[TriLUG] Purchasing a new laptop (slightly OT)

[Matt Matthews]

On Fri, 23 May 2003 13:40:56 -0400
Joe Meador <linux at alien.biochem.wfubmc.edu> wrote:
> I
> was looking at the Dell Lattitude 640C for around $1700 but just
> today noticed for around
> $1400 I can get a similiarly equiped IBM Thinkpad G40.

I have a Latitude 640C and have never had anything on it but Linux. As far as I can tell, everything works with the exception of the modem. I have hardware acceleration for the ATI Mobility chip, and the 1400x1050 screen is fantastic. The built-in wireless works flawlessly, but please note that newer models may have an unsupported chipset (the one mentioned in a recent /. story which referred to discussions on the LKML). The built-in wired ethernet works fine, although I have only used it once (to install Gentoo). Sleep works, as long as you don't open the top while it's trying to go to sleep. Sound works, as well. Oh, and the DVD/CD-RW combo drive is a great addition.

Use the i8k module to get some nifty features: switching from OS to BIOS to OS, fan controls.

The one quirk is that the temperature sensor sometimes gets a spurious reading when it wakes from sleep, so you need to know the Fn-Z trick to get it to reread and reset the fans to a sane speed. Otherwise, the fans go full-blast until you reboot the machine, and this is LOUD.

I've used Gentoo and Red Hat 9 on this system. Red Hat 9 suited my laptop needs better, although I recommend apt-rpm to add functionality.

Great laptop for the price and very Linux-friendly.

Good luck, regardless of what laptop you choose.

Regards,
matt

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