Medium to High end notebook/laptop suitable for FBSD

[David Gilbert]

I'd like to recomend the Dell D-800...

>>>>> "Malcolm" == Malcolm Kay <malcolm.kay at internode.on.net> writes:

Malcolm> The wish list includes: UXGA display (1600x1200) on a
Malcolm> reasonably large display capable of resolving most of this.

UXGA (1600x1200) and WUXGA (1920x1200) are both options on the D800

Malcolm>   Minimum 256Mb memory -- 512 would be nice.

2G is supported, but very expensive.  1G is affordable.

Malcolm>   FBSD supported LAN connection -- preferably via wireless.

GigE on the mainboard and b, b/g, or a/b/g in the mini-pci slot.
Dell's TM 1400 is a/b/g and supported by NDIS in 5.2.  You can also
buy 3'rd party ath driver mini-pci cards.

Malcolm>   Plenty of disk space, but prepared to settle for 40Gb or
Malcolm> so.

60 Gig available, 40 gig 7200 RPM available.  2nd drive (internal) is
an option.

Malcolm>   Internal Dialup modem that can be utilised through FBSD.

No on this point.  I have a pccard with an x-jack.  very few laptops
have the lucent chipset ... which is the only one we have a hacked
linux binary driver for.

I'm hoping that someone will hack NDIS to support this.

Malcolm>   Some method of connecting an optical mouse.  (A connection
Malcolm> for a conventional keyboard might also be attractive.)

3x USB.  I use a USB mouse that only has a dongle ... and that stores
the dongle in the mouse when not in use.

Malcolm>   CDROM/R/RW. (DVD play would be an attracive bonus.)

All options.  Dell's practially giving away DVD+RW's according to /.

Malcolm>   USB

3 ports.  1 firewire.

Malcolm>   Reasonably quick -- in the 2Ghz to 3 Ghz range

Centrino 1.7.  ~ equivalent to p4/2.6

Malcolm> The following aspects I don't see as being of much importance
Malcolm> to me: (But of course it is possible that I'm overlooking
Malcolm> some important aspect) Long period of battery use; I imagine
Malcolm> power will be mostly be available.

I have a 2nd battery that gives me about 4h.  2.5 h on the main battery

Malcolm>   Fancy power management.

Power management isn't good in FreeBSD... but maybe Warner's patch
will change that.

Malcolm>   Floppy drive.

Floppy is available ... but would displace your cdrom when in use.

Malcolm> The Toshiba satellite P20 seems to mostly have the hardware
Malcolm> features I'd like to have (and is just about affordable); but
Malcolm> I'm led to believe that there are extreme difficulties in
Malcolm> getting FreeBSD operational on any late model Toshiba
Malcolm> notebooks/laptops.

Malcolm> Are there any suggestions as to where I might start looking?
Malcolm> Is there anyone with a machine fulfilling most of my wish
Malcolm> list with FBSD capability?

The installation of FreeBSD is a snap on the D-800, but to be happy,
you'll need:

- The corrected AML code to make ACPI happy
- The binary nvidia driver (faster 3D, better support)
- 5.2 is going to be happier on this laptop than 5.1 was.

Dave.

-- 
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|David Gilbert, Independent Contractor.       | Two things can only be     |
|Mail:       dave at daveg.ca                    |  equal if and only if they |
|http://daveg.ca                              |   are precisely opposite.  |
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