Starting up my Windows PC or laptop usually provides a good excuse to get up and make a cup of tea. It takes that long for the computer to boot, start-up programs to load and internet connections to be established.
We’ve written a lot about the new trend of netbooks and one feature they have popularised – a fast boot-up through a non-Windows operating system. This can be run as an alternative to Windows when users want quick access to email and web browsing. Phoenix’s Hyperspace and DeviceVM’s SplashTop are the best known.
These Linux-based options come pre-installed, but how about retro-fitting an aging laptop or PC that has slowed to a crawl with the number of Windows programs installed over the years?
Installation of Linux distributions can be a daunting task for ordinary users, but last night I downloaded one onto my Windows Vista laptop that stunned me with its simplicity and effectiveness.
Presto is still in beta and available as a free download from Xandros, which plans to charge $20 for the full release version. The only thing daunting about it is the size of the download – almost 500mb – but I managed that in under half an hour.
The installation is as simple as double-clicking on the .exe file downloaded and clicking a few “next” boxes. I then shut down and restarted the laptop and was presented with a screen offering me a choice between Vista and Presto.
Choosing Presto, quickly brought up a desktop with sidebar, offering access to Firefox, Skype and instant messaging. More free programs such as Adobe Reader and OpenOffice were available through an application store. Presto found my wireless connection and within seconds I was checking my Gmail webmail through Firefox.
I later timed the different start-up and shutdown times for both operating systems. From pressing the”On” button, Vista took 2’50″ to reach a usable state and 1’25″ to shut down. Presto took 24 seconds and one second respectively.
I need to explore further and try some more programs to check out any bugs. Lifehacker has a more detailed review and some of its commenters have encountered problems.
But my experience so far means I’ll also be installing this on my desktop and hopefully liberating my daughter’s ancient laptop from spyware invaders that have rendered it all but useless.
