Suggestions for laptop purchase for Fedora Core 3?

[Jonathan Berry]

On 5/8/05, David A. Wheeler <dwheeler at dwheeler.com> wrote:
> I want to buy a new laptop to run Fedora Core 3 (& successors)
> that will give a SIMPLE straightforward install with no/few proprietary
> modules/wrappers. Can anyone suggest a particular CURRENT laptop model?

I've been happy with my Compaq R3000Z.  They have been replaced by the
R4000, which you might want to check out (or the HP equivalent
zx6000).  64-bit processor option, 15.4" widescreen.  The biggest
difference between the 3000 and 4000 is the 4000 has an ATi graphics
card rather than an nVidia.  I guess it *might* be possible to still
find an R3000Z (the Z is the AMD CPU as opposed to the T with an Intel
CPU) series pre-made laptop at some store somewhere, but you wouldn't
have much choice in components that way.

> I'm capable of recompiling kernels, installing wrappers, etc., but
> but I'd rather buy a model to make my life easy.  It doesn't need
> to be NO tweaks, just RELATIVELY simple.

After getting a few first tweaks, my R3000Z has been great.  Running
Fedora Core 3 x86_64 version.  There is a mailing list with quite a
few people who have put linux on it and similar machines.  A couple
people there are getting R4000s, so if you were to have any problems,
there will be a great (user) support base. See:
http://lists.pcxperience.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/linuxr3000
http://prinsig.se/weekee/
if you are interested.

> I'ved looked through the existing (helpful!) websites like:
>  http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/
>  http://tuxmobil.org/
>    (including http://tuxmobil.org/howto_linux_laptop.html)
> 
> But comparing most current models to their info isn't
> getting me to an easy "machine X will do it!"
> There's very little info on HP Pavilion z8110us or zv6015us,
> (there's a Debian report on HP zd8000 that suggests wireless
> is extremely painful to get working; great.).

Ahh, so you've looked at the zv6000.  It's the successor to the zv5000
which is HPs version of the R3000Z (confused yet?).  It's almost
identical (hardware wise) to the R4000.  If you can wait about a
month, the list above may have some reports about Linux on the R4000.

> There's a MandrakeSoft Dell Inspiron 9300 report, noting
> hard drive unfound at first, no sound at first, pains in
> getting DVDs to work (DMA problems), and the proprietary
> NVIDIA driver (ugh). (It appears the 9200s had fewer problems.)
> Toshibas seem to be loaded with problems.
> 
> My desires are pretty common, so I suspect the same
> answer would help a lot of people. I'm looking for 802.11
> wireless (b&g at least, WEP at least but really want WPA2),
> DVD and CD r/w, modem (separate PC card less desirable
> but okay if winmodem unworkable), 15.4"-17" screen with some 2D/3D
> acceleration, Ethernet (10/100 at least), and monitor copy
> so I can project slides. Oh, and 1G RAM and 100GB hard drive,
> though I don't expect that to affect any choices.
> I really prefer OSS drivers (so ATI > NVIDIA > anything else),
> so that I can upgrade my system.  I also prefer brand-name,
> though maybe that'll have to be abandoned.

You can get all of that on the R4000.  There have been rumors of the
modem working on the R3000, but given the R4000 is a different
chipset, I couldn't tell you.
I think the wireless for the 4000 is still a Broadcom chipset, so no
OSS drivers there, but ndiswrapper works great, even on 64-bit (with
the 64-bit Windows drivers available on the web).
I've never dealt with ATi graphics cards, but I think you would be
better to go with nVidia.  The OSS nVidia drivers work and the binary
drivers work.  It seems like from what I've heard of ATi, that isn't
always the case, especially if you are wanting the new stuff.  That's
the one fault I find with the new R4000.

> There are a few people who sell Linux preinstalled, but the ones
> I found seem to have a $600+ premium.  I'd pay a $100 premium, but
> their premiums seem really steep to me.
> 
> Suggestions?
> 
> --- David A. Wheeler

I've liked my Compaq, and I like AMD processors.  And since you want
Windows, if you get XP Pro, Microsoft will even let you upgrade to
Windows XP Pro x64 (64-bit version) for free (+ $12 shipping
domestic):
https://microsoft.productorder.com/clientx64/default.aspx

Some of the other Compaq/HP laptops look nice as well.  The V2000 and
V4000 might have better OSS support just looking at the hardware. 
They have Intel graphics, which probably don't perform very well, but
possibly have OSS drivers.  For the V4000 graphics, Intel claims to
support Linux:
http://www.intel.com/design/graphics/gma900/
You can also get the Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG wireless card, which
looks to have OSS driver support:
http://ipw2200.sourceforge.net/
Of course, this is all speculation from looking at the specs, but I've
been happy with my Compaq; they have reasonably good hardware
(could've had a little bit better) and are reasonably priced (since HP
bought out Compaq, at least, I would *not* have said anything like
this several years ago :)).  Oh, and if you can find the config you
want at a store, the rebates seem to be putting the prices at stores
better than online for right now.

Jonathan