[ltp] Summary: Netbook. Looking for THE machine

[Ajai Khattri]

On Mon, 2 Mar 2009, Tino Keitel wrote:

> Have you checked how Linux runs on the Vaio P? AFAIK it uses a real
> netbook chipset (US15W), not the power consuming i945 variant most
> other netbooks use.

The MiniNote runs a Via C7-M, so Im used to not being in Intel land...

> The builtin graphics of the US15W have nothing to
> do with other Intel graphics, therefore you can not use the Intel
> graphics driver. There seems to be a dedicated driver for it, but
> reports don't look promising:
> 
> http://www.happyassassin.net/2009/01/30/intel-gma-500-poulsbo-graphics-on-linux-a-precise-and-comprehensive-summary-as-to-why-youre-screwed/

The MiniNote uses the Via Chrome driver (which Via have since decided to 
make open source).

But yeah, Ive held off on pulling the trigger until all these issues get 
worked out. Also, there are rumors of a better CPU and built-in 3G modem 
that might make it over to the US, another reason to wait and see.

Remember, most of these netbooks had various issues when they first came 
out and it took a few months for the community to figure out fixes and 
workarounds (e.g. I had to use NDIS wrapper to get WiFi going on the 
MiniNote and sound had some quirks but all this got fixed eventually in 
some distros later on).

Still, the Viao P would make an awesome portable coding machine to *me*...



-- 
Aj.