At 11:56 AM 1/2/06, Maura Edeweiss Monville wrote:

I've recently connected my laptop, running SuSE 9.3, to a slides projector for a project presentation. To my surprise my laptop screen turned black , as if the laptop had been turned off, while the new "screen" was projected onto the wall. It was difficult for me to follow up the slide, being shown, with my comments as I had to keep my hands on the keyboard but turn my eyes to the wall behind my shoulders to be able to read.

In my previous presentations I've always used someone else's laptop running Windows. My talks were easier because the slide shown on the wall was also displayed on the laptop monitor so I could read just focusing on the computer without stretching my neck.

I wonder whether someone knows of SuSE set-ups that would make my life easier for my next presentations. In a few words, I wonder whether it is possible to make SuSE send the slide to the projector but also to the laptop monitor.

Try your laptop user's guide first. Does your laptop have a function (F1-F12) key with a picture of two monitors on it - usually F4 or F5. On many laptop, you hold down a special "Fn" key and then press the F4 or F5 (or whatever) to cycle through various output modes. Each time I press this combination on my laptop changes from LCD only - VGA only - both LCD and VGA - LCD only - VGA only - etc ... Frank

Maura Edeweiss Monville wrote:

I've recently connected my laptop, running SuSE 9.3, to a slides projector for a project presentation. To my surprise my laptop screen turned black , as if the laptop had been turned off, while the new "screen" was projected onto the wall. It was difficult for me to follow up the slide, being shown, with my comments as I had to keep my hands on the keyboard but turn my eyes to the wall behind my shoulders to be able to read.

In my previous presentations I've always used someone else's laptop running Windows. My talks were easier because the slide shown on the wall was also displayed on the laptop monitor so I could read just focusing on the computer without stretching my neck.

I wonder whether someone knows of SuSE set-ups that would make my life easier for my next presentations. In a few words, I wonder whether it is possible to make SuSE send the slide to the projector but also to the laptop monitor.

All notebooks I've worked with can be switched between internal, external and both monitors. However, with the 2.6 kernel, it appears to be impossible to switch modes, once Linux starts. I can switch my ThinkPad, prior to starting SUSE. Check your computer's manual, to find out how to switch modes and then set it up for both internal and external display, before starting Linux.