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Date:      Wed, 3 May 2000 20:51:58 -0000
From:      "Stacy L. Millions" <stacy@millions.ca>
To:        Nick Barnes <Nick.Barnes@pobox.com>, freebsd-mobile@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: new notebook
Message-ID:  <200005032052.OAA21978@oak.millions.ca>

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Nick Barnes <Nick.Barnes@pobox.com> said: 

> I'm buying a new notebook to run FreeBSD.  Probably somewhere in the
> $2000-$3500 range.  It has to be dockable and I would like it to be
> fairly lightweight.  I don't need a zillion peripherals.  I want to
> avoid spending ages configuring Xfree86.
> 
> Recommendations?
> 
> Nick B

Well, I have been running FreeBSD on my Sony Vaio PCG-Z505S for about 8
months. Works great. I am currently running 4.0-STABLE + XFree86 4.0. Had
to recompile a few X11 apps after the upgrade, but other than that it has
be working well. 4.0-STABLE give you support for the USB floppy and the
souund side of the NeoMagic chip.

As for docakable, depends on what you want. If you just want to attach an
external keyboard, mouse and monitor, the machine comes with a small port
replicator that you would use for that (no PS/2 connections for keyboard
or mouse, USB only) NOTE: Port replicator is a bit of a misnomer, it is
more like a port connector. There are no serial/parallel/monitor ports on
the notebook, only on the port replicator. So if you need to connect to a
printer, you have to carry the port replicator with you. This has never
been an issue for me (thanks to the built in ethernet).

As for the machine its self,

PROs
	10/100 Ethernet built in. Works great under FreeBSD
	Light weight (I carry it on the bus every day)
	1024x768 display. Works well with XFree86 (16bit colour depth)

CONs
	WinModem (sigh!)
	Celeron processor (I think the new ones are PIII)
	GlidePoint (you might consider this a PRO)
	1 Type 2 PCMCIA slot. (I would gladly have given up the
		Memory Stick slot to have a second PCMCIA, but the
		built in ethernet makes up for it.) 

I would buy another one.

-stacy



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