Re: [SLE] looking for advice about laptops

From: John Andersen (jsa_at_pen.homeip.net)
Date: 07/11/04

  • Next message: Jake: "Re: [SLE] pointer icon" 
    To: suse-linux-e@suse.com
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2004 14:12:45 -0800

    On Friday 09 July 2004 12:52 am, Blue Moose IT Support wrote:
    > The following website has links to other website where people have
    > shared their experiences with putting various linux distros onto
    > laptops. It was invaluable to me when I was trying to get my wireless to
    > work with my Dell Inspiron 8500. I've got the whole thing working pretty
    > well now, except for the damn subfs nonsense.
    >
    > http://www.linux-on-laptops.com
    >
    > I would recommend you select three different laptops that you think you
    > would enjoy owning and then search the above site to see what peoples
    > experiences have been.

    But when doing this, remember that people only post about problems,
    never (or much less frequently) about successes.

    I read the linux-sony mailing list (insue.org) and have a high end
    vaio (desktop substitute with 16inch screen) that I have been running
    Linux on since SuSe 7.2. With 8.2 everything works and I am having
    a hard time convincing myself to upgrade to 9.1 just because EVERYTHING
    works so well.

    I use it for Software Development (for Windows world - sigh) and I run
    Vmware on it so that I can run several (all) versions of windows
    simultaneously for testing etc. Very cool.

    -----MY SUGGESTIONS based on several years of daily
           laptop / linux usage?

    Things to avoid in ANY Linux Laptop purchase:
    1)External (fire-wire/USB) CD-ROM drives
    2)Unsupported Wireless (whether built in or add on)
    3)Anything with the name NVidia on it. (screw 'em till they open source it).
    4)DO NOT buy with ALL memory slots full unless you positively load
       it with memory (1 gig or maybe 2). Pay for a bigger mem module
       to allow one slot open for future. Then go to Crucial.com and get
       it for half the price the laptop vendor wants!

    Things to look for:
    1)Lots of USB ports. 2 is not enough. USB 1.1 is not acceptable any more.
    2)Easy access to (replaceable) Hard drives
    3)Removable CDROM (for additional battery).
    4)Biggest screen you can possibly afford.

    5)There is one school of though that you should avoid built-in wireless
      because you are stuck with it for life. The field is evolving fast and
      prices are dropping, so pcmcia looks attractive for upgrade purposes.

    Ambivalence:
    I have never found a use for InfraRed (IR) ports
    I have never needed a docking station - more trouble than worth
    Track pads and keyboard mice are cute - But gimmie a real
       (wireless optical mouse) and let me get some work done.
    I have a floppy drive (USB) but NEVER use it. If you can boot
       from cdrom, you don't need one. You can burn a cdrom for
       about 30 cents(us) these days.
    Serial ports are falling into disuse these days. YMMV. 

    -- 
_____________________________________
John Andersen  Sony Vaio GRXseries.

  • Next message: Jake: "Re: [SLE] pointer icon"

    Relevant Pages

    • Re: The new wave of insanity....
      ... Recently I tried to file a report on a State government website which by ... Setting up wireless is trivial. ... I was setting up a late distribution of Linux on a piece of hardware and went through the 800 numbers, the email, the registration bit, the whole nine yards, and NONE of these methods of customer support even came close to being helpful. ... To give a bit of credit where it is due, overall, a pretty large fraction of all the software I ever bought did install without problems and what I have left is the software I have decided to keep because I have confidence that it will install again based on successes in the past and I know where the bugs are and find them to be acceptable. ...
      (sci.research.careers)
    • Re: New Public Hotspot Setup
      ... You might also want to add "wireless tech support" ... weight laptops occupy more table space and should therefore pay more. ... That should get your coffee shop mentioned in the local newspapers ... just wanted to use the free wireless. ...
      (alt.internet.wireless)
    • Re: My Documents Redirection with Laptop using WiFi
      ... I might have dreamed that auto-enrollment success message. ... but I connect to the wireless network normally. ... your laptops, the laptop won't authenticate to it. ...
      (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
    • Re: New Public Hotspot Setup
      ... You might also want to add "wireless tech support" ... weight laptops occupy more table space and should therefore pay more. ... That should get your coffee shop mentioned in the local newspapers ... It displays the connection count. ...
      (alt.internet.wireless)
    • Re: New Public Hotspot Setup
      ... You might also want to add "wireless tech support" ... weight laptops occupy more table space and should therefore pay more. ... That should get your coffee shop mentioned in the local newspapers ... just wanted to use the free wireless. ...
      (alt.internet.wireless)