Um, how do I break this to you? No! I haven’t been able to configure the trackpad. Maybe there are some better drivers and options in Windows, but under Linux, I’ve got nothing. I’ve managed to kind of train myself to be really careful when I’m using the right click area on the trackpad, because otherwise I will misclick, open a menu and select “close” or any number of other amusing accidents. I’m about, oh, 80% accurate at right clicking now, which is, pretty super awesome, imo!

seriously. Get an external mouse.

Regards,

Earl

I can’t find the exact quote right now but it goes something like this: “any laptop under $500 is going to be complete crap”. While that’s a bit harsh, it does help to lower your expectations when you look at netbooks.

That said, I think Dell minis are pretty decent little machines. I like mine quite a bit, despite the crappy trackpad which takes a lot of getting used to (ideally: turn it off and use a USB mouse). The keyboard is surprisingly good for its size. Screen real-estate is probably the biggest limitation on any netbooks and if you can find one with better resolution, you’ll be better off. I had to do a lot of customizing to get things like Firefox and Thunderbird squeezed into the tiny screen.

but look around. I’m sure there are a bunch out there. Maybe go poke around in a Best Buy or Futureshop. They have pretty excellent return policies so if you buy something that doesn’t work out, you can take it back and get yourself a dell.

Any opinions on how it compares to others on the market?