Fedora brings out special platform for netbook

The Fedora Mini is based on Moblin

Intel engineers at a Linux Plumbers Conference last year modified versions of Fedora and Intel's own Moblin Linux on a SSD equipped Eee PC. The netbook booted (after the modifications) in 5 seconds to a window manager (idle CPU and disk afterwards). The changes were then sent back to the Moblin and Fedora trunks.

Not sure if that has any influence on this, but recently Fedora has developed a version optimized for netbooks called Fedora Mini. It incorporates elements of Moblin Linux, to make it ideal for computers with low configurations such as small, low resolution screens and Intel Atom or Via processors. It also supports the Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs). It could over time be expanded to also cover things such as Set Top Boxes (STBs).

Fedora Mini is still in the alpha testing stage and whoever is already testing Fedora Constantine alpha or rawhide, can install Fedora by typing ‘yum groupinstall “Moblin Desktop Environment”‘into a terminal window. When next logging in or booting the computer he just has to select Moblin User Experience at login – as reported by Liliputing.

Fedora Mini supports a wide range of Intel Atom processors as well as Intel Celeron M (Dothan), Via C7-M, and AMD Geode LX processors. Liliputing also points out that while Intel GMA 900 and 950 graphics are supported, GMA 500 graphics are not.

It can be noted that Moblin, originally supporting Atom powered mobile internet devices (MIDs), has recently released a Linux platform for netbooks. Moblin is currently in the Alpha stage and netbook owners are being encouraged to give it a try. They will be releasing the MID version in 2010.