My Triple-boot Netbook...No More

In July last year, I wrote about my little netbook Toshiba NB-100. Even though it originally came with Windows XP preinstalled, I forced Redmond's OS to make room for SimplyMepis 8.0. That's how my dual-boot computer was born.

Sometime later, encouraged by the stability of Mepis and the flexibility of Linux, I went for a bolder move and installed Mepis 8.5 as well. I then had a triple-boot computer!! Oh, I was so proud of it!

Back in those days, I was happy to experiment with Linux. In fact, I seldom booted XP. Little by Little, XP moved away from the center and became more like a storeroom on my netbook. I didn't wipe that system out because of nostalgic reasons. Besides, the thought "if something goes wrong with Linux, you can boot Windows" was still present in my mind.

Bullseye! At least in part. Something went wrong with Linux! This was something that both Mepis 8.0 and Mepis 8.5 brought about...

My hard drive broke. But it didn't break down...it broke itself apart!

Let me clarify. My hard drive split into a new partition and Mandriva Linux took over it. It was interesting because Mandriva handles things a bit differently. Thanks to Linux, my tiny netbook became a four-headed monster!!

As if that weren't bad enough, the process repeated itself a couple of weeks ago. My neetbook grew one more head and this time it was called Pardus 2011 RC!

A very sensible question: Why do I have so many systems on my resource-limited netbook?

The answer is very simple: Because I have the freedom to do it. I am not tied to what OEMs want to give me. I am a free person and I want to experience technology freedom as well.

Second question: Do I use all those Linux systems? You bet! My favorite is Mepis 8.0, but I regularly boot Mandriva, and I used Pardus in class just today. Oh, Mepis 8.5 was the one in charge of my dissertation for my education degree. The only one I don't use is XP. Windows XP is still there, but I hadn't used it in ages. I don't need to. However, as far as I don't need its space, I think it will stay.

I didn't see this problem come. I never expected Linux to be so addictive...I had no idea that in a year it would encourage me to experiment and do things that all my previous Windows training didn't teach me.

My netbook is not a triple-boot computer anymore. Nowadays, it is a five-headed monster and I am so proud of it because it makes me feel free. I am still an amateur, but I feel I have taken customization to a level I had never imagined possible! Besides, my netbook works perfectly: four of its heads are always ready for work although one of them (its original one) is asleep...maybe forever.