Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 18:02:57 -0800 (PST) From: Doug White <dwhite@riley-net170-164.uoregon.edu> To: Donald Burr <d_burr@ix.netcom.com> Cc: FreeBSD Hackers <freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org>, FreeBSD Questions <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Buying a laptop for FreeBSD - advice sought Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.3.91.960326175507.432B-100000@riley-net170-164.uoregon.edu> In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.3.91.960323050825.197A-100000@starfleet.gov>
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On Tue, 26 Mar 1996, Donald Burr wrote: > The notebook I am considering is the CTX EZ350D. Some observances... I have a CTX EzBook, which I believe is the model previous to this one. I have had no end of trouble with it, particularly under OS/2. I haven't tried BSD on it, since this is my "get work done" computer (as opposed to my BSD box, which is my play toy). > IntelDX4/100 CPU > This should work. Hopefully the APM features will work with the > FreeBSD apm0 driver? Watch out, some may have Cyrix CPUs. :( > 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) I've had tracking problems on these. It really depends on how clean your fingers are and how much gunk is on the pad. > Hopefully this is PS/2 mouse compatible (or however laptop pointing > devices are emulated?) Works with XFree? It's a PS/2. > 8 MB RAM expandable to 32 MB > I know, 16 would be better, but I've run on 8 before, with no probs. Be happy, the memory is dirt cheap compared to say, Compaq laptops. > 10.4" active matrix color display > Nothing unusual here... It's a nice one too. > builtin 16 bit sound card > Is it SB16 compatible? Or will it work with the FreeBSD snd driver? I haven't rigorously tried it for SB16 compatibility. Mine is a ES688 AudioDrive, which sounds great. > Removable NiMH battery > Nothing unusual here... Get a spare battery. The thing will vacuum battery without power saving. > 3.5" 1.44m floppy disk > Just as long as I can boot the FreeBSD bootdisk, I'm happy... They only complaint is that if I access the floppy under OS/2, I get a Trap 2...works OK under DOS/Windoze. ? I think it's the Cyrix. > 32-bit VLB Windows accelerator with 1 MB VRAM > Chipset? XFree86 compatible? I don't need >256 colors but would > be nice... Mine is a Western Digital 90xxx...hey, you can get 16 bit color off the thing! :-) > 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.) Someone recommended the pc-card support, we have that on a Dell Latitiude LX and it works great. Instructions walk you through step-by-step, is absolutely painless to install. > 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? I believe it's a 16550. I have a Megahertz 28.8 PCMCIA, but I do drive a high-speed wireless modem with it and no problems. I would recommend trying the machine before buying it. Make sure you like the design and whatnot. The only other complaint I have is the thing is flimsy -- the case is a flexible plastic and it lets the screen wiggle and doesn't feel that solid. This is the next modem so they may have fixed the problems with my EzBook. Doug White | University of Oregon Internet: dwhite@resnet.uoregon.edu | Residence Networking Assistant http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~dwhite | Computer Science Major
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