[PLUG] Linux-friendly notebook

Rich Shepard rshepard at appl-ecosys.com
Mon Oct 13 07:04:02 UTC 2003


On Sun, 12 Oct 2003, Paul Heinlein wrote:

> I suppose the IBM T-series notebooks are bigger than you'd like -- they
> include a DVD-ROM drive, on-board NIC, &c. -- but I really like them. Red
> Hat Linux installs very cleanly on them, so I suppose Slackware would as
> well.

  Thanks very much, Paul.

  I've looked some more and decided that I'll go with the Sony Vaio
PCG-v505b from Emperor Linux. Yes, I'll pay about $100 more than buying it
from another vendor, but then I don't have to remove the winduhs and get
linux running. They'll put on Slackware-9.1 partitioned as I request. That
time saving -- and knowing that _all_ the features work -- is worth the cost
difference to me.

  Emperor Linux also has the IBM T30 and T40 boxes. It's interesting how the
higher number is a much lower CPU (1300-1400MHz compared with 2400MHz). And,
the prices are higher, the box is larger and it is heavier than the Sony.
The Sony's battery life (according to specs on the Web) is 3.5 hours. If
that's with winduhs then my experience with the Toshibas is that I'll get
much longer life running linux. I'll ask the vendor.

  I do notice, too, that Emperor charges a _lot_ more for memory upgrades
and other accessories than do many other sources. I can buy an additional
256M of RAM for $64 elsewhere while Emperor wants $150 for it. Cough! Same
with replacement batteries and an extra AC adapter (one for the office, one
stays in the computer bag).

  In the almost-4.5 years I've used my Portege all over the U.S., I've not
dropped it or needed to have either the external floppy drive or the
external cd-rom drive with me. When I've used the machine for presentations
I bring along the port duplicator; otherwise it stays home. It's a dynamite
machine for writing, connecting back to the office network, presentations,
light development and other such things. Now, however, I'll need to run
spatial and approximate reasoning models on the road and the dear, sweet
thing is just not up to the task -- not, at least, if I want to be done in a
reasonable time. :-)

  I remember my first laptop from 1992: a Gateway (built for them by Texas
Instruments), with a 486DX-2/100 CPU running DOS. It weighed 7+ pounds and I
really felt that when I carried it through airports and around trade shows,
conventions and meetings all day. Ugh! Also, the AC adapter port was pooly
designed and kept breaking at 13 months -- with a 12 month warranty. That
put me off Gateway for good. So, I like light machines to carry along with
project files, reference materials and whatever else I can stuff in the
computer bag.

Rich

Dr. Richard B. Shepard, President

                       Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. (TM)
            2404 SW 22nd Street | Troutdale, OR 97060-1247 | U.S.A.
 + 1 503-667-4517 (voice) | + 1 503-667-8863 (fax) | rshepard@appl-ecosys.com
                         http://www.appl-ecosys.com/




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