On Mon, Mar 16, 2009 at 09:18:54AM -0500, Ben Baker-Smith wrote:

The point of looking into the netbook was as an affordable piece of hardware that wouldn't cost me as much to replace if it got busted up / stolen at a show. If I was looking to find the optimal system I would, of course, be looking elsewhere.

ah ..well but may be you could apply other techniques of theft prevention - like make it look on so shiny - i mean put stickers all over the place ..

You don't think GEM will run on a netbook? Even if it's got an independent graphics card (of course, that kinda squashes the "cheap" factor) ? Also, do you have any experience using GEM or are you just hating? Sorry, have to ask. Since you didn't actually offer any advice in your response I just don't know.

-Ben

no, i'm really quite an audio person, but i know how much the graphics take. there such accelerated video cards that you can plug exteranly - those machines (like accer one or eeepc) don't have anything apart from usb (!) my friend got a decent laptop for graphics (live vj'ing he does) and that costed hi over a thousand quid (may be even 1500something). the brand is ROCK (they are no so famoust but apparently very good) that has got like 1024meg of video ram ;) you probaly don't need to get something like that unless you really can aford it ;) may be you could instead get a cheapish pc (like mini- or pico- ATX) and install good pic-express graphics card in that .. also you can make a case like these ones - http://audiopint.org/ that would prevent it from being stolen (presuming that the duedes are particularly after lappies and such stuff that looks good for a quick dodgy sale). yeah.. cause if you consider any other laptop capable for that graphics stuff, you'd have to go for a big fancy machine (like a one which would suite a gamer), and that is obviously the winner from the point of view of the thiefs!

also keep in mind that good graphics need more power and better cooling :)

this looks quite good - http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS4076168220.html

i do look at small boards lately, but the market is too rapid and i'm not buying one now.. i plan to make some machines like the audiopint dude did ;)

cheers, hope this helps,