[ltp] Linux on the T20

[linux-thinkpad@www.bm-soft.com]

Lai,

As Frank Novak mentioned, our Linux models for the T20 and A20m will soon
be generally available. However, I'll respond to your individual items. I
realize that you might not have the option of buying the Linux model, and
perhaps you'll need to install Linux on T20's that you already have.

1. S3 IX/8 video - The stock XFree86 SVGA server does not accelerate this
chipset, and the S3 X server currently on the S3 web site (version 1.0.11)
results in a corruption problem when switching between X and consoles when
run on a T20. S3 corrected the problem in a later X server, which we are
including in the preload. S3 plans to release that driver on the web, via
the XFree86 license. We've included the source code with our preload.

2. Crystal audio - The standard ALSA drivers work, with the following
limitations: 1) PCI bus power management must be disabled in BIOS, 2) the
audio drivers must be stopped and restarted to recover from power events
(suspend / resume, hibernate / resume, etc.). In our preload, we had
Linuxcare create code to programmatically disable PCI bus power management
so that no BIOS changes need to be made by the user, and they modified the
ALSA driver to better handle power events on the T20. Source code for the
custom development (PCI bus power management and ALSA driver) is included
with our preload.

3. APM is supported, including standby, suspend, hibernate, and resume.
Since APMD is not included with the base Caldera OpenLinux eDesktop 2.4
product, we added APMD and updated APMD_Proxy as appropriate for our
hardware. Since KDE is the default desktop, we added the KCMLAPTOP package,
which gets you a battery meter and power management / PCMCIA control panel
applet. In the preload, there is an ~550 meg FAT partition that is used to
house the hibernation file. The default hibernation file is large enough
for the 128 Meg of RAM included in the Linux model, and can be regenerated
using the included PHDISK utilitity if more memory is added.

Although you didn't ask about it, I'll comment on the modem, since others
who responded to your note did mention it. The modem that ships with the
Linux model is a Lucent win-modem. We have included a later driver than
what is presently floating around the web. Over the last few months, Lucent
has spent much time re-vamping their Linux driver, including isolating the
Linux-specific portion from the core modem logic. This allows Lucent to
provide the source code to the Linux-specific piece (which contains no
intellectual property) and release the core logic (which has intellectual
property) in object form. The package includes a make file that compiles
the Linux-specific piece against the user's kernel, and then binds it to
the core logic piece. In theory, this allows the modem to be compile
against any kernel, and it gives hackers some code they can look if
something goes wrong. In the preload, we've included the complete package,
which includes the source code for the Linux-specific piece.

I hope this helps you in your decision making.

-- Keith

Keith Frechette
Linux Development Lead, Mobile Computing Options and Software Development
IBM Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
kfrechet@us.ibm.com / 919-543-3761 / TieLine:441-3761


Please respond to linux-thinkpad@www.bm-soft.com

To:        linux-thinkpad@www.bm-soft.com
cc:
Subject:        [ltp] Linux on the T20



I'm planning to purchase a T20. Has anyone had good news getting Linux to
run on the T20?

I understand that the Savage IX video chipset would requier a patched
XFree86 server from S3. Do you know if this would eventually be supported
by the standard XFree86 releases? Or does one have to continually depend
on S3 for updates? (ie, is S3 open with their chipset information?)

How about audio? The T20 has a CS4624 which I don't see as a supported
chipset either in OSS/Free or ALSA.

Also, is APM properly supported? ie, standby, suspend, hibernate, resume?

I like to be sure that at least the above works.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

.lzs

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