From owner-freebsd-mobile@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Mar 14 16:13:36 2006 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 2F82E16A420 for ; Tue, 14 Mar 2006 16:13:36 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd@meijome.net) Received: from sigma.octantis.com.au (ns2.octantis.com.au [207.44.189.124]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7865043D48 for ; Tue, 14 Mar 2006 16:13:35 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from freebsd@meijome.net) Received: (qmail 5454 invoked from network); 15 Mar 2006 03:13:35 +1100 Received: from 203-158-42-196.dyn.iinet.net.au (HELO localhost) (203.158.42.196) by dreamroom.com.au with (DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA encrypted) SMTP; 15 Mar 2006 03:13:34 +1100 Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2006 03:13:30 +1100 From: Norberto Meijome To: "Kevin Oberman" Message-ID: <20060315031330.0371359f@localhost> In-Reply-To: <20060314160031.8293145041@ptavv.es.net> References: <20060314060732.GA2435@holestein.holy.cow> <20060314160031.8293145041@ptavv.es.net> X-Mailer: Sylpheed-Claws 2.0.0 (GTK+ 2.8.12; i386-portbld-freebsd6.1) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: What laptop do you recommend? X-BeenThere: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Mobile computing with FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2006 16:13:36 -0000 On Tue, 14 Mar 2006 08:00:31 -0800 "Kevin Oberman" wrote: > > Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2006 01:07:32 -0500 > > From: Parv > > Sender: owner-freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org > > > > in message <20060314113412.3470fde5@localhost>, > > wrote Norberto Meijome thusly... > > > > > > On Mon, 13 Mar 2006 10:32:40 -0300 > > > freebsd@meijome.net wrote: > > > > > > > I'm looking for a new, gruntier laptop. What laptop is known to > > > > work WELL with freeBSD? e.g.: > > > > > > > > ACPI with no problems (and as many features as possible) > > > > PATA / SATA with no problems > > > > I don't think Thinkpad has [SP]ATA things (yet). > > From my T43: > atapci0: port > 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6,0x170-0x177,0x376,0x18c0-0x18cf at device 31.2 on > pci0 Since the drives are still PATA, I assume it uses a SATA/PATA > chip for the internal drives, but it may make SATA available to a > docking station. yeah, the T60s (available now @ my provider! ) also come with SATA drives. > > If you can, try to get a laptop either without a 802.11g (so that > > you can decide which one to buy) or buy one supported by ath driver. > > I have T42 w/ Intel 2200BG card, and it using w/ iwi driver > > (net/iwi-firmware port). Here, connected w/ Linksys WRT54G wireless > > router/switch/AP, iwi interface|driver needs to be reset just about > > every two hours (when i start getting "TKIP ICV mismatch on decrypt" > > message. > > iwi (and its kin-folk) have been betting heavy work in HEAD over the > past week or two and, hopefully, things will improve. OTOH, I have two > colleagues using this card with Windows and they complain that it > locks up periodically and they have to disable and enable it to get > it back, so this may not be just a FreeBSD thing. There is also > fairly new firmware out (V3.0) which MAY fix some of these problems. I have a 2200BG on this tosh A2 - some lockups, but couldn't pinpoint it to the card (again, i've made the habit of ifconfig down before suspend...) . No problems at all while running. > > > > Looking into either Intel duo Core or AMD64 chips. > > > > Can't say about Thinkpad on that. > > I think the only ThinkPads with Core Duo are T60s, although I'm sure > other will follow. Don't know if Lenovo will ever go the AMD route, > but I sure hope they do. My AMD desktop is one amazing system! I know :) What about AMD64 (single or Dual core) cpus for laptops ("Turin" ? ) : any good experiences there anyone? > > > > >From what I've read, IBMs seem to have quite good support, so > > > > >do DELLs > > > > (though they seem chunkier than other laptops). I usually get > > > > Toshiba, but I don't think they are so well supported. > > > > Boy do those Toshiba's "TruBrite" screen looked amazing (in a chain > > store). yeah, a colleague has a Tecra A5, bright as a CRT. > > FWIW, I have been amazed at the brightness of my T43. It is MUCH > brighter than my trusty T30. > > > > What about DELL laptops? any model I should stick to? > > > > People generally advise to get one from "business" line (used to be > > "Latitude" for some time in past; don't know about the > > present/future), not the "home" one ("Inspiron"). > > > > > > > Thinkpads are a bit pricey for me atm. > > > > T4[0-3]-generation should be affordable by now, around USD1[0-2]00. > > > > > > > (Greg Lehey i think was using dells... could well be wrong...) > > > > Yes, some Dell Inspiron. > > My wife has not been at all happy with her Latitude. Heavy and still > not robust. Unpleasant keyboard and very touchy touchpad. (This is > from her as I don't often use it.) I do love the 1600x1200 display, > though! > > For less expensive (and less powerful) ThinkPads, look at the R > series. No Core Duos there, but they start at about $800 new. No > touchpads (which I consider a plus), but a bit clunky compared to the > T series. yeah.... i'm running the features vs numbers job atm... Actually thinking of looking into the components of ASUS laptops, as well as those from pioneercomputers.com.au - have heard of some great experiences with those laptops with Linux. BTW, thanks everyone for your help :) will keep asking questions as needed, of course ;) Beto