interesting issues...

[Eric Weir]

On 02/10/2008 Kevin Fishburne wrote:

> I've installed Linux on some Thinkpads and have had mixed results. You 
> usually have to mess with xorg.conf to enable hardware acceleration, 
> which doesn't always work with Compiz, and the wireless NICs have had 
> limited capability. The Thinkpads I've seen have ATI video cards, 
> which is a bad way to start.
>

Before buying the machine, I read this on the Thinkwiki site:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Installing_Ubuntu_7.04_%28Feisty_Fawn%29_on_a_ThinkPad_X40

This is from the executive summary:

> Ubuntu Linux 7.04 -and probably any modern distro- "just works" 
> out-of-the-box on this machine.
>
> No manual configuration was required. Even network, wifi, xorg (with 
> 3D acceleration), sound and suspend-to-ram were properly configured 
> and functional, all with opensource drivers only, at the end of the 
> default Ubuntu installation. I've no problem with fan noises either.
>
> But there's still some room for fine tuning:
>
>     * To improve energy efficiency and battery life (8 cell bat gives
>       4h with default install, 6h after tuning
>       <http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/How_to_reduce_power_consumption>)
>     * To access some special features (like some Thinkpad special keys
>       <http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Default_meanings_of_special_keys>)
>     * To better use resources (memory, CPU, power, ...)
>
I believe the graphics is Intel Extreme Graphics 2. Does that get me out 
of ATI issues?

Regards,
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eric Weir
Decatur, GA  USA
eeweir at bellsouth.net