From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Mar 28 16:56:22 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 973FA106566C for ; Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:56:22 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: from gizmo.acns.msu.edu (gizmo.acns.msu.edu [35.8.1.43]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 667518FC1E for ; Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:56:22 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: from gizmo.acns.msu.edu (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by gizmo.acns.msu.edu (8.13.6/8.13.6) with ESMTP id m2SGtnBQ008539; Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:55:49 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: (from jerrymc@localhost) by gizmo.acns.msu.edu (8.13.6/8.13.6/Submit) id m2SGtnkD008538; Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:55:49 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from jerrymc) Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:55:49 -0400 From: Jerry McAllister To: Mike Jeays Message-ID: <20080328165548.GA8233@gizmo.acns.msu.edu> References: <172332.45773.qm@web56808.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <200803271548.07036.mike.jeays@rogers.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <200803271548.07036.mike.jeays@rogers.com> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.2i Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Laptop advice X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:56:22 -0000 On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 03:48:06PM -0400, Mike Jeays wrote: > On March 27, 2008 03:09:42 pm mdh wrote: > > --- David Kelly wrote: > > > On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 01:53:57PM -0400, Joe Demeny > > > > > > wrote: > > > > In the end, the best advice seems to be indeed to > > > > > > take the FreeBSD CD > > > > > > > to the brick-and-mortar store... > > > > > > Or you could purchase an Apple Mac Book and have a > > > commercially > > > supported Unix pre-installed. Guess that would take > > > all the "fun" out of > > > it? > > > > While I like Mac products and OSX is pretty cool, I > > still find their laptops a bit pricey. > > > > By the by, has anyone tried FreeBSD on one of those > > little Asus EEEpc sublaptops? A real, tiny, i386 > > laptop for $300 (plus maybe a bit more for an > > additional SD card to bump the storage some) seems > > like a truly awesome deal. > > > > I bought an Eee PC, but haven't tried any other software on it yet. I can > confirm that the hardware is a bargain, and I used it 'as is' while > travelling for ten days, and it connected 'out of the box' to the wireless > service provided in each hotel. A mouse is a great help, although the > built-in pad is quite usable. I had no trouble with the tiny keyboard, > except for needing the light on to read the keys. What!! You're not a touch typist??!! A couple of others to look at: By HP: http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/19/hps-umpc-2133-revealed/ By KJS: http://www.umpcportal.com/products/product.php?id=130 By Dell: http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/latit_xt?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&~tab=bundlestab&dgc=ST&cid=27096&lid=615901O By IBM: http://shop.lenovo.com/us/landing_pages/thinkpad/2008/X300?cid=us|semd|ggl|us_portable_en|t9C4|c&&s_kwcid=ContentNetwork|1073231341 I tried out a Kohjinsha in Japan and found that its small keyboard was pretty easy to use as well (I suppose some would have trouble with its size, but I found it fairly comfortable after a few minutes of getting used to it). It looks about the same physical size as the EeePC. It is a bit more expensive that the Eee, but it has 80GB/120 GB disk and some more other good features. The display can be turned around and used like a tablet and there are models with touch screen. I was impressed with the display too. Even though it was a 7 inch and not exceptionally high resolution, it was sharp and very readable. There is some company that is marketing a version of it with English language WinXP. I don't know if they put an English language BIOS in it. But, I find that machine very interesting. It would fit in my jacket pocket - my major size qualifier. Some comments and pictures: http://technorati.com/photos/tag/kohjinsha Japanese website: http://kohjinsha.com/models/sa/lineupsa.html Of course, Dell and IBM models are more featured, but are much larger and much more expensive. The HP model is yet to be seen, but looks interesting. ////jerry > > They are a really great innovation, IMHO. I am really pleased with mine. > > The wireless card may be the problem with FreeBSD. > > > > -- > Mike Jeays > http://www.jeays.ca > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscribe@freebsd.org"