[IAEP] [SoaS] [support-gang] SoaS on What Machines?

[Sean DALY]

One further observation Caryl, you may want to consider a netbook with
an SD Card slot. I have found that SoaS on SD Card is a good way to
avoid a protruding stick ready to be snapped off. Of course, as it is
smaller, it is also easier to lose and requires a case, so your call.

The Acer Aspire One 532h can read several card types:
http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/netbook/2010/Acer/Aspire/AspireOneAO532h/AspireOneAO532hsp2.shtml

Sean


On 4/15/10, Sean DALY <sdaly.be at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 4/15/10, James Cameron <quozl at laptop.org> wrote:
>
>  >  > The Mac will run SoaS, with a boot helper disk, will burn cds and dvds,
>  >  > but it is much easier to create the SoaS sticks on a Windows machine.
>  >
>  >
>  > Have you tried running Windows inside a VirtualBox on the Mac?  That
>  >  might get you the ability to create the sticks.
>
>
> What makes SoaS loading on Windows easy is the friendly GUI
>  liveusb-creator application
>  (https://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator/). It's true that the
>  current Mac OSX instructions
>  (http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_on_a_Stick/Blueberry#For_Mac_OS_X_Users)
>  require a Terminal command; installing Windows on a Mac just for
>  liveusb-creator seems like a lot of effort though. If anyone can
>  assist with coding a graphical Mac installer (using e.g. Applescript),
>  that would be very helpful.
>
>
>
>  >  > Do you know of any other electronics store chains that might let me
>  >  > come in and test SoaS on their floor models?
>  >
>  >
>  > It takes either a brave, trusting or expert salesperson to let this
>  >  happen.  Brave in that they are betting on a sale to you despite the
>  >  risk of their demo unit needing a restore.  Trusting in that they have
>  >  to extend their trust to you holding a USB key of unknown origin.
>  >  Expert is best though; if you can first select the most technical
>  >  salesperson by asking lots of questions until you are handed off to the
>  >  best of the lot ... then you reduce the risk of refusal.
>
>
> I agree that few salespeople will be cooperative. However, I'm not
>  aware of SoaS ever trashing a system; the whole principle is that the
>  existing installation isn't touched. The only change required is the
>  boot order in the BIOS (USB port prior to internal drive), and even
>  that is optional on most recent netbooks which have a startup function
>  key (often F10) to allow a one-shot change to the boot order, avoiding
>  getting into the BIOS at all. A changed BIOS boot order can of course
>  be returned to its previous setting.
>
>  I own several netbooks (Asus EeePC 901, Acer Aspire One, Dell Mini 10
>  and Latitude 2100 education model, Olidata JumPc Gen1 Classmate,
>  Archos Gen2 Classmate) and they all run Sugar on a Stick
>  (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39656470@N02/3666862229/), although the
>  Gen1 Classmate screen is too small and the webcam on I think the Mini
>  10 doesn't cooperate.
>
>
>  Sean
>