Adsl - Vila Nova de Poiares - Portugal

I've had a look at Vila Nova de Poiares on google maps. It is only a couple of kms from Vila Cha.

Both look big enough to have a PT/SAPO adsl-equipped sub-exchange.

Provided you property is within 4,5 km to 5 km (by phone line - not as the fly crows) of one of these sub-exchanges SAPO ADSL should be possible. However, a big caveat. It may depended on the quality of the infrastructure and cables.

The likely applicable tariff will be this:

http://adsl.sapo.pt/prodtarif_outras_zonas.html

This property for sale here:

http://bit.ly/d77KAI

has adsl according to the post.

It is about 5km from Vila Nova de Poiares past Vila Cha.

I suspect the area is fairly well equipped with adsl equipped exchanges..it will just depend how far you property is from one.

I also suspect that you will be tied to using SAPO as most other ISP's do not find it commercially viable to offer adsl over landlines outside urban areas.

Acer Aspire One - Linplus Lite

The Linpus Linux Lite V1.0.21.E. Operating system is a commercial version of Linux customised for use on ACER Aspires etc. Because it is a commercial version of linux, it is not as easy to update or mess about with and updates are not as frequent as with main Linux Distributions such as Ubuntu.

The kernel...(the core of Linux)... is apparently an old one and it may be that the version installed on your machine does not have the included code necessary to run a 3G dongle.

However, there are various ways to possibly sort this out:

1) It may be that the dongle may work on the machine, but that the means of configuration are somewhat unclear. It maybe that a linux nerd could configure it without to much hassle as I understand that Linplus is based on the Fedora Distribution.

2) It may mean updating your machine's Linux kernel through the Asus online software support facility and then installing software.

3) Alternatively, there was a Linux dialer developed by some vodafone nerds, a couple of years ago. It worked on an earlier version of Ubuntu perfectly.

4) If all else fails, I would recommend reinstalling the machine with Linux Ubuntu Netbook Remix which is specially configured for Notebooks. I reinstalled an Acer Aspire One with this package a couple of months back and it has been a very stable system.

It may also be necessary to boost memory to 1GB for a dongle ot work properly.

One thing is sure make sure you get someone who knows Linux to sort it out. Most computers shops/Vodafone here in the Algarve do not have the necessary experience/knowledge.

However, I would recommend you get the machine tested and working with a 3G dongle prior to buying one.

3G Internet Spain

Useful article.

See: http://bit.ly/6qAJ5p

TV over Internet in Portugal

Interesting article of TV over Internet in Portugal here

http://bit.ly/54RrfV

Ubuntu XP dual boot

Have a look at this blog post about setting XP to be default boot on a dual booting machine.
http://bit.ly/8q7Mb7

Ubuntu Koala Bar Machine

I agree with these comments. I even build websites using linux and open source software.

See: www.dancaiberica.org

There is now a version of google chrome for Linux.

Yesterday, I delivered my first very small Linux install to a local bar. They had a five year old machine for use by punters that had been running on an Ubuntu Live CD just for the punters to use Firefox to browse the Internet.

They did not want to spend a fortune on new equipment. However, the motherboard had died.

I got Chipsite in Lagos to supply me with a new machine without a hard drive but with a card reader. Using a 4GB SSD flash card, (the type one uses in cameras) I installed a very stripped down version of Ubuntu from the command line. The installation occupied only 2GB and loaded Google Chrome and Pidgin Messenger.

The machine boots in less than 60 seconds and the browser is fast. It is ideal for a pub machine but one does notice some delay when writing to disk.

Nonetheless, I managed to save the client from having to buy a 160GB hard drive than would never be used. I have made a back up copy of the SSD. If anything goes wrong, I will just clone it onto another 4GB SSD (€ 7.00), drop round, plug it in and away they go.

SAPO frustrations

It costs money, but it is always better to get a portuguese speaking local tech to check out initial sapo installations and that your pc is configured properly.

PT engineers are only trained to install lines and equipment...not to make sure computers are correctly connected to the router or diagnose computer problems.

The call center folk at the SAPO help centre run through standard computer generated fault check lists and do not have the flexibility to diagnose problems specific router/computer installations.

I have come across this many times here. I have been called to clients have been sold SAPO accounts/routers. Installation is supposed to be self-explanatory. However, they try to install it and often find they can't or there is a problem. They get onto to the SAPO helpline and more often than not end up in similiar posiitons to those refer to in this thread. The latest incident occured last week, and althogh the client had some computer knowledge and had spent 3 hours on the phone to Sapo, as well having had a PT tech come to check the line, it took a visit from me and 45 minutes slog to find out that a single misplaced number in a not-obvious page of the control panel of the router, was the origin of the problem. Since then no hassle but SAPO were worse than useless.

It is not only estrangeiros who have this problem. I know of many Portuguese folk who have had the same frustrations.