Bristol Digest, Vol 528, Issue 7

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Today's Topics:

1. Linux laptops (Allen Coates)
2. Re: Linux laptops (Alex Butcher)
3. Re: Linux laptops (Shane McEwan)
4. Re: Linux laptops (James Womack)
5. Re: Linux laptops (Alex Butcher)
6. Re: Linux laptops (Neil Fraser)
7. Re: Linux laptops (Nigel Sollars)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 06 Dec 2013 12:36:18 +0000
From: Allen Coates <linux@cidercounty.org.uk>
To: Bristol and Bath Linux User Group <bristol@mailman.lug.org.uk>
Subject: [bristol] Linux laptops
Message-ID: <52A1C4C2.3000801@cidercounty.org.uk>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I was looking at some laptops the other day, and was accosted by a (very
polite) sales assistant. I asked after Linux, and was told "They only
come with Windows 98".

Joke aside - what is the latest wisdom about laptops suitable for Linux?
Nothing fancy - just basic email / browsing / WP.

Allen C




------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2013 14:22:03 +0000 (GMT)
From: Alex Butcher <lug@assursys.co.uk>
To: Bristol and Bath Linux User Group <bristol@mailman.lug.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [bristol] Linux laptops
Message-ID: <alpine.LFD.2.03.1312061418250.8979@nffheflf.pb.hx>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

On Fri, 6 Dec 2013, Allen Coates wrote:

> I was looking at some laptops the other day, and was accosted by a (very
> polite) sales assistant. I asked after Linux, and was told "They only
> come with Windows 98".
>
> Joke aside - what is the latest wisdom about laptops suitable for Linux?
> Nothing fancy - just basic email / browsing / WP.

Laptops are a lot less weird than they used to be. I think the only things
that are on my watchlist are a) GPUs with PowerVR SGX cores, including Intel
GMA3600/GMA3650/GMA500/GMA600 due to lack of driver support and b) nVidia
Optimus dual-GPU (i.e. high-performace/high-power and basic performance/low
power). I think there's even been some progress on getting the latter
working, but it looks a bit hairy still.

> Allen C

HTH,
Alex



------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Fri, 06 Dec 2013 15:21:50 +0000
From: Shane McEwan <shane@mcewan.id.au>
To: bristol@mailman.lug.org.uk
Subject: Re: [bristol] Linux laptops
Message-ID: <52A1EB8E.8050609@mcewan.id.au>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed

On 06/12/13 14:22, Alex Butcher wrote:
> Laptops are a lot less weird than they used to be. I think the only things
> that are on my watchlist are a) GPUs with PowerVR SGX cores, including
> Intel
> GMA3600/GMA3650/GMA500/GMA600 due to lack of driver support and b) nVidia
> Optimus dual-GPU (i.e. high-performace/high-power and basic performance/low
> power). I think there's even been some progress on getting the latter
> working, but it looks a bit hairy still.

This. You can kind of get the Optimus working but it's a kludge. Just
stay away from it if you're using Linux. Try to get a discreet Nvidia
card if possible although the Intel cards are quite capable these days.
Whoever came up with the idea of putting both in the same machine was
bonkers.

Also, wireless drivers in Linux are still a problem. Try to get a laptop
with an Intel wireless chipset. And stay away from Realtek chipsets.
Even though they provide Linux drivers they're buggy as hell while I've
never had a problem with Intel wireless.

Shane.




------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Fri, 06 Dec 2013 16:28:28 +0000
From: James Womack <5inowsy1maiq@gmail.com>
To: Bristol and Bath Linux User Group <bristol@mailman.lug.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [bristol] Linux laptops
Message-ID: <52A1FB2C.1030201@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

My recommendation is try to find a place where they will let you boot a
Linux live USB stick on a machine you would like to buy. That way you
can verify very quickly whether there are any major compatibility
issues. Novatech's store in Portishead used to do this, but I believe
they have closed that outlet, unfortunately.

James

On 06/12/13 12:36, Allen Coates wrote:
> I was looking at some laptops the other day, and was accosted by a (very
> polite) sales assistant. I asked after Linux, and was told "They only
> come with Windows 98".
>
> Joke aside - what is the latest wisdom about laptops suitable for Linux?
> Nothing fancy - just basic email / browsing / WP.
>
> Allen C
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Bristol mailing list
> Bristol@mailman.lug.org.uk
> https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/bristol




------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2013 16:33:58 +0000 (GMT)
From: Alex Butcher <lug@assursys.co.uk>
To: Bristol and Bath Linux User Group <bristol@mailman.lug.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [bristol] Linux laptops
Message-ID: <alpine.LFD.2.03.1312061632490.8979@nffheflf.pb.hx>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

On Fri, 6 Dec 2013, James Womack wrote:

> Novatech's store in Portishead used to do this, but I believe
> they have closed that outlet, unfortunately.

News to me, but teh intarwebz confirms it:

<http://www.southwestbusiness.co.uk/news/18092013102416-novatech--the-portishead-computer-store--has-closed/>

and from the horse's mouth:

<http://www.novatech.co.uk/stores.html>

:-(

Mind you, I never managed to make my way there in all the years it was
open...

> James

Best Regards,
Alex



------------------------------

Message: 6
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2013 16:38:51 +0000
From: Neil Fraser <nfraser@nadtechnology.co.uk>
To: Bristol and Bath Linux User Group <bristol@mailman.lug.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [bristol] Linux laptops
Message-ID:
<CA+Pd-UmtHojWZNgpipjJHO5c+L88wmx0gTUVsysxYSwFn23bng@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Bugger. Used to buy stuff from them. Obviously not enough stuff.

Neil


On 6 December 2013 16:33, Alex Butcher <lug@assursys.co.uk> wrote:

> On Fri, 6 Dec 2013, James Womack wrote:
>
> Novatech's store in Portishead used to do this, but I believe
>> they have closed that outlet, unfortunately.
>>
>
> News to me, but teh intarwebz confirms it:
>
> <http://www.southwestbusiness.co.uk/news/18092013102416-
> novatech--the-portishead-computer-store--has-closed/>
>
> and from the horse's mouth:
>
> <http://www.novatech.co.uk/stores.html>
>
> :-(
>
> Mind you, I never managed to make my way there in all the years it was
> open...
>
> James
>>
>
> Best Regards,
> Alex
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Bristol mailing list
> Bristol@mailman.lug.org.uk
> https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/bristol
>
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Message: 7
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2013 11:39:42 -0500
From: Nigel Sollars <nsollars@gmail.com>
To: Bristol and Bath Linux User Group <bristol@mailman.lug.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [bristol] Linux laptops
Message-ID:
<CAG6aBkW-6ebCSNL0ba0GmpAk68dCW1-agpogJVRT5aigoJucbA@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"

Hi,

For regular laptop config, I would be very surprised to see PowerVR / SGX
as these are namely on the Arm / Embedded SoC ( Omap etc etc ) ..

Wifi these days is not as hairy as you would think in the driver
department, its more to do with the firmware ( Arm ) binary blob that
comes with them. You can always yank down the latest ones from the kernel
/ git repo if something gives you issues.

I find hardware alot less awry than from back in the day.

Now Embedded of course is a totally different animal, Ive got 2
Pandaboards a beaglebone black which have been working really well with
latter kernels.

These have PowerVR/SGX and all the trimmings Wifi ( WL1275 ) combo BLE
Bluetooth, not has hairy as you would imagine to get up and running, even
from bitbake Yocto or buildroot.

Nige




On Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 11:28 AM, James Womack <5inowsy1maiq@gmail.com>wrote:

> My recommendation is try to find a place where they will let you boot a
> Linux live USB stick on a machine you would like to buy. That way you
> can verify very quickly whether there are any major compatibility
> issues. Novatech's store in Portishead used to do this, but I believe
> they have closed that outlet, unfortunately.
>
> James
>
> On 06/12/13 12:36, Allen Coates wrote:
> > I was looking at some laptops the other day, and was accosted by a (very
> > polite) sales assistant. I asked after Linux, and was told "They only
> > come with Windows 98".
> >
> > Joke aside - what is the latest wisdom about laptops suitable for Linux?
> > Nothing fancy - just basic email / browsing / WP.
> >
> > Allen C
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Bristol mailing list
> > Bristol@mailman.lug.org.uk
> > https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/bristol
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Bristol mailing list
> Bristol@mailman.lug.org.uk
> https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/bristol
>



--
?Science is a differential equation. Religion is a boundary condition.?

Alan Turing
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End of Bristol Digest, Vol 528, Issue 7
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