I like to keep organized, but I don't like to spend time on it though. That's usually where 'notebooks' and daily schedules fail. Many of my ex co-workers use Microsoft Exchange to stay synchronized between their computer, workplace and mobile telephone.

My current solution involves Google Calendar, my Nokia E65 and a free service called GooSync.

Who hasn't experienced his computer popping up windows, being slow with strange new programs in your start menu. If that's the case it's likely that you're computer is infected with a virus, trojan or spyware.

I'm writing this article because people keep asking me the same questions and I hope this can provide further help.

This article covers a very wide area in a short period of time so it assumed that the reader has at least basic computer skills.

Last fall, after my one year old Macbook battery died and Apple refused to fix it I decided to spend twice as much as a replacement battery to buy myself a new Asus EEE 1000he netbook instead.

I intended this computer to fulfill note taking at the university, browsing, media playing and to serve as a calculator (Matlab/Maple).

The machine came pre-installed with Windows XP Home and I quickly replaced that with EEEbuntu 3 and have been running that for 4 months. The main problem I have with EEEbuntu is that it's not maintained and the Gnome desktop environment seems to be sucking the life out of my little netbook.

My quest is to find a netbook operating system with the following qualities:

• Fast booting
• Lightweight desktop environment
• Ability to browse (preferably using Chromium)
• Flawless hardware support for my 1000he
• Run Maple and Matlab

I will be going through the candidates and updating each review as I hopefully will be able to find an operating system to my liking.

There has been an increasing trend in the technical hardware industry to produce products that are specifically designed to restrict functionality of the product. For example: Apple iPod, Apple iPad, Microsoft Xbox, Sony Playstation and the Nintendo Wii.

This restricted functionality can be everything from only allowing applications accepted by the vendor, preventing certain formats to be played or the famous example of DVD players that only play movies from the allowed region. Why should you, the consumer be buying a product that helps the media companies to monopolize and fix prices?

While the iPad obviously has its qualities, I am focusing on what prevents me from buying one. The picture is from Cryptogon.

• No multi-tasking
• No USB ports
• No flash support
• All applications need to be Apple approved
• No support for free audio/video formats (such as the ogg/theora)
• No camera/webcam
• 130$ extra for the 3G version, instead of just supporting USB 3G dongles
• Encumbered with DRM (eBook, audio, video)
• No keyboard (you can buy a special Apple keyboard-dock though)
• No external memory (no usb, no card reader)
• No stylus
• Reflective LCD display, making it unusable in direct sunlight

If you have anything to add to this list or want to point out any errors in it, please feel free to comment.

The Free Software Foundation also has its own page that focuses on the DRM problems with it.

Funny comparison charts:

• iPad vs Stone
• iPad vs Maxipad
• iPad vs Blu-Tack