Ubuntu laptops?

[Gilles Gravier]

Hi!

NoOp wrote:
> On 10/01/2008 06:56 AM, Bill Walton wrote:
>   
>> There's a great sale on Gateway's with 17" monitors going on today at
>> Fry's but, of course, it comes configured with Vista.  Whatever make
>> I buy I intend to install Ubuntu on it.  I assume some makes are
>> easier to get up and running than others.  Any experience / advice on
>> how to assess is much appreciated.
>>
>> TIA, Bill
>>
>>     
>
> Take an 8.04.1 liveCD with you and see if it boots & operates properly
> on the machine. If it does, then chances are that you shouldn't have any
> problems (or very few) installing Ubuntu hardy on it.
>
>
> Also see:
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Hardware
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupport/
>   https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LaptopTestingTeam
> http://www.linux-laptop.net/
>   http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/gateway.htm

Fully agree!

Note that you can go to System->Administration->Hardware Testing to run
an application that will test for all the relevant hardware...

If the machines are on a network in the shop (I doubt, knowing Fry's)
you can go to Preferences->Appeareance, and enable full visual effects,
which will trigger the download and installation (yes, it works from a
live CD) of the X11 accelerated driver for your chipset, then
CTRL-BCKSP-BCKSP and that will restart X11 with Compiz ... that will let
you test for accelerated drivers.

Note that Fry's has a "bring back if not satisfied" policy... so you can
go ahead and buy the machine... fully test it, and if you don't like...
bring it back.

Gilles.