I installed Ubuntu-8.04.2 on a Sony Vaio FS-742/w a couple of days ago, and with the exception of the FN+Function key thing, all seems to working quite nicely.

Slackware, it works perfectly on my Toshiba Satellite, it supports all my hardware, and with my own kernel it works better than first, I enabled some Toshiba features during the compilation of this kernel(2.6.30), it boots really faster.

Another one for Slackware and one more for Gentoo.

Any distro will, or can be made to, work on any laptop or desktop. Whichever you prefer is the best for you.

Slackware. I do use Fedora from time to time, but definatly Slackware - especially when you want the laptop to be up, running, and fully functional quickly.

Desktop environments - KDE is great if you have at least a P4 and 384MB RAM. I use AfterStep for lighter machines.

The Slackware Linux Project

There is absolutely NO NEED for another Linux distribution ... period.

i was a slackware homer for a long time. i moved on to arch for x64. i'm pretty pleased with it. pacman is cool, but i still prefer to build from source. slackware ran better than anything on my laptop up until i installed arch. i'll probably end up going back to slack when they fully release a 64 bit iso.

It really surprised me how much more responsive Slackware for x86_64 was than
Slackware-12.2 on the same hardware.

64bit really makes a huge difference.

Who is the ideal Linux distribution for laptop?
Now i am working in fedora 11 . so i am interested to work and i have gain differnet knowledge in that area. so now i am confident to write exam also.

Slackware. It ran flawlessly on my Dell Inspiron 6000 for four years and three versions and let me do everything I wanted to.

That laptop just died (display gone--not worth a repair, but it still works with an external monitor) and I'm running Ubuntu on my new one, only because it came with Ubuntu. If it ain't broke etc.

Ubuntu automates alot of the stuff you'll hate doing in other distributions.

Function keys work
OpenGL works
Sound works
Open Office is there
Evolution is there
Firefox is there.


These days I can't be bothered worrying about configurations and fdisking partitions.

I don't care just so I have a compiler and a word processor.

The computer is a tool. I get paid to use that tool.
I don't have time to make my own tools so I use what is at hand.

Canonical will even send you a free CD.

Come on guys, let's stop being the old Priests in the temple belching sacrilege every time somebody tumps our coffers over and makes our lives easier.

You can still pay Ceaser using a VirtualBox.

Hmm....

</humor>

Actually, I've had a high success rate with Fedora and Slackware then Ubuntu on laptops for getting everything working. Thunderbird, 3D, compilers, keyboards (well, I have to select my keyboard in Slackware). Ubuntu doesn't even include system tools with the system install!

I will admit though, CD sending is convenient. But, so is netbooting =)

I started on slackware. but now I use a variety of distros just to keep my finger in it. I like to do pxe boot into a net install from a ubuntu drbl/clonezilla server when I do not use the minimal cd. I have not used arch or gentoo though. I like suse before it became opensuse.

I personally prefer Fedora, I am used to the RED HAT architecture .

And i think its more over the users choice , If you like Debian , You can go with it , if you like Ubuntu go with it . As long as you are comfortable its fine .

No offense meant to any distros ...