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The advantages of programming on a small netbook

ianso.blogspot.com

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Re: The advantages of programming on a small netbook

#41

Post by jah »

Retort

I had horrific problems with the keyboard on my 1st gen EEE PC, so make sure you get a chance to demo the netbook of your choice before blowing $400 bucks. The right shift key is terribly placed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ASUS_Eee_PC_900_0010.JPG) - you reach for shift and you end up hitting the up arrow. Sure you can remap the keys, but this design decision is indicative of the overall quality of the keyboard. The _biggest_ problem was that various keys randomly ignored input. Hit the spacebar 10 times, you'd be lucky to get have it register 10 times. Try coding in vim with a keyboard that may or may not let you into insert mode. Maybe I just got a dud, but the EEE PC message boards suggests other users experienced similar issues.

I used that netbook exclusively for 6 months before giving up. Now it's my $400 Playstation 1 emulator :-/

Re: The advantages of programming on a small netbook

#42

Post by dminor »

rubinelli wrote: post #34
ianso wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Compared to Eclipse, it is :-)

A fully loaded Eclipse (or one of IBM's mammoth IDEs, no idea they call them now) can take 1GB, but the bare-bones Java profile is almost snappy.

Indeed - I used my eeepc for some Eclipse Android development and it worked quite well.

Re: The advantages of programming on a small netbook

#43

Post by xtho »

hugh3 wrote: post #29
strebler wrote: post #28

"I can code in a crowded bar" Bars aren't for coding, put down the computer.

If I can drink in the office, I don't see any reason why this guy shouldn't be able to code in a bar.

Well, maybe different people who live in different countries on different continents have different ideas of what a bar is. Where I live you don't go to a bar to drink although you usually drink something when you're in a bar.

But then ... maybe you work at a bar? You didn't describe your office.

Re: The advantages of programming on a small netbook

#44

Post by ianso »

ashishbharthi wrote: post #39

The bottom line is you are screwing your EYES. Use netbook keyboard if you like it so much but don't punish your eyes by using that photo frame like screen for java programming.

I normally don't use it for more than 20 minutes at a time, so I'm not too worried about this. I'm still waiting for AR - my dream screen is contact lenses with embedded displays floating over my retinas :-)

Re: The advantages of programming on a small netbook

#45

Post by ianso »

dminor wrote: post #42
rubinelli wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A fully loaded Eclipse (or one of IBM's mammoth IDEs, no idea they call them now) can take 1GB, but the bare-bones Java profile is almost snappy.

Indeed - I used my eeepc for some Eclipse Android development and it worked quite well.

Thanks for the info you guys, I didn't know this. At work I generally have 1-3 large workspaces open in the "Java Enterprise" version of Eclipse, hence my warped perspective, maybe...

Re: The advantages of programming on a small netbook

#47

Post by zokier »

One command which is especially useful with netbooks is 'ssh'. Now you have all the computing power you need.

edit: I might add also screen/tmux. Coding at home, and need to go? detach and grab a laptop, continue coding. Your battery dies? Session is at remote end and nothing is lost.

Re: The advantages of programming on a small netbook

#48

Post by ashishbharthi »

olliesaunders wrote: post #46
ashishbharthi wrote: post #39

The bottom line is you are screwing your EYES. Use netbook keyboard if you like it so much but don't punish your eyes by using that photo frame like screen for java programming.

What makes this true?

http://jkontherun.com/2009/03/04/achy-wrists-bleary-eyed-you...

Re: The advantages of programming on a small netbook

#49

Post by khafra »

strebler wrote: post #28

"I can code in a crowded bar" Bars aren't for coding, put down the computer.

I actually like coding in a relaxed atmosphere, with music on and a drink in my hand. Not crowded, that would suck; but the conundrums that get me all tense and frustrated at work seem surmountable in different settings.

Now, I'm not actually a coder, I just do a job-related script or two now and then; so YMMV.

Re: The advantages of programming on a small netbook

#50

Post by mace »

I just moved to a netbook for most of my hacking and am pleasantly surprise how well it works. I run Ubuntu with Xmonad. Xmonad works really in the small screen. I compensate for the slower Hard Disk and CPU by maxing out the RAM. A big win is being able to go almost one full day between charges.
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