Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 02:57:39 -0800 (PST) From: Donald Burr <d_burr@ix.netcom.com> To: FreeBSD Hackers <freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org> Cc: FreeBSD Questions <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Buying a laptop for FreeBSD - advice sought Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.3.91.960323050825.197A-100000@starfleet.gov>
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Well, I finally broke down to temptation and am about to purchase a laptop. Since I want to be able to use this machine with FreeBSD, I'd like to consult with the group before I make the final decision. The notebook I am considering is the CTX EZ350D. Through some contacts I am able to get this unit at a very good price. Obviously, I'd prefer to spend less money, that way I have money left over for other toys... er, necessities, like PCMCIA cards, Zip disks, etc. But if this unit will not work with FreeBSD, I'm willing to consider an alternate. I don't mean if it won't work AT ALL with FreeBSD. As long as FreeBSD runs, I'll be happy. I don't need top performance, I'm not a power user, etc. At minimum I'd like to be able to run FreeBSD console sessions and use the laptop's built-in COM ports (*not* PCMCIA) to drive a modem for contacting BBS's and using my PPP connection. Obviously, the more "goodies" I can use (e.g. Xwindows, using a PCMCIA modem and/or network card, etc.) is great, but not altogether necessary. Anyway, here are the spec's on the notebook, and some notes/questions I have re: them. Any and all answers or help greatly appreciated. IntelDX4/100 CPU This should work. Hopefully the APM features will work with the FreeBSD apm0 driver? Touchpad (as opposed to a mouse or trackball -- one of those things that looks like a miniature graphics tablet, you move your finger on it and the pointer moves) Hopefully this is PS/2 mouse compatible (or however laptop pointing devices are emulated?) Works with XFree? 8 MB RAM expandable to 32 MB I know, 16 would be better, but I've run on 8 before, with no probs. Removable 520MB Hard drive I know, a bit small, but my current FreeBSD partition is 540MB and I'm not exactly hurting for space. I'll eventually want a bigger storage space, and I'm thinking along the lines of a SCSI PCMCIA adapter and a external Zip or Jaz drive... will this work? (also see notes below under PCMCIA) 10.4" active matrix color display Nothing unusual here... builtin 16 bit sound card Is it SB16 compatible? Or will it work with the FreeBSD snd driver? Removable NiMH battery Nothing unusual here... 3.5" 1.44m floppy disk Just as long as I can boot the FreeBSD bootdisk, I'm happy... 32-bit VLB Windows accelerator with 1 MB VRAM Chipset? XFree86 compatible? I don't need >256 colors but would be nice... 1 Type II, 1 Type III PCMCIA slot What's the status re FreeBSD and PCMCIA? I would ideally like to stick to a RELEASE or STABLE version, but if I must run CURRENT, I can cope. Is this PCMCIA controller supported? What PCMCIA devices are supported? (I'm interested in modems, network cardsk, and SCSI cards.) EPP parallel, high-speed serial, sound in/out, external monitor, and external PS/2 keyboard ports Good, the serial ports have 16550's. I suppose I should be able to run a external modem off one of these, if I can't/don't want to run with PCMCIA devices? If anyone has had experience running FreeBSD (or really, any of the free UNIX OS's) on this laptop, successful or no, I would appreciate some insight and/or information. Please e-mail me at d_burr@ix.netcom.com. Thanks! Donald Burr [d_burr@ix.netcom.com], PO Box 91212, Santa Barbara CA 93190-1212 TEL (805)564-1871 / FAX 564-2315 / WWW http://www.geopages.com/WallStreet/2072 PGP Public Key available by request (send e-mail) or on Public Key Servers. ** Uphold your right to privacy - Use PGP. **
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