You're looking to buy a new notebook...

StoneChucker · Post by **StoneChucker** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 2:35 am

Hey everyone! Looking for some information before I slap down cash on a new notebook computer. Any and all information you can provide will be great.

My employer includes in the benifits package, an interest free loan for PC / Notebook purchases, as long as the computer meets certain requirements. The basics of the requirements are - it must be new (not a refurb, not an "open box", etc...), must be current technology, must be Intel or AMD CPU, and *MUST* run Windows. Running linux and / or any other OS isn't allowed at the time of purchase, but afterwards they don't need to know I'm going to wipe the Windows pre-install off.

My question to the forum and the tech show - are the majority of the so called "name brand" notebooks 90% (+) compatible with linux? Are there certain makers who provide better notebooks than others for compatibility?

My requirements include DVD+/-R/RW, 80GB+ HD, 512MB+ RAM, the ability to play DVDs to an external monitor and/or TV (s-video??), and wireless networking with WPA encryption.

Your thoughts? Thanks for your time,

StoneChucker
(Chris B)

snarkout · Post by **snarkout** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:38 am

I'll say what I say every time - Thinkpads. I'll also include that IMO Toshiba are a bunch of lying bastards who will never see another cent of my money.

Post by **Patrick** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:02 am

I recommend using a bootable distro to see what gets recognized. Bring the live CD's (Kanotix, Ubuntu, Linspire, Damm Small, etc..) and see what gets recognized. I was checking out a particular low-end HP laptop a while back and the audio was not recognized by any of the live distros. Not a good sign. The wireless card will more than likely work under ndiswrapper. The list of wifi cards covered by native linux drivers is increasing every day. Most modern laptops work fine in linux. Even my cheapo $550 Walmart Balance laptop works great! The wifi card even works without ndiswrapper. Usually winmodems that most laptop manufacturers use are the biggest POS. This isn't a big deal since wifi and broadband are pretty prevalent anywhere you go these days.

Tsuroerusu · Post by **Tsuroerusu** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:13 am

As Pat said, run a couple of LiveCDs on the thing before you buy it, if you look for an Intel Centrino notebook, the wireless should work fine, because in order to use the Centrino certification, it has to have the Intel wireless chipset which works great under Linux, not sure about the ones in the Core Duo-based notebooks but if you stick to the previous generation Pentium M notebooks (Sonoma) it will work.

StoneChucker · Post by **StoneChucker** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 2:17 pm

Thanks for your input - you've each basically confirmed what I already had thought. Pat's recommendation of using the LiveCD(s) before purchase was in my mind already.

I've already experienced difficulties with my current Dell SmartStep 200N notebook, and it's modem, but I have a PCMCIA 33.6 modem that works - if I really require it.

Thanks again .... when I make the jump to a new notebook, I let you know how it goes.

snarkout · Post by **snarkout** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 2:55 pm

Modems will almost always be an issue - linuxant makes a play to play driver for many connexant modems though. However, right now, I use a pcmcia card too. It's easier for me.

johnnywtllts · Post by **johnnywtllts** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:04 pm

Snarkout said

I'll say what I say every time - Thinkpads. I'll also include that IMO Toshiba are a bunch of lying bastards who will never see another cent of my money.

I do some window shopping for laptops every now and then, looking forward to the day my present one dies, and have always considered the inexpensive Thinkpads as my top choice- Is there any difference in quality between the Lenovo Thinkpads and the originals?

Also, what happened with Toshiba? That's what I'm waiting on to die - a 6 year old Sattelite.

(I just realized my daughter has been in college for almost as long as I've had this laptop - there's my problem)

snarkout · Post by **snarkout** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:39 pm

I can't really say - I have had a t22 and a t42, both have been very sweet. The t22 was built like a brick, the t42 isn't. The t42 is much lighter, and much sleeker though.

As far as toshiba goes, essentially I had several people at toshiba out and out *lie* to me. I wanted to RMA a brand new laptop, was willing to eat the 15% restock, and was willing to trade the phoenix-bios based lappy I was sold as a toshiba for a toshiba-bios based lappy. I must have spoken to 15 people there who tried to tell me they either didn't do RMAs or that 1 week was longer than a month (their maximum time for RMA). Long story short, I was eventually able to RMA the lappy, but only after threatening legal action and to dispute the charges on my CC. I'll never buy another thing from toshiba if I can help it.

johnnywtllts · Post by **johnnywtllts** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:00 pm

Cool deal. I'm writing this on a T22 P3 at work. I put the Vector live CD in here earlier - looked nice and very responsive.

I see a lot of refurbished T22s for sale at Overstock, even Walmart online - I think - might consider one of those after some more investigation.

snarkout · Post by **snarkout** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:27 pm

johnnywtllts wrote:Cool deal. I'm writing this on a T22 P3 at work. I put the Vector live CD in here earlier - looked nice and very responsive.

I see a lot of refurbished T22s for sale at Overstock, even Walmart online - I think - might consider one of those after some more investigation.

I had mine several years ago -- IIRC my video card was something horrible like a NeoMagic. You might check to see if there are alternatives - mine was a hand-me-down, so I wasn't fussy. IIRC, Linc has a t22, too - he might be able to give some feedback.

johnnywtllts · Post by **johnnywtllts** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 10:05 am

This exchange must have generated some good karma - cause I went home last night and - no shit - the "left" mouse button on my old laptop had clicked for the last time. So even I have my limits - missing shift key, no battery, cracked hinges, slow-ass hardware, 800 x 600 resolution + no left mouse button = time for new laptop.

The search is on, hello 21st century.

StoneChucker · Post by **StoneChucker** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:25 pm

So Johnny, tell us what you get! Okay... just tell me, and how does it work out for you?

johnnywtllts · Post by **johnnywtllts** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:39 am

Okie Doke StoneChucker, will do. Let us know what you settle on and how it works with Linux too. I've started a post on my website to hold the stuff I run across (resources - possible laptops) - see the post "Lean Linux Laptop Search 2006"

StoneChucker · Post by **StoneChucker** » Tue May 16, 2006 11:00 pm

If all goes as expected, I'll be purchasing a Levono Z60m Thinkpad Model 2529E6U.

Looking forward to putting Slackware or Kubuntu on it.

Does everyone get excited when they purchase a new notebook PC ???

StoneChucker · Post by **StoneChucker** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:11 am

If all goes as expected, I'll be purchasing a Levono Z60m Thinkpad Model 2529E6U.

Looking forward to putting Slackware or Kubuntu on it.

Okay - I got the PC on Tuesday morning, and my question to all of you is, what distro do you recommend?

I've downloaded the current Debian Stable DVDs, a copy of RR4 Linux, and the latest SUSE CDs.

I'm up for the challenge - WindowsXP will not last long on this notebook.