A hands-on examination of two Linux-based 'instant-on' environments that live side by side with Windows.

As any Windows user knows all too well, Windows can (and does) take a while to boot up and get online. For example, my desktop PC, which is hardwired to my router (i.e., no waiting for Wi-Fi search-and-handshake), still takes 3 minutes to power up to the point where I can be reading a Web site.

This may be acceptable for desktop users who turn on their machines every morning and then go for a cup of coffee. But if you're doing a last-minute e-mail check in an airport terminal, or using a netbook to IM a friend from a movie theatre queue, even a minute can be way too long.

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