§          IF you’re not crazy about the look and feel of the specialized Xandros flavor of Linux, you can ditch it for a special Xubuntu distribution, unofficially dubbed “eeeXubuntu,” which will give you a more familiar-looking desktop based on the lightweight but powerful Xfce desktop environment. Point your browser to http://wiki.eeeuser.com/ubuntu:eeexubuntu:home#download_it and follow the super easy how-to guide. The eeeXubuntu is, of course, based on the latest and greatest Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon 7.10 release.

§          More familiar with the Gnome environment than Xubuntu’s Xfce desktop, just install via the Synaptic package manager the “gnome-desktop-data” package and that should automatically install the other essential software packages. To save up on precious disk space, it would be advisable to uninstall Xfce, also via Synaptic.

Good things in a small package. The Taiwanese tech company Asus has scored a massive hit with the Asus Eee PC, an ultra-portable notebook without the ultraportable notebook price.

§          To get the most out of your screen real estate when surfing the Web via the excellent Firefox, checkout the wiki http://wiki.eeeuser.com/howto:shrinkfirefox.

§          If it so happens that your Eee’s web cam is disabled by default to conserve on battery juice, simply reboot, press F2 the moment you see the Asus logo during the boot-up process, and enable the device from the easy-to-use setup screen.

§          To know more on how to trick-out your Asus Eee PC, visit forum.eeeuser.com and enjoy the many excellent tips and tricks and hacks.

§          Some stores selling the Asus Eee around these parts throw in a 1 GB USB flash drive for every purchase. We would suggest, however, that you also stick a 4GB SD/MMC card into this small wonder and leave it there. That way, you can direct various applications (Firefox, Thunderbird, Rhythmbox and so on) to use that as the default directory for data—and also, you will never have to curse yourself for forgetting the USB flash drive and whatever important data you have stored there. 

§          And just in case you’re worried about voiding the warranty by installing more memory or another Linux distro onto your Eee, various reliable web sites have reported that Asus will nonetheless be happy to honor the warranty.

Help File: Before calling tech support

THE new computer’s acting up, you can’t figure out why, a Web search for clues hasn’t yielded anything and rebooting the machine didn’t help—so it’s time to call the tech-support line.

Tweaking The Eee

IF you’re not crazy about the look and feel of the specialized Xandros flavor of Linux, you can ditch it for a special Xubuntu distribution, unofficially dubbed “eeeXubuntu,” which will give you a more familiar-looking desktop based on the lightweight but powerful Xfce desktop environment.

Pacino and DeNiro. ’Nuff said.

ROBERT DeNiro and Al Pacino—the names alone conjure a certain kind of streetwise intensity, an acting style of emotional soul-bearing right out of film’s ’70s heyday.

Recreating a Tale as Old as Time

MENTION “Florante at Laura” and the average Filipino will probably take his cellular phone from his pocket to check on new messages or to fake a phone call.

Idiots visit Buen Calubayan’s show

IF the rock band Rivermaya were to title a concert as “Has-Been Gig for Has-Beens,” would you buy a ticket and watch? Or, if April Boy Regino would name his nth comeback album as “Baduy Album for Baduy Listeners,” would you be caught alive and conscious listening to it?