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

[Sean DALY]

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