[LUNI] Laptop component recommendations

[Trev Peterson]

I'd go with the Intel wireless and the Intel graphics.  Once of the
problems that I've been bitten by with the Nvidia is that they EOL old
chipsets after 3 years.  I was done with an old latpop and wanted to
pass it on to a friend and it was a real pain to get Ubuntu on there
with the old drivers so I diteched it and loaded Gentoo (not the best
distro for a new user).

Intel seems to have the best in-kernel support for their hardware.  I
would stick to them plus you get low heat and better power management.
I have an inspiron 9400 with a GeForce 7800 go and I need an external
cooler to keep the temps reasonable.

According to this it looks like bluetooth works:
http://www.klabs.be/~fpiat/linux/debian/Etch_on_Thinkpad_T61.html

I believe the sound works with the latest alsa so it is supported just
new so not in any release versions yet.

HTH, 

	Trev

On Sat, 2007-07-28 at 19:55 -0500, Larry Garfield 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
-- 
Trev Peterson
Advanced Reality
Email: trev at advanced-reality.com
Phone: +1 847 406 9018