping to see how quickly presto would boot on the fast SSD.

By: animatio

animatio — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 13:23:29 +0000

just to mention: it is possible to install apps from the asus eee apps center via presto installer too. e.g wine.

By: Techni

Techni — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:31:57 +0000

I just use hibernate

By: Techni

Techni — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:31:30 +0000

I’ve used a package manager before. Command line based programs are not suitable for UMPCs for starters, and calling them user-friendly is a joke.

By: yamete888

yamete888 — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:40:40 +0000

Ben: since the VAIO P also has this kinda instant-on feature from Sony, would installing presto, or any of the “instant-on” software screw up VAIO’s own?
Does the VAIO P come with a restore DVD that would restore everything (instant on feature, and OS) to factory defaults? thanks!

By: JP

JP — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:39:50 +0000

Well the successor of the BIOS aleady exists, it’s called EFI. That’s actually what the Intel-based Mac use. However all the other PC doesn’t use EFI and sticks with BIOS, so is it really ready?

I don’t know but EFI is in the works for a long time now…

However I don’t know if using EFI would allow a faster boot than BIOS or not…

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:33:08 +0000

A lot like Linpus QuickOS for the acer aspire one.

http://www.linux-netbook.com/video/linpus-quickos-on-acer-aspire-one

I hope it will support all of the one’s hardware.

By: John in Norway

John in Norway — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:57:00 +0000

You’re spot on there Son-of-Carpenter (or Son-of-Fish-and-chip-man). My OQO sits at the OQO start screen for at least a minute before it even remembers that there’s a BIOS to go through as well.

By: animatio

animatio — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:37:38 +0000

instant sleep/rewake works too. but – at least on my eee 904HA the fn wifi-button does not work. means: to have wifi as an option working, it must be active before you start presto. when active it is as easy to handle as jjk mentioned.

display: is turned off after about 15 sec without use of the computer.

an important note to the app store: if an install might crash it might corrupt the whole system – at least for a non-linuxer – because it crashes dependencies.
this might result in not beeing able to install further apps. for somebody without linux experience this means a new install.

By: animatio

animatio — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:59:16 +0000

once started the presto goes instantly into sleep and awakens within seconds again (lan incl. – wifi still has to be tested)

By: animatio

animatio — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:54:56 +0000

forgot to mention that it runs with a modified xfce4 desktop.
on an eee pc 1000xx/901/904xx the system is ready within about 10-15 secs.

By: animatio

animatio — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:43:20 +0000

actually it seems to be a xandros with most apps in the store basing on debian lenny (alike the eee xandros was a mixture out of x 3/4 and a basis on debian etch).
therefore all free linux apps are this way for an unexpiereinced user easily to install. underneath the presto “surface” you find the console and aptitude/pgk.
means any experienced linxer maight be able to install whatever application he likes.

By: Joff

Joff — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:18:27 +0000

You can get rid of the BIOS, QNX have done it on the Atom platform with their Fastboot:
http://emea.kontron.com/about-kontron/news-events/qnx+and+kontron+collaborate+on+first+biosless+instanton+platform+for+intel+atom+processors.3298.html

But this can only be achieved on known “non-changing” hardware, like in many embeded systems. And QNX produce their on OS, not running on Windows.

However, the BIOS is still needed in PCs (and MIDs/Netbooks) as the internal hardware can be changed be the user (e.g. newRAM modules, harddrive, etc).

I wonder if there is a solution to getting rid of the BIOS altogether but still be able to swap hardware components like RAM, drives?
Any ideas?