advanced desktop mode with first class client

In my ’spare’ time I am an associate lecturer for the Open University. I am starting tutoring on a new course, S104, this week. I was on the reserve list and just appointed to the course this week, so I am not very organised and need to catch up! Fortunately there is an online course briefing this weekend, unfortunately I am off to a college reunion this weekend. However, I thought I would try a combination of wifi and my eeepc to get some work done in my more sober moments.

The OU use the Firstclass email client, and although there is a web interface, it lacks a lot of the functionality of the desktop version. My eeepc guru, Liam Green-Hughes pointed me in the direction of a linux version of the software. I gamefully employed my more linux friendly husband to actually do the work for me . This is what he did, while I helpfully watched desperate housewives and made cups of tea:

1. downloaded the deb linux software
2. in terminal, sudo dkpg -i <filename>
3. active the advance desktop mode
4. ta da – there it is under ‘internet’
5. set up the OU server and log in!

blogged from the eeepc!

Having ventured bravely into the world of the terminal (konsole) last night to rectify a problem with accessing our BT home Hub wireless over WPA, I thought I had better do something useful and try a post from the eeepc.

Apart from awful typing, as I still get used to the keyboard, the layout of wordpress is fine on the eeepc screen (unlike MS outlook access for my work email which involved too much sideways scrolling!). I have used kwout for the image (by installing the firefox add-on), mostly using jing for screen captures at work or the iMac.

About a month ago, I bought a white 4GB 700 eeePC. I wanted something to use while away from the office with conference season upon us, I didn’t want to wait for apple to announce nothing much at WWDC. Good job I didn’t wait, as I would have been disappointed (that is not to say that the iPhone PAYG is not looking very attractive to me – will have to see what the pricing is like).

So far, I’ve really liked using it. It is small, cute, easy to use and the keyboard, although small, is a better solution for longer sessions of note taking than a PDA or iTouch would have been. My main grips so far are, of course, battery life, and that the little thing has trouble with our WPA connection to the BT home hub at home. Sometimes it works, sometimes it just won’t connect. I’d also like to be able to post straight to seesmic but that doesn’t seem to work.

Next task is getting to grips with the real desktop, and enabling full desktop mode.