Linux on Laptops
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| grouch Mar 16, 2006 4:36 PM EDT |
From the article, nearly buried on the page: "There's also this site, which documents which distros have been tested with various laptop computers." It links to http://www.linux-laptop.net/ IMO, that link should have prominence in any discussion of putting Linux on a laptop. Instead of "documents which distros have been tested", it points to brand-, model- and distribution-specific information written by users, giving their own accounts of how they got it working. Working beats theories. |
| tuxtom Mar 16, 2006 5:57 PM EDT |
Grouch, I agree. I have been in the market for a new laptop and have found an astonishing lack of distro-specific information...and I am not a newbie installing linux on laptops. I have done dozens (well, at least a dozen +). It's really a shame to have to settle for 2d video, etc. (I know the hardware vendors are much to blame there.) It is difficult to find the ideal hardware-price combo for running linux. (I'm not a fan of Celerons.) Many of the existing reviews seem to me to be people who are happy just to get things running...like I said, I have done that many times. I want to take FULL advantage of ALL the hardware, and we need more detailed info in that sphere, particularly on a per-distro basis. Too many Fedora kids out there, methinks. This is why my money is still in my bank and not in Mr. Dell's. |
| grouch Mar 16, 2006 8:00 PM EDT |
tuxtom,
My problem is that every time I think about spending money on a laptop, I compare to how much more I could get with that money by buying parts for a desktop system. Or tools or lumber or something else to play with. linux-laptop.net is sponsored by Linux Certified, which IMO is to be commended for not splashing ads all over the site but rather keeping it clean and easy to navigate as well as online to begin with. You might want to check out http://www.linuxcertified.com/linux_laptops.html (I'm not associated or affiliated with them in any way. Just a link collector). |
| tuxtom Mar 16, 2006 9:23 PM EDT |
Grouch: I have an undergraduate degree in Information Science, and I also have a huge collection of "Blue Collar" tools: Bosch Jigsaw(1590EVSK), SkilSaw, Vaughn Framing hammers and more. I wish I could afford a full Snap-On spanner set, but I degress. The beauty of what we do is that it does not matter what we have. I could be on an old P233, for all you know. It does not matter. What matters is our intellectual contribution. I live in Southern California. I think I may be Manic-depressive (easy to do in this part of the world). But I can out-code the rich kids.....and I've had to put up with a lot lot of 'em. Trust me, I'm there 'til 2 AM, and they're coming in the next morning taking credit for it. The current offering for Linux-certified laptops are priced way-beyond what I will pay. Also, all the big OEM's laptops are not made by them...there are a handfull of OEM laptop manufacturers that supply the hardware to the likes of Dell, HP, etc. Still, it is a clusterfsck to find hardware that we want. I'm not trying to be sour-grapes here, but Linux is definitely at a disadvantage...but we can rise above!!! (Black Flag, baby!) Sorry if I am not making a coherent point here. It's late. Bottom line is I would like to run Linux on modern hardware, and the constraint is not Linux, it is hardware OEMs. Unfortunately, I am not a Mechanical Engineer for Sun or Dell or Toshiba or ATI. I am, however, much more versed in Linux than any of the forementioned. (Waiting for replies.) Why is ATI so fscking anal with their source? |
| Herschel_Cohen Mar 17, 2006 7:29 AM EDT |
Hey tt - check out the Asus laptops, some use pretty powerful AMD processors, however, what was really interesting to me was wherever I found the link indicated that there were to be very low power consuming units. When I went to the site, I could not find that combination. That was months ago; it seems I did not bookmark the location. Check it out - the U.S. price was just about $1K for a pretty powerful unit. Nonetheless, look long and hard before pulling the credit card out. I tend to agree with grouch (don't tell him that, just between you and I) that your money is better spent on porn ... ah I mean procuring (not the best wording) components for a unit that sits under or by your desk (that's better). Despite your disparaging words about Fedora, it installed nearly flawlessly on an IBM T-30, which previously held a still partially broken Mandrake 9.1 Pro. The Mandrake installation, in contrast, gave up its secrets of repeated failures only upon repeated probings, i.e. nearly everything failed. I was working on bringing up the Mandrake to a usable status by attempting installations from source, prior to my switch to Fedora. Another thing in favor of Fedora (just like perl vs python) the people you encounter on the forum are more friendly and really helpful. This is not a knock at the Mandrake forum to which I was a member for more than two years - people there were pretty good, just not the same number of knowledgeable users as found on the Fedora forum. In addition, I should point out that I had some strong reservations about some of the posting from the management types that were encouraging investing in the corporation. While mentioning the caveat that this was not consistent with U.S. investment regulations - but they still assured the readers they were a good investment. That happened prior to their entering something like chapter 11 bankruptcy. Perhaps the latter gives you a better idea why I have doubts about the company per se and separate for my disregard for rpms. |
| grouch Mar 17, 2006 9:46 AM EDT |
Ah, the magic of screenshots for preserving the unbelievable. "I tend to agree with grouch" -- forever preserved in png. -bwahaha- |
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