[TriLUG] Linux laptop

[Chris Hedemark]

On Saturday, January 11, 2003, at 02:25 AM, Chris Bullock wrote:

> I am looking for a new laptop that either has linux or no OS on it.  
> Can the
> group point me in the right direction to start shopping?

There are many options.

For x86 architecture, Dell & IBM tend to be better supported.  I've had 
terrible terrible problems with Dell notebooks not being resilient.  
I've had a statistically significant number of them in my care to make 
that assessment.

IBM costs more $$ but they are very resilient, and have excellent 
warranty support.  IBM is more firmly behind Linux than Dell, for sure, 
and you should have no problems finding support for IBM notebooks in 
several popular Linux distros.

If you are willing to try something other than x86 architecture, I'm 
very much in love with my Apple PowerBook.  They just released new 
models so if you want to spend $$$ for a 17" monitor on a laptop, you 
can have it.  Or if you want a very small laptop, they have a 12" model 
as well.  I have the 15" model in the middle and have been very 
impressed.  The only real problem I had is with a key that broke off.  
A 20 minute stop at the Apple Store in Durham fixed that right up for 
free.

If you do go with the Apple, your choice of distros will be very 
limited.  Yellow Dog is probably your best bet.  There may be others 
that work on the PowerBook but I'm not sure.  Then again, if you get a 
PowerBook (or, for less $$$, the iBook) it comes with a very excellent 
UNIX OS already installed so you may not bother loading Linux on it 
anyway.

I've had many laptops over the years and only two of them come to mind 
as "keepers".  The IBM T20 I had a few years ago, and this Apple 
PowerBook that I currently use.  The Powerbook is such a strong 
contender that it has fully replaced my Linux desktop machine.   The 
Powerbooks definitely cost more but have a lot of really compelling 
features, like built in 802.11g (on the 12" and 17" models, still only 
802.11b on 15"), dual monitor capabilities, the ability to use a TV set 
as a monitor (through the built in S-Video port), firewire, USB, 
*GIGABIT* ethernet, and a PCMCIA slot that I'll probably never use 
(since everything I need is built in).

If it sounds like I'm really strongly pimping the Apple system, it's 
because it has created a whole new standard for other manufacturers to 
catch up to.  You'll hear many Powerbook and iBook owners say "It just 
works."  I'm a very finicky consumer and few products impress me as 
much as Apple's laptop offerings.

Chris Hedemark .. Prospect Park, PA .. http://yonderway.com
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