[CVALE] Recommendations For A Linux Notebook

[Jason Roysdon]

Pete Zaitcev wrote:
> On Sun, 16 Sep 2007 11:35:05 -0700, "Ian Sterling" <xyverz at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> I know it's a bit late to comment on this, but I've found that you
>> really can't go wrong with a Thinkpad.  I haven't tried one of the
>> newest Lenovos with linux, but every thinkpad I've owned (four!) has
>> run linux completely and flawlessly.
> 
> Two main issues with the thinkpands are:
>  - Price
>  - Nipple
> 
> There are also problems with registered cards and batteries.
> 
> I deal with Thinkpad partisans routinely and it oftens seems a cult
> like Macbook. Quite a number seems to like the blasted nipple though,
> so that's a genuine differentiator. Also, Lenovo seems to make motions
> to correct the traditionally high pricing. They broke into $800
> bracket with recent models (for comparison the Dell 1501 on which
> I'm typing this costed me $566 with free shipping last year).
> 
> -- Pete
> 

I received a Lenovo IBM Thinkpad T61 two weeks ago for my new work
laptop.  I asked for a 2gb version as that's how much I had before.  I
asked for the 7200RPM 100gb version (instead of the default 5400RPM
160gb version).  I think it was like $1,500 with free shipping (arrived
in 5 business days).  It's a Centrino Duo 1.8GHz (they have up to
2.4GHz, but the extra $600 in cost just doesn't seem worth it).  I'm
just running the i386 version right now of CentOS 5.0.

I love it except for a few minor things:

NVIDIA support isn't there yet - get the Intel version if you want 3D or
any sort of graphic support right away (1680x1050 is amazing).  I don't
game, so I don't care yet, and I know NVIDIA support will catch up.

I dislike the speed slowdown I have with using the Trackpoint (aka
"nipple") compared to using the Trackpad.  I kept using it as it was
there in the middle of the keyboard.  I switched to using the Trackpad
on my last laptop and am very fast and precise with it (Gateway m520 -
nice but "slow" now).  I resolved this problem by disabling the
Trackpoint in the BIOS.  Now I don't even try to use it or get annoyed
if I bump it as it is off.

I had to manually upgrade Alsa drivers to get the new sound chipset working.

The actual usage time with the 9-cell upgrade is 4-5 hours - yes, I
actually get this.  I often forget to plug in AC at customer sites for
the first 4 hours as it runs so fast even when I on the battery, and I
don't think to plug in the AC until it warns me.  Suspend/Hibernate
works so great that I actually let them turn on by default now (flip the
lid down, suspend is instant on... open it up and in 2 seconds I have my
desktop back and can use it).

I haven't tried to get wireless working, but hear that works (perhaps
with minor tweaking).  I haven't tried to get the bio-fingerprint reader
to work, but hear that works under Linux.

I'd recommend this laptop to anyone at this point.

I run 2-5 VM sessions at a time for WinXP access for work apps (one with
Office apps and IE for an ActiveX-only CRM tool we use) and others for
VPN access to clients (but I don't want to have local network access
firewalled/blocked, and many customers' VPN solutions require Windows).
 Other than when I am doing heavy disk access (shrinking a VM disk,
bzipping a VM image for storage offline) I don't ever notice the VM
sessions.

Oh, built-in Bluetooth just worked with my BlackBerry.  Perhaps this is
normal, but it's my first time ever using.