xfree86 4.x on a powerbook 3400c

[Ian Eure <ieure@qwest.net>]

hi there. i recently installed debian on my powerbook 3400c, and it
seems to run ok, but i still have some problems.

i searched the list archives, but didn't find any information
regarding some of my problems. perhaps someone on the list could
provide some feedback?

* if i try to use the "chips" driver for xfree86, x 4.0.3 (in woody)
	hoses the console. xfree86 4.1.0 (from sid) hangs the machine. fbdev
	works, but i can't get any better than 640x480 at 8bpp,
	unaccellerated. not fun. i can deal with unaccellerated video, but i
	can't handle 640x480 @8bpp. and i can't find any docs on the
	"chipsfb" console driver, to see if i can pass it a better video
	mode at boot-time.

* if i'm running on battery power, the ethernet is very unstable - it
	will stop working after a few minutes. deconfiguring & reconfiguring
	the interface fixes it, for a few minutes more. after three or four
	times of doing this, the maching hangs. doesn't happen if it's
	running on ac power, but that kinda defeats the purpose of having a
	laptop.

those are really the only problems i'm having right now. i tried
compiling kernel 2.4.8, in the hopes that i could get one or both of
these issues resolved, but it's even worse than the 2.2.19 kernel from
potato. the ethernet doesn't work at all, and the keyboard behaves
strangely - when i switch consoles, it loses the pressed state of the
"command" key, e.g. i have to press command-f1, command-f2 instead of
holding command and pressing f1 then f2.

i've filed a bug against xserver-xfree86, and contacted the tulip
maintainer about the broken ethernet in 2.4.8 already.

-- 
.--.:-:.-----------------------------------------------------------------------.
|  :; ;:      "i feel the cold knife blade of disgust in my gut, like a shot." |
|  ;| |; - chemlab, "suicide jag"                                              |
`--||-||-----------------------------------------------------------------------'
   |. .|
   .   .