Hi, i'm really new to linux. I have tried searching the web for how to install divx or codecs on my acer aspire one. This machine uses linpus.

any help would be appreciated

According to the Linpus website:

I have never used linpus, however, I can't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to download mplayer and its codecs:

http://www.mplayerhq.hu/design7/dload.html

or you could use vlc
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

According to this post:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...2/#post3249739

getting to a CLI is challenging. In this event, installing most things - particularly anything not "blessed" by Acer - could be quite difficult.

A session with a live CD might be in order, to get a menu entry for a shell available, and to make sure a shell IS available. I am certain that someone will soon provide a tool that does that.

It never occurred to me that one could or would disable the ability to get to the CLI. We now have a new cause!!! The Aspire One does in fact have a BIOS that allows you to boot from other devices--I did not check to see if it included USB devices.

In defense of Acer---or anyone else selling "netbooks": They are special-purpose devices---not intended to be general-purpose computers. Such was the point made eloquently and emphatically by the lady at Circuit City (thread linked above).

It has a CPU, RAM, a screen, a hard drive, and a keyboard. It is a computer.

It is the OS configuration that makes it a "special purpose" device and, given that the OS is Linux, it certainly should be possible to reconfigure it to be a "general purpose" device. Whether it is a GOOD "general purpose" device is another largely irrelevant issue.

What desktop does it use?

The desktop in use is largely hidden, but it appears to use at least elements of XFCE.

I agree with the arguments above, but.....it very clearly is not marketed as a general-purpose computer. I'll report my latest sightings in the other thread.

Hi...

I have the same problem. My Aspire One does not play avi files although it plays wmv files. Whenever I try to play avi files it says that theere is a problem with the codecs. Media Master is already installed but there is a problem with avi codecs.

So where do we get the codecs for avi files? Thanks in advance for any help on this matter.

Al

It looks like a hacked Linpus (no advanced desktop), but you can get to a terminal from the Thunar "file" menu. I only had one to look at for a couple of hours, but I imagine you should be able to set up repositories you need, and use rpm - or yum maybe.

I just looked at one of these things at a circuit city in Avondale Az. Cute little thing.

I found my way to /bin via the "search" function and bash was in there, but I couldn't get it to start. I don't know why, but I am sure it is deliberate. The desktop IS xfce, it would appear, but highly customized. It would open an editor, though so that I could edit the .bashrc file. I didn't try to change that file so I don't know if it would permit me to save the changes; I'm betting it wouldn't let me.

The thing has 512 Megs of RAM and an 8 Gig flash drive. So there isn't much space there, which without doubt has something to do with why it is so locked down.

The office suite is open office 2.3.

Over the time I was playing with it, two clerks came by. The girl was pretty interested in the thing and obviously had played with it a bit before. I asked her what OS it was, and her answer was that it was something completely different, not Windows. She couldn't find the command line, though she did show me the search feature. The guy knew about linux, saying it was "coming after vista", but he didn't know much beyond that; his comment was that people were buying the thing but didn't like it because it was so limited.

So, as far as adding codecs - or, really, any other software at all, it sure looks like Acer has you over a barrel. You go to them and install what they let you install. The way the thing is put together...I don't know. It has a USB port; if it is allowed to boot from a USB device (I'll bet it isn't) then maybe you could use a USB Linux installation to get access to the solid state hard drive in the box. In this case, it WOULD be possible to change things around. But if Acer has locked off the USB to prevent booting, then it could be really tough.

Without opening the box I cannot say, but I will bet that the solid state hard drive is built in, and has a custom interface. Any device can be hacked, and I'll bet that someone is sufficiently interested and has the time to do it, and hacks the thing to open it up. Whether this hack will be easily deployed by anyone else...just depends.

Should it turn out that the solid state HD is just an internally mounted USB stick (which is possible) then someone will be posting instructions on how to open it up real soon now.

Here is a nice solution.

And a nice version with screen shots that also mentions adding software.

Well, there you go then!

There is a way, and once it is opened up to provide a more standard interface, you can do what you want with it.

An 8 gig drive, though, will be VERY limiting.

It appears even that can be upgraded. although not something everyone will want to do.

Hmmmm...some very determined people out there!

I have to wonder about that HD mod. How much heat does one of those 1.8 inch drives put out?

My paint is not dry in the world of linux (first post), but I have the same issue on the same equipment as the question above. I understand that I don't understand linux-speak, but I intend to learn. Trying to follow the answer/thread to this is like listening to kids with ADD speak a foreign language. Is there a specific and experienced (not a guess or probable solution) "How-to" on this issue in english (please use small words too <ha>. I am enjoying the learning curve, but occasionally I just want to get'er done. Thanks for the time and attention.

That's okay. There is some good system tweaking info here and an article with info here.