HP Mini 1000mi

"Linux command line interface is disabled on this edition."

I am relatively new to Linux. If the command line interface is disabled, does this mean I will not be able to install additional linux software, if otherwise compatible with the underlying Ubuntu?

I am specially interested in this HP because I can have a 16GB SSD, 2GB Ram, and even get bluetooth in a small lightweight notebook. I do want all the hardware: webcam, microphone, WiFI.

Is the command line interface necessary to add software?

Is there a way to make the command line interface enabled, if required to install additional Ubuntu-flavor linux compatible software?

And is any linux software also compatible?

 

Yeah, it looks like they've disabled all access to the terminal in HP's customized Ubuntu distribution called Mi, there's details here and here. You should still be able to install software packages with some sort of graphical interface.

 

The first link you provided referred to a review of the hardware and software.

The review is by Perry Longinotti.

newsID=4818 is at the end of the URL.

In that review, the writer reports you can get the command line with Fn+F2

Huh? Is it true?

 

I'm not really sure, but what they probably mean is the default 'Run Application' window for Gnome, which is Alt+F2, maybe it's bound to Fn+F2 instead. So from there you can type gnome-terminal probably to get to the terminal. They just disable all access to it from the user interface, I guess.

 

I wish I knew enough about linux to know if I need the command line to install applications to try out and see if they are useful and handy.

I am not certain if a .rar is a "software package".

 

It seems, HP has nothing more than a "splash screen" and a "shell".

 

You should be able to get to the console, based on what they said in that review, by typing gnome-terminal at the Run Application window (which you get to with either Alt+F2 or Fn+F2). A .rar generally isn't a software package for linux, Ubuntu uses a package format called .deb. In the regular version of Ubuntu there is a graphical interface to install these packages, so it's probably similar in HP's customized version. Even if they do hide the console, it doesn't sound that hard to work around. You may even be able to add the menu shortcut for it yourself.

 

Thank you.

I guess I am getting ready to find out.

I want to have a SSD linux notebook.

The other one I am looking at is the Gecko.

 

What is the Gecko?

 

I can't find it right now, but just read an article yesterday that criticized HP for devising their own dumbed-down interface. The article compared the HP to someone else's netbook that was running an unadulterated install of Ubuntu Remix or whatever it's called.
I can see where HP would want something with their name on it, but it sounds like they went to far.

 

You can still access the terminal from the Mi interface: http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/02/04/hp-releases-netbook-interface-for-ubuntu/

 

OK, ConnieD, just go ahead and buy it, then give us a report, OK?

I think I saw something (on Engadget?) yesterday where someone had taken the HP download and installed it to some other netbook and it ran fine.

There's something new and interesting every day in the Linux world!!