laptop recommendations...

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From: Lisa Dusseault (lisa@xythos.com)
Date: Wed Sep 20 2000 - 12:12:47 PDT


I remember a conversation long ago on fork about laptop recommendations, but
when I searched the archives, I didn't come up with the information I'm
specifically looking for: in "light" or "ultralight" or "superslim" laptops,
how well does Linux really work? All the web-pages about linux on various
laptops are hopeful (as so many linux sites are) and often helpful, but
there's very little of the negative information I'm watching out for (e.g.
nobody comes out and says "X does not work on Y".

I'm looking for a laptop to dual-boot linux and W2K. I MUST have 5 lbs. or
less, but on the other hand 800x600 just doesn't cut it. I'm seriously
thinking about some of the 3-4 pounders even if the CD drive is external --
I can handle that. On my list so far:

Sony Vaio Superslim Z505JSK (3.75 lb)
IBM Thinkpad 600 (5 lb), 570 (4 lb), T series (4.7 lb), or newly-announced X
series (3.1 lb)
Compaq Presario 1700 or 1900 (5 lb)
Gateway Solo 5300 (5 lb) or 3350 (3.65 lb)
Toshiba Portege 7200CT (4.4 lb)
Dell Latitude CS (4.3 lb)

Any recommendations or especially warnings? IBM made some nice noises about
Linux support (and the X series is really, really cool!) and they even have
a web-page with Redhat 6.2 install instructions, but that doesn't mean all
their various devices have Linux drivers available yet. I'm also leaning
toward vaio because of many friends' recommendations and neat little design
improvements, such as their angled built-in modem slots.

I'd be happy to post my final choice and linux install experience...

Lisa


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