Laptop choice - REPORT
Hi, Here are some snippets from various mail lists that I asked for a laptop choice. I had good responses. Trust this may be of help to some.. ****** I'm dual-booting win XP and various Linux distros using FAT32, getting online and burning CDs on a Dell Inspiron 8500 and am very happy with it. ****** My DELL Latitude C840 installed Mdk10 without any problems. Runs great. ****** Yes, I have a T41 that works great with 10.0. ****** If I was realistic I would use a Dell Inspiron 9100.. I have always bought dell laptops and never had any problems with running *nix on them. If I was dreaming then http://www.go-l.com/laptops/hollywood_gold/features/index.htm Would win hands down ;-) ****** I would also go for the Dell option. VERY linux friendly. ****** I love my IBM Thinkpad X31. It does very well with SuSE 9.1 on it. ****** I got my laptop from http://www.powernotebooks.com/ and have been pleased with it. I'm running SuSE 9.0 Professional. ****** These websites should give you a better approach: http://www.tuxmobil.org http://www.linux-laptop.net/ ****** Have a look on www.linux-on-laptops.com ****** My elcheapo Dell 1100 works fine on 10.0. ****** I have a Compaq Presario that works like a champ with ML10. ****** As everyone knows, all decent laptops are made by Tadpole... http://www.tadpolecomputer.com/html/ (No alphabook anymore though :-( ) ****** Here are some sites that might help: http://www.linux-laptop.net/ http://tuxmobil.org/ ****** I love the IBM T41 to death. I'm so happy with it that I'd buy another 10 if I had the money. You can see more info at http://www-132.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=2072693&storeId=1&catalogId=-840&langId=-1 ****** Of course you can avoid the whole ACPI mess if you can find a laptop with a working Linux APM implementation. The Toshiba laptops are always a good start (just make sure your laptop works with the toshiba utilities). Some of my Toshiba links: http://linux.toshiba-dme.co.jp/linux/eng/installinfo.htm http://newsletter.toshiba-tro.de/main/index.html http://www.buzzard.org.uk/toshiba/ http://www.linux-laptop.net/ I'd say the two most important things to watch out for on a laptop: (a) Power Management Check ACPI or APM support, Suspend to disk, support for the fans / battery monitoring. Check whether the motherboard chipset has I2C and/or SMBus support. Watch out for IBM Thinkpads and I2C problems. (b) Display Card Avoid Trident like the plague. Also avoid SiS, etc. Make sure your display card works with Linux and that it has X support with an accelerated driver. Be wary of the latest display chipsets (e.g. Intel 8xx chipsets, etc). Watch out for cards without onboard display memory, e.g. Intel's chipsets. If the cards memory is shared with the system memory, make sure that the BIOS supports a mode where you can select at least as much display memory as you require to display an entire framebuffer + maintain some page tables. 1MB is not enough! If you can choose a decent display card. That means one of two: - ATI Radeon series - NVidia (anything) With the ATI cards, check if Tungsten Graphics supports the drivers. They wrote the whole Radeon driver + support code. If they don't support it and/or the display chipset haven't been around for 12 months or so, you're in for a nasty surprise or two. ****** Make sure that the one you chose has ACPI working. ACPI is a total mess - every laptop bios has a different implementation, and it's almost impossible to fix it yourself. Check here: http://acpi.sourceforge.net/documentation/index.html If your laptop has ACPI broken, you fix it by linking a custom DSDT table into your kernel. If there is a fixed one available for your model it's great, but if there isn't you're on your own. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, ACPI is the interface to battery status, fan status, temperature, lid switch, power switch, etc. ****** I'm ready to give rave notices to the mdk crew for 10.0 on a Dell 1100. Have no idea where yours compares, but I have all good to report on this one. ****** Thanks to every one involved. Regards -- Johan Registered Linux User #330034 May this be a good day for learning
So, you now know which is the best notebook, for running Linux. ;-) Johan Sch wrote:
Hi, Here are some snippets from various mail lists that I asked for a laptop choice. I had good responses. Trust this may be of help to some..
****** I'm dual-booting win XP and various Linux distros using FAT32, getting online and burning CDs on a Dell Inspiron 8500 and am very happy with it. ****** My DELL Latitude C840 installed Mdk10 without any problems. Runs great. ****** Yes, I have a T41 that works great with 10.0. ****** If I was realistic I would use a Dell Inspiron 9100.. I have always bought dell laptops and never had any problems with running *nix on them. If I was dreaming then http://www.go-l.com/laptops/hollywood_gold/features/index.htm Would win hands down ;-) ****** I would also go for the Dell option. VERY linux friendly. ****** I love my IBM Thinkpad X31. It does very well with SuSE 9.1 on it. ****** I got my laptop from http://www.powernotebooks.com/ and have been pleased with it. I'm running SuSE 9.0 Professional. ****** These websites should give you a better approach: http://www.tuxmobil.org http://www.linux-laptop.net/ ****** Have a look on www.linux-on-laptops.com ****** My elcheapo Dell 1100 works fine on 10.0. ****** I have a Compaq Presario that works like a champ with ML10. ****** As everyone knows, all decent laptops are made by Tadpole... http://www.tadpolecomputer.com/html/ (No alphabook anymore though :-( ) ****** Here are some sites that might help: http://www.linux-laptop.net/ http://tuxmobil.org/ ****** I love the IBM T41 to death. I'm so happy with it that I'd buy another 10 if I had the money. You can see more info at http://www-132.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=2072693&storeId=1&catalogId=-840&langId=-1 ****** Of course you can avoid the whole ACPI mess if you can find a laptop with a working Linux APM implementation. The Toshiba laptops are always a good start (just make sure your laptop works with the toshiba utilities). Some of my Toshiba links: http://linux.toshiba-dme.co.jp/linux/eng/installinfo.htm http://newsletter.toshiba-tro.de/main/index.html http://www.buzzard.org.uk/toshiba/ http://www.linux-laptop.net/ I'd say the two most important things to watch out for on a laptop: (a) Power Management Check ACPI or APM support, Suspend to disk, support for the fans / battery monitoring. Check whether the motherboard chipset has I2C and/or SMBus support. Watch out for IBM Thinkpads and I2C problems. (b) Display Card Avoid Trident like the plague. Also avoid SiS, etc. Make sure your display card works with Linux and that it has X support with an accelerated driver. Be wary of the latest display chipsets (e.g. Intel 8xx chipsets, etc). Watch out for cards without onboard display memory, e.g. Intel's chipsets. If the cards memory is shared with the system memory, make sure that the BIOS supports a mode where you can select at least as much display memory as you require to display an entire framebuffer + maintain some page tables. 1MB is not enough! If you can choose a decent display card. That means one of two: - ATI Radeon series - NVidia (anything) With the ATI cards, check if Tungsten Graphics supports the drivers. They wrote the whole Radeon driver + support code. If they don't support it and/or the display chipset haven't been around for 12 months or so, you're in for a nasty surprise or two. ****** Make sure that the one you chose has ACPI working. ACPI is a total mess - every laptop bios has a different implementation, and it's almost impossible to fix it yourself. Check here: http://acpi.sourceforge.net/documentation/index.html If your laptop has ACPI broken, you fix it by linking a custom DSDT table into your kernel. If there is a fixed one available for your model it's great, but if there isn't you're on your own. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, ACPI is the interface to battery status, fan status, temperature, lid switch, power switch, etc. ****** I'm ready to give rave notices to the mdk crew for 10.0 on a Dell 1100. Have no idea where yours compares, but I have all good to report on this one. ****** Thanks to every one involved. Regards
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:46:10 -0400
James Knott
So, you now know which is the best notebook, for running Linux. ;-)
<< snip >> NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website. -- Johan Registered Linux User #330034 May this be a good day for learning
I agree. I have a Toshiba A25-S207 and it worked/works fine/faster under Suse 9.0/9.1. The only thing not working is the SD card reader --> can't find a driver for it. At 09:42 AM 6/6/2004, Johan Sch wrote:
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:46:10 -0400 James Knott
wrote: So, you now know which is the best notebook, for running Linux. ;-)
<< snip >>
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
-- Johan Registered Linux User #330034 May this be a good day for learning
-- Check the headers for your unsubscription address For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the archives at http://lists.suse.com Please read the FAQs: suse-linux-e-faq@suse.com
--------------------------------------------------------------- Incearca acum noul sistem de dating oferit de portalul acasa.ro
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Johan Sch wrote:
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:46:10 -0400 James Knott
wrote: So, you now know which is the best notebook, for running Linux. ;-)
<< snip >>
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
IBM also has a lot of info, including a Linux certified computer list.
On Sun, 06 Jun 2004 07:37:29 -0400
James Knott
Johan Sch wrote:
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:46:10 -0400 James Knott
wrote: So, you now know which is the best notebook, for running Linux. ;-)
<< snip >>
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
IBM also has a lot of info, including a Linux certified computer list.
That is nice. Could you kindly maybe give the web-address for that please. Any other links you may have to this fact, please. Thanks -- Johan Registered Linux User #330034 May this be a good day for learning
The SOny Vaio has it's own device driver in the KDE controll panel anybody tried that? Jerry On Sun, 2004-06-06 at 13:49, Johan Sch wrote:
On Sun, 06 Jun 2004 07:37:29 -0400 James Knott
wrote: Johan Sch wrote:
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:46:10 -0400 James Knott
wrote: So, you now know which is the best notebook, for running Linux. ;-)
<< snip >>
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
IBM also has a lot of info, including a Linux certified computer list.
That is nice. Could you kindly maybe give the web-address for that please. Any other links you may have to this fact, please. Thanks -- Johan Registered Linux User #330034 May this be a good day for learning
After several tries my recomendations as follows: The Computer has to have a powersave mode CPU Pentium III mobile or the Athlon XP Mobile or Centrinos Second one the BIOS has to support APM full APM The graphics chipset better older, Cyber or ATI old ones With this configuration the system run very well with all the Notebook usefull utils, standby and suspend, low power consumtion and DPMS I use to use Linux in several notebooks: - Sony Vaio, funny but not suspend or DPMS. Installed onto SRX TRs CVs - Dell, pre Centrinos run quite well, new ones no. Installed in Latitute c600 D600 i8500 l400 - IBM, big sucess except modems. Installed onto PC110, TP600, TP570, TP770, T21, T41 - Apple, no problems at all, but you don't need linux you have OSX Regards El 06/06/2004, a las 16:53, Jerome R. Westrick escribió:
The SOny Vaio has it's own device driver in the KDE controll panel anybody tried that? Jerry
On Sun, 2004-06-06 at 13:49, Johan Sch wrote:
On Sun, 06 Jun 2004 07:37:29 -0400 James Knott
wrote: Johan Sch wrote:
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:46:10 -0400 James Knott
wrote: So, you now know which is the best notebook, for running Linux. ;-)
<< snip >>
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
IBM also has a lot of info, including a Linux certified computer list.
That is nice. Could you kindly maybe give the web-address for that please. Any other links you may have to this fact, please. Thanks -- Johan Registered Linux User #330034 May this be a good day for learning
-- Check the headers for your unsubscription address For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the archives at http://lists.suse.com Please read the FAQs: suse-linux-e-faq@suse.com
Johan Sch wrote:
On Sun, 06 Jun 2004 07:37:29 -0400 James Knott
wrote: Johan Sch wrote:
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:46:10 -0400 James Knott
wrote: So, you now know which is the best notebook, for running Linux. ;-)
<< snip >>
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
IBM also has a lot of info, including a Linux certified computer list.
That is nice. Could you kindly maybe give the web-address for that please. Any other links you may have to this fact, please. Thanks
Here's an IBM Linux link, but I don't currently have the Linux certified list. http://www-1.ibm.com/linux/
--- James Knott <__> wrote:
On Sun, 06 Jun 2004 07:37:29 -0400 James Knott
wrote: Johan Sch wrote:
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:46:10 -0400 James Knott
wrote: So, you now know which is the best notebook, for running Linux. ;-)
<< snip >>
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
IBM also has a lot of info, including a Linux certified computer
That is nice. Could you kindly maybe give the web-address for that
Johan Sch wrote: list. please.
Any other links you may have to this fact, please. Thanks
Here's an IBM Linux link, but I don't currently have the Linux certified list.
http://www-1.ibm.com/linux/ [SNIP]
BTW, somebody mentioned that a "dream machine" is the hollywood by go-l. It seems that's not completely clear if this is a real company or a hoax. Google "miguel liebermann" and check the references before dreaming... regards, ===== Riccardo G. Facchini
I just installed 9.1 Personal on my Compaq Presario 2800T and it seems to work fantastically. Certainly better than 9.0 Personal did. Finally, my purchase of 9.1 Personal is redeemed and is not for naught! All in all, I'm very pleased.
On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 18:01:26 -0400
James Knott
Johan Sch wrote:
On Sun, 06 Jun 2004 07:37:29 -0400 James Knott
wrote: Johan Sch wrote:
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:46:10 -0400 James Knott
wrote: So, you now know which is the best notebook, for running Linux. ;-)
<< snip >>
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
IBM also has a lot of info, including a Linux certified computer list.
That is nice. Could you kindly maybe give the web-address for that please. Any other links you may have to this fact, please. Thanks
Here's an IBM Linux link, but I don't currently have the Linux certified list.
Thanks for your reply..here is one I got from IBM south Africa.. http://www-306.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-48NT8D.html -- Johan Registered Linux User #330034 May this be a good day for learning
Hi all... On Tuesday 08 June 2004 00:01, James Knott wrote:
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
Can someone give me a web site address for this? TIA JIM -- Jim Hatridge Linux User #88484 "Lighting the fires of Liberty, one heart at a time!" Badnarik for President http://www.badnarik.org ------------------------------------------------------ BayerWulf Linux System # 129656 The Recycled Beowulf Project Looking for throw-away or obsolete computers and parts to recycle into a Linux super computer WartHog Bulletin Info about new German Stamps http://www.fuzzybunnymilitia.org/~hatridge/bulletin Viel Feind -- Viel Ehr' Anti-US Propaganda stamp collection http://www.fuzzybunnymilitia.org/~hatridge/collection
On Tue, 2004-06-08 at 13:27, James Hatridge wrote:
Hi all... On Tuesday 08 June 2004 00:01, James Knott wrote:
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
Can someone give me a web site address for this?
TIA
JIM -- Jim Hatridge Linux User #88484 "Lighting the fires of Liberty, one heart at a time!" Badnarik for President http://www.badnarik.org
Try: http://linux.toshiba-dme.co.jp/linux/index.htm -- Ralph Sanford - If your government does not trust you, rsanford@telusplanet.net - should you trust your government? DH/DSS Key - 0x7A1BEA01
Hi all Thanks Ralph, I joined it last night. JIM On Wednesday 09 June 2004 03:47, Ralph Sanford wrote:
On Tue, 2004-06-08 at 13:27, James Hatridge wrote:
Hi all...
On Tuesday 08 June 2004 00:01, James Knott wrote:
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
Can someone give me a web site address for this?
TIA
JIM -- Jim Hatridge Linux User #88484 "Lighting the fires of Liberty, one heart at a time!" Badnarik for President http://www.badnarik.org
Try: http://linux.toshiba-dme.co.jp/linux/index.htm
-- Ralph Sanford - If your government does not trust you, rsanford@telusplanet.net - should you trust your government?
DH/DSS Key - 0x7A1BEA01
-- Jim Hatridge Linux User #88484 "Lighting the fires of Liberty, one heart at a time!" Badnarik for President http://www.badnarik.org ------------------------------------------------------ BayerWulf Linux System # 129656 The Recycled Beowulf Project Looking for throw-away or obsolete computers and parts to recycle into a Linux super computer WartHog Bulletin Info about new German Stamps http://www.fuzzybunnymilitia.org/~hatridge/bulletin Viel Feind -- Viel Ehr' Anti-US Propaganda stamp collection http://www.fuzzybunnymilitia.org/~hatridge/collection
--- Johan Sch <___> wrote:
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:46:10 -0400 James Knott
wrote: So, you now know which is the best notebook, for running Linux. ;-)
<< snip >>
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
-- Johan Registered Linux User #330034 May this be a good day for learning
[snip] Toshiba may be linux-frendly, but some of their laptops aren't. I have a (today old) Tecra 8200. Is 4 years old, but still a wonderful machine: 1Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 60Gb HD, with a small problem... the d___d display. Uses Tridentmicro Cyberblade XP, that ***can*** give 1400 pixel resolution, but as trident micro never released the documentation, the Xfree driver shift the screen 5mm to the right when in 1400 mode... and it seems that there is no way to get it fixed. so, my recommendation: beware of Toshiba laptops, and test them with either Live-CD 9.1 or Knoppix before committing to it. ===== Riccardo G. Facchini
On Mon, 7 Jun 2004 00:49:24 -0700 (PDT)
Riccardo Facchini
--- Johan Sch <___> wrote:
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:46:10 -0400 James Knott
wrote: So, you now know which is the best notebook, for running Linux. ;-)
<< snip >>
NO..but found that toshiba seems to be very linux friendly..they eaven have a mail list for their linux users on the website.
-- Johan Registered Linux User #330034 May this be a good day for learning
[snip]
Toshiba may be linux-frendly, but some of their laptops aren't. I have a (today old) Tecra 8200. Is 4 years old, but still a wonderful machine: 1Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 60Gb HD, with a small problem... the d___d display. Uses Tridentmicro Cyberblade XP, that ***can*** give 1400 pixel resolution, but as trident micro never released the documentation, the Xfree driver shift the screen 5mm to the right when in 1400 mode... and it seems that there is no way to get it fixed.
so, my recommendation: beware of Toshiba laptops, and test them with either Live-CD 9.1 or Knoppix before committing to it.
===== Riccardo G. Facchini
Thanks..already have latest knoppix..wil do. -- Johan Registered Linux User #330034 May this be a good day for learning
participants (9)
-
Brooks
-
James Hatridge
-
James Knott
-
Jerome R. Westrick
-
Johan Sch
-
Ralph Sanford
-
Riccardo Facchini
-
Roberto Cruz Pérez
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Sneferu