[LUNI] Laptop component recommendations

[James Velguth]

You could even get a second hard drive and use that for the linux and 
save the MS hard drive as a target for darts or baseballs!

Larry Garfield wrote:

>Thanks Robert.  Yes, I did look at Emperor Linux.  As I mention in the last 
>paragraph below, their markup over the price direct from Lenovo seems to be 
>around $1000.  (I speced out a system for $1300 and change, then looked at 
>something roughly comparable on Emperor Linux's site and it was $2300.)  I 
>saw another Thinkpad-with-Linux reseller as well, and their markup was around 
>the same.  At that price I'd rather pay the MS tax.  
>
>On Sunday 29 July 2007, Robert Smith wrote:
>  
>
>>I've run Linux on three different Thinkpads over the years. My first
>>attempt was on a 600e (Red Hat 6 or 7). There were issues with the
>>soundcard and some other items as I recall, but it ran well enough to suit
>>my needs. Since then, I've used one distro or another on both a T20 and an
>>A22 (SuSe 9 Pro or Mandrake 10). Hardware was detected much better than on
>>the 600e.
>>
>>  Not IBM related, but more recently, I've run Linux (SimplyMEPIS) on an
>>Armada M700 and (the PCLinuxOS 2007 distro) on a Compaq N600c. On both
>>machines, it pretty much ran right out of the box.
>>
>>  If you are thinking about the T61, have you considered Emporer Linux?
>>They sell the T61 sans any M$ software, and pre-loaded with the distro of
>>your choice. Anyway, just a though. Good luck in your purchase.
>>
>>  http://www.emperorlinux.com/
>>
>>  Rob Smith
>>
>>
>>Larry Garfield <larry at garfieldtech.com> wrote:
>>  Hi folks. I am on the verge of *gasp* buying a laptop. Naturally since
>>I'm asking this list about it my intention is to run Linux on it,
>>exclusively, specifically Kubuntu. Because laptops can be tricky beasts
>>compatibility-wise, though, I wanted to get some second opinions before
>>actually spending money on it.
>>
>>Right now I'm leaning toward a Thinkpad T61. Part of that is the Thinkpad
>>reputation, part of that is I'm a weirdo who likes the pointing stick. :-)
>>My understanding is the Thinkpads also have a good Linux track record. I
>>also spec'ed out a similarly equipped Thinkpad and HP laptop and they were
>>within $10 of each other, so there doesn't seem to be much of a premium.
>>
>>However, I still would like to see if anyone has experience with some of
>>the options on it:
>>
>>- The T61 offers either an Intel X3100 graphics chip or an nVidia Quadro
>>NVS graphics chip. According to what I've found, the nVidia version runs
>>with the usual nVidia caveats: Great chip, works wonderfully in 3D, but
>>only with nVIdia's proprietary driver. The Intel chip, though, seems to
>>have Free driver support right in Xorg. True? How is the 3D? I'm not an
>>avid gamer but something that can show off Compiz or be a viable LAN Party
>>system (yes on Linux, I've done it) would be nice.
>>
>>- The sound chip is an AD1984 (oh what a model number...), which
>>thinkwiki.org says only works with various kernel patches. True? It's
>>surprising to see something like sound not "just work" these days. Has
>>anyone gotten sound to play nice with a T-series?
>>
>>- It appears to offer an Aetheros-based a/b/g WiFi chip or an Intel a/b/g/n
>>WiFi chip. I've had very good experience with Aetheros chips before "just
>>working" with GPLed drivers, but haven't used the Intel chips. I really
>>don't want to dick around with ndiswrapper if I can avoid it. Any
>>experience with things like Free drivers, WPA support, etc?
>>
>>- Is the Bluetooth Linux-friendly, again preferably with Free drivers? I'm
>>planning to get a Bluetooth mouse to go along with it, so Bluetooth really
>>does have to work. :-)
>>
>>- Perennial problem power management: Good, bad, or ugly?
>>
>>- Any other comments, good or bad, on running recent Thinkpads Linux-only?
>>I do want to use as much Free Software drivers as possible, for both
>>pragmatic and philosophical reasons, but I'm not Free-only.
>>
>>A few places, such as EmperorLinux.com, sell rebadged Thinkpads with Linux
>>pre-installed. From what I've seen, though, their markup is on the order of
>>$1000. At that price I'd rather just pay the Windows tax and take my
>>chances on being able to "refund Windows". I already figure I'm voiding the
>>software warranty by installing Linux, so I may as well go whole-hog. :-)
>>
>>Thanks in advance for any advise on helping me spend money!
>>
>>--
>>Larry Garfield AIM: LOLG42
>>larry at garfieldtech.com ICQ: 6817012
>>
>>"If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of
>>exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea,
>>which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to
>>himself; but the moment it is divulged, it forces itself into the
>>possession of every one, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it."
>>-- Thomas Jefferson
>>--
>>Linux Users Of Northern Illinois - Technical Discussion
>>http://luni.org/mailman/listinfo/luni
>>    
>>
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