# FreeBSDbook



## zeroseven (Nov 4, 2011)

I just spent a few hours combing eBay for overpriced Powerbook G4's. About 90% were selling without hdd, caddy, ac-adapter, ram, etc...  Useless... I then turned my attention to net-books, looking for inexpensive and slim alternatives to the Macbook Air... Unsatisfied with any options I stumbled, once again, across the Chromebook.  Which, with honeycomb and ipads, seems to be a lost cause really.  However, I see a use for the hardware ChromeOs runs on.

As a side note, I currently have a Macbook Pro 15" laptop with OSX 10.6 as my main use computer.  I have a FreeBSD HTPC that I love.  I know that typically, FreeBSD isn't a desktop system.  People seem sort of cultish about its uses.  However, I love it, I love the minimalism and freedom it offers.  After discovering tiling wm's and ncurses based programs for virtually everything, I've lost my attachment to a mouse and floating window management. In fact, I find a mouse to be a hinderance to productivity. However, I also enjoy the aesthetics of the slender and sleek unibodies that mac provides with it's Macbooks, which really is a major turnoff to a cheap net-book that I could install FreeBSD on.

What I'm really getting at here is this; I want the hardware Chromebooks are running on, with an actual bios and the ability to load FreeBSD on it.  I think that Samsung and Acer have both put out a great product to support Google, however, I'm saddened by the fact that we are once again funneled into basic, choice-less consumerism.

I would love nothing more than to be able to scour an HCL to pull together parts for a custom laptop that would be fully supported by existing drivers for FreeBSD. I love the design of the Macbooks, from the unibody to the magnetic power adapter.  I don't know how many times I've walked through my power cord in the past few years and been comforted by the fact that my laptop stays put and doesn't fall the 3-5 feet to the ground, leaving me in tears. The problem is, even after semi-extensive searching, I can't find what I want.  I refuse to settle.

It seems that I would need to fabricate my own computer, to get what I want.  I really don't have the capability to do so.  I don't play video games, so I really don't need an overpowered laptop, like the one I have now.  Really what I want is a simple net-book that is slender like a Macbook Air, without all the extra garbage that seems to be packaged with the alternatives.  I want a usb, wifi / wired ethernet option and an ssd... No spinning components... I simply need to be able to browse the web, edit files, upload them, etc... This is where I find the Chromebook hardware especially appealing, if only they offered the same without an OS, a working bios and at the same price-tag.

I know that the market for this may be slim... As people are sheep for the most part and buy into the industry standard. However, I think there would be a solid niche market for *nix users seeking a low cost equivalent. Maybe I'm just ranting in a sense, or speaking without real direction... I guess, I just wish I could go down, pick up a Samsung Series 5 Chromebook, take it home and wipe it with a fresh FreeBSD install and call it a day.  However, that isn't the case at the moment... Hopefully at some point in the future, this will be a completely viable option.

Until then, I suppose I'm stuck with OSX, textmate and a touchpad... Dreaming of wmii and gloriously simple keyboard shortcuts...

Respectfully,
  zeroseven


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## SNK (Nov 4, 2011)

What about Asus? I am typing this form an Asus UL30, and FreeBSD works excellent. The specs are OK for a two year old model: 13.3 inch, Intel Core 2 Duo (1.3GHz), 4 GB RAM, Intel GMA 4500MHD, 8 hours of battery when fully charged. And the looks are OK: http://hothardware.com/articleimages/Item1380/asus-ul30-tpodown.jpg (Here I have the black model.)


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## zeroseven (Nov 4, 2011)

So... I guess I mis-spoke... I found this:

http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/developer-information-for-chrome-os-devices/samsung-series-5-chromebook

Which could be exactly what I'm looking for, however, I'm uncertain at this point if it accepts any OS or only modified ChromeOs images... It's pretty early in the morning, I suppose I'll look into it more later.


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## phoenix (Nov 4, 2011)

You're looking for the laptops from iX Systems (website currently down due to MySQL errors).  These come pre-loaded with FreeBSD, and include drivers for every bit of hardware inside.

If you browse the mailing list archives for -stable, -current, -hackers, you'll find information on various models of the Asus eeePC 10" line that work (almost?) flawlessly with FreeBSD, as well.


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## tingo (Nov 4, 2011)

The web site is up now, but I couldn't find any laptops there? Sure, they write "laptops" here and there, but it doesn't seem like they sell them anymore?


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## zeroseven (Nov 5, 2011)

@tingo

I checked out iX also made an inquiry about a laptop through their custom quote.  A representative got back to me within a couple of hours. However, he informed me that they are currently testing new hardware for their next line of laptops and don't currently offer the old model. He suggested the Lenovo t410 and t510 as having been reported to work very well.  Though, the price on those is a little much for me and was the attractive part about hacking up a Chromebook.


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