Re: laptop experiences...
On Sat, Sep 23, 2000 at 02:38:44PM +1100, CaT wrote:
> Hey folks. I'm thinking of getting one of them laptop thingies
> and running debian on it. After a wee bit of looking about I
> am stuck between an ibm thinkpad and a toshiba satelite (pro).
> The first due to their publicised linux support and the 2nd
> cos it seems to be well recommended by friends. Both of them
> have prettymucht he features I want.
I recommend the Thinkpad. I have an older model (760el), pretty happy with
it. I have heard bad things about Toshiba and linux support, especially
with respect to the Ir port.
I have not been able to get 800x600 console mode though :( It is slow
enough to make running X undesireable. Although X does run.
>
> So... my quesiton is, how well are they supported under
> debian/linux? Is ibm's linux support more then just hot air?
> Will I be able to do the funky things like hibernation and
> stuff under them? And so on... basically, is there anything
> icky about trying to run linux under these suckers that'd
> make one preferable over the other.
There is a utility called tpctl (thinkpad control) in Debian. It requires
you to compile the kernel modules from tpctl-modules-source and install the
resulting tpctl-modules. It works differently on various thinkpads
(supports different features or not). You must make /dev/thinkpad, and the
program uses that. You can set stuff like what happens when the lid
closes/opens, which mouse to use (internal/external), what to do in case of
fire, etc. It has ntpctl, an ncurses front end.
It mentions hibernation, but I am ignorant on this subject.
>
> I welcome any URLs that ppl may have that'd help. I currently
> have a wee collection of:
>
> Certification - IBM ThinkPad 390X
> http://www.linuxcare.com/labs/certs/pad390x.epl
>
> Linux on a ThinkPad 755C
> http://www.wam.umd.edu/~renomero/linux-tp
>
> Linux on Laptops
> http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/kharker/linux-laptop/
Yes, those are good. If I ever get around to it, I will write another
tp760el page for the archives.
>
> Are there any others that'd be helpful? Anyone have any personal
> experiences they wanna send me? (privately or otherwise)
>
> Basically, these suckers are expensive and I don't wanna make
> a fubar.
I hear ya'. Mine is factory refurb and slow and it still cost be a pretty
sum.
> If there's a better list I could ask this on I'd appreciate subscription
> info for it too. (I know of linux-laptop@vger.kernel.org already... will
> be asking there also)
>
> --
> CaT (cat@zip.com.au)
>
> 'He had position, but I was determined to score.'
> -- Worf, DS9, Season 5: 'Let He Who Is Without Sin...'
>
--
Pat Mahoney <patmahoney@gmx.net>
"We waste so many moments standing on convention"
-- Nick Hexum
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