[Eug-lug] Linux and Gnu --> Ready for PrimeTime vis-a-vis Laptops? 3 Perpetual Newbie questions

Thu Feb 15 19:02:52 PST 2007

Also, regarding "Live CD" bootable distro's, be sure to have a cheat sheet
of boot options, as this can make all the difference in getting some
hardware
support... of course if it auto-detects & correctly configures stuff on its
own
then you're golden!

As for redhat, I don't have any disregard for the distro family, but I'd
suggest
fedora or whitebox...  no need for RHEL unless you've got a business need
for it.
http://fedora.redhat.com/
http://www.whiteboxlinux.org/

cheerio,

ben

On 2/14/07, Michael Miller <mike.mikemiller at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> If your machine has a Nvidia card in it. Make sure to install the
> Nvida drives and take some time to play with nvidia-xconfig -A to fine
> tune your xconfig.
>
> -Miller
>
> On 2/14/07, LinuxRocks! <linux at rocksolidnetworks.com> wrote:
> > Pretty much what both replies said... I have very similar laptop, and
> > ive used several versons of linux on it. To make things easier, you
> > might try some of the Live CD's before you install (ubuntu, DSL,
> > Slackware, ...) all have CD's that can be run from CD w/out installing
> > or changing your existing system.
> >
> > I personally cant think of a single situation where I would recommend
> > any version of redhat, but others seem to like it (kinda like
> > windows...)
> >
> > Jamie
> >
> > On Sun, Feb 11, 2007 at 05:24:46PM -0800, Mr O wrote:
> > > Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2007 17:24:46 -0800 (PST)
> > > From: Mr O <notanatheist at yahoo.com>
> > > Subject: Re: [Eug-lug] Linux and Gnu --> Ready for PrimeTime vis-a-vis
> > >       Laptops? 3 Perpetual Newbie questions
> > > To: Eugene Unix and Gnu/Linux User Group <euglug at euglug.org>
> > >
> > > You most likely have a standard whitebook. Google up some of the
> > > numbers off your base and find out who really makes the laptop.
> > > Then hit the forums of the major linux players for n00bs like
> > > Fedora, Ubuntu, openSuse and see if anyone else has a similar
> > > machine. Personally I have *never* even used Windows on my
> > > laptop. The first thing I did was tried a couple distros and
> > > settled on Ubuntu for best all around support. Not everything is
> > > *perfect* but it works pretty darn well. The only issue I have
> > > is proper power management. I've got my widescreen resolution,
> > > wireless, and suspend via hotkey all working but the screen
> > > decides for itself when it wants to sleep no matter what changes
> > > I make. Closing the lid doesn't always put it directly to sleep
> > > so just hit "Alt Esc" (default for my crappy little Dell) and
> > > put it down for a nap.
> > >
> > > Happy linux laptop user,
> > > Mr O.
> > >
> > > --- Harald Sundt <h_sundt at efn.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > > The other day I went to the ASLabs website
> > > > (http://www.aslab.com/index.html) to get some support and I
> > > > just found
> > > > the folks who sold me my Linux pre-installed Laptop have
> > > > discontinued
> > > > it, and all its line of laptops.
> > > >
> > > > I called and they said "We won't return to selling Laptops
> > > > until we find
> > > > one that can meet our specifications"
> > > > I am guessing this means "Linux is too tricky to make go well
> > > > on laptops".
> > > >
> > > > But 3 things are making me crazy and I hope you can answer
> > > > these three
> > > > questions:
> > > >
> > > > First: I bought a  Excalibur LT600
> > > >
> > > (http://www.aslab.com/products/laptops/excaliburlt600_spec.html)
> > > > It's General Specifications are:
> > > > Dimension & Weight:
> > > > 14" (W) x 10.8" (D) x 1.4" (H) weighing 6.6 lbs with battery
> > > > LCD Display Panel:
> > > > 15.4" Widescreen Active Matrix TFT LCD Display Panel,
> > > > 1680x10501 WSXGA
> > > > resolution
> > > > Ambient Light Sensor (ALS) technology to extend battery life
> > > > Intel? Pentium? M (Banias core) processor with Speedstep?,
> > > > 533mhz Front
> > > > Side Bus, 2M full speed L2 cache, Socket 479, .09 micron
> > > > Chipset:
> > > > Intel 915PM Express chipset and ICH6-M Southbridge
> > > >
> > > > QUESTION ONE:
> > > >
> > > > Is there any general Linux reason laptop application is
> > > > tricky? Or is
> > > > ASLabs having a problem with their approach and what could
> > > > that be?
> > > >
> > > > QUESTION TWO:
> > > >
> > > > My CPU is duel boot, Windows XT and Fedora 7. I can only Boot
> > > > Windows if
> > > > I boot the default, Linux, first and reboot.
> > > > If I "escape" during the first part of boot to grub and choose
> > > > Windows,
> > > > Windows will boot but never light up or show up on the screen,
> > > > as if it
> > > > can't boot a laptop screen without it being "found" previously
> > > > by a
> > > > prior Linux boot. Why is this? Is there a cure?
> > > >
> > > > QUESTION THREE:
> > > >
> > > > I have been "upgrading" via the online upgrade function in the
> > > > Linux
> > > > System menu. What happens if I try a install or update from
> > > > some disks,
> > > > like Fedora 8? They told me at ASL I had to use their disks
> > > > because they
> > > > "fine tune" the Fedora for my laptop.  Am I stranded in Fedora
> > > > 7? I am
> > > > not bright or savvy enough to know what questions to ask them
> > > > or how to
> > > > re-write any installation scripts.
> > > >
> > > > With above caveats, I'm at home in my Laptop. But its like
> > > > having a
> > > > comfortable Mobile-Home in a Gulf-State. I wanna ask "If I'm
> > > > so f**king
> > > > comfortable, why can't I relax?"
> > > >
> > > > Yours
> > > > Hal the Perpetual Newbie
> > > > _______________________________________________
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> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
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