Eee software mini-review

In previous posts, I’ve talked a bit about the Asus Eee PC’s hardware, but the software deserves some attention, too. The OS is a customized form of Linux, that comes with more than 40 pre-installed programs. The Eee can be as simple or complex as you like, with enough customization to whet the hardcore geek’s appetite. Along with the OpenOffice suite (basically a clone of Microsoft Office, complete with powerpoint, excel, and word clones), the Eee comes with a movie player, music player, photo manager, dictionary, and easy links to common sites like Wikipedia and Google. On the educational and games side of things, the laptop comes with a few games and utilities to practice languages and typing.

The only downside to the Eee is that installing applications of your own choice is difficult. I’ve heard of people doing it, but it seems a bit complicated for my taste. As for now, I’m going to use it for Internet browsing and some word processing, both things that it does well.