On Linux the Nvidia GPU is the way to go for GEM. You could probably get acceptable performance for basic GEM use from the Acer, but what takes most of the CPU to do with the Intel GMA processor barely taxes a modern GPU. For example, I have measured performance between a MacBook/Mac Mini and MacBook Pro where the Pro was 40x faster because of the GPU!

There are netbooks with NV chips in them, but they cost a little more:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220385

cgc

On Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 11:58 AM, Ben Baker-Smith bbakersmith@gmail.comwrote:

I currently use a Macbook (OS 10.5) for all my PD patching. However, as I am primarily focused on using GEM for live video performance alongside musical groups, I am thinking about getting a second laptop for performances (to keep my Macbook safe).

I'm thinking of getting an Acer Aspire One netbook running linux.

I'd like to know the pros and cons of this.

-Will swapping patches between Mac OS and Linux be a problem (I'm guessing no, but I figured I'd ask)?

-I've heard of some problems with VGA out on Linux laptops, is this going to be an issue?

-Does the netbook have enough processing power for general GEM applications? I'm usually not dealing with video files, but rather particle generation, shape manipulation, GIF texturing, and audio-response. On my Macbook (2.0 GHz intel processor) the CPU meter always shows below 50% usage (of course, that's not to say that it doesn't freeze up and boot me out sometimes).

-Are there any other issues that you think of given this scenario? and if so, what other affordable/really-cheap laptops are there out there that I can run linux on? _______________________________________________ Pd-list@iem.at mailing list UNSUBSCRIBE and account-management -> http://lists.puredata.info/listinfo/pd-list

Ben Baker-Smith wrote:

-Does the netbook have enough processing power for general GEM applications? I'm usually not dealing with video files, but rather particle generation, shape manipulation, GIF texturing, and audio-response. On my Macbook (2.0 GHz intel processor) the CPU meter always shows below 50% usage

i think you can expect a pd patch wich runs at 50 percent on a 2 ghz dualcore machine, to use about 200 precent on the atom-cpu. my patches which need about 60 percent on my old pentium m, 1.4 ghz, use 130 percent on the a110.

-Are there any other issues that you think of given this scenario? and if so, what other affordable/really-cheap laptops are there out there that I can run linux on?

i would try to get a used intel notebook, if (small) size does not matter that much, and google if it is known to run linux well.

bis denn! martin