I have an idea of setting a Linux Laptop reference. If we all can unite on a few laptops that are available in the large part of the world, we could perfect these laptops so that they just work with every distro (acpi, sleep, wireless, graphics, framebuffer) or by executing one script it downloads everything one needs to get it up and running.

My point is that we could make a laptop, or series of laptops priority number one. If these are based on whitebox UNBRANDED laptops (aopen, compal, elitegroup) anyone would be able to sell them, it could get certified and the organisation could fund the domain-name and server by selling starter-packs or case-badges to people and companies.

The goal would be; to simplify the purchase of a new laptop, and to lobby the release of linux laptops from major companies as well as local computerstores

One advantage of a Branded pc over whitebox UNBRANDED laptops is availability; most people can get their hands on a Dell or a HP, whitebox UNBRANDED pcs are also easy to get here in Norway atleast, and you often get more for less.

What do you think, and what would an ideal laptop include? please post replies

Whitebox does NOT mean a pc with whitebox linux (rhel) on it!!!

i voted for 'dumbest idea ever' --

'linux = choice' is a very common mantra in the community. by trying to say 'get a laptop, and install whitebox', or 'get a laptop, but it better be a dell/hp/whatever' seems like a step in the wrong direction to me.

sure, a linux-laptop reference might be a good idea, but i would prefer to see it focus on all things generically applicable to linux/laptops... otherwise it should be a whitebox-laptop reference, or some-such.

This reference would only be guiding, and they would be laptops that we guaranteed worked, People would not have to buy them, but we could recomend one. The point is to get a Laptop that works, and to let businesses sell you a laptop with linux preinstalled without having to make a brand new product.

Imagine getting a pre-installed linux laptop from your local computerstore, knowing that it works out of the box.

I've seen custom desktop cases that are suitable for linux boxen. (They look like penguins.)

It'd be neat to have a company make a decent laptop that screams linux even when it's not on.

Like a 2-tone ivory white, ebony black replete with Tux on the top.

As far as internals go:

nvidia gforce4go (like is in my dell laptop.)

dvd+r-r+-r+-rw cd rw combo drive
floppy drive
as many usb 2 ports as possible (at least 4)
Svideo out
1GB of memory
3GHX Pentium 4.
16 bit stereo sound.
integrated broadcom gig nic
integrated modem
integrated wifi.

and all working with linux, oob.

Maybe Suse 9.2, or LFS specific for this machine.

I've seen that supposedly next week Dell is going to make a Linux anouncement. Don't know what it is. I'd just be happy if someone built laptops that had Linux supported hardware. No unusable winmodem, no centrino wireless. I also really wish that it were AMD64, so I suppose that leaves out Dell. Having said that I still like the Toshiba that I have.

1) http://www.linuxcertified.com/linux_laptops.html
2) I think HP has something going with supporting linux on their hardware

Linux is fun, and I really enjoy using it to revive my old computer hardware, however I think the idea while idealistic, is unrealistic. If there was any demand, someone would be selling the machines.

I like the whitebox laptop idea though. I'll take mine without any os though, thankyou.

I appreciate the idea of a standardized hardware spec, I just don't see it...

Suggesting a card which isn't fully (or even close to fully) supported by open source drivers sounds like a bad idea when we're talking about a reference platform for mobille Linux. Building the reference platform on something that is not fully supported by the community would leave the project pretty vulnerable since there isn't any other fully functional driver than nvidia's own. What if they decide to stop releasing Linux drivers or introduce a change in licensing (remember XFree86)?


Håkan

We do not have a proper gpu supported by opensource, also the intel pro wireless atleast need firmware to function.

The geforce card only has 2d support io opensource, and I do not know what the status is in the gatos drivers for the ati cards.

On the other hand, nvidia have great closed source drivers, ati though has got crap closed source drivers ( probably thereason for the gatos project)

The only choice then is teh intel extreme graphics, there is some dri support, but the graphics are crap. In my ideal laptop there would be an mxm module with support for all three cards like the one nvidia has developed (the module, not the laptop) so you could buy your gpu of choice.

Non-buggy ACPI support (i.e., a fully working DSDT table).

/TLV

http://tuxtops.com/?q=node/27

interview with founder of 'linuxcertified' laptop company, i saw it today on 'www.osnews.com'

And if I had some extra time, I could gimp up some sort of laptop equivalent...

But, I envision something similar to this link http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/akiba...mage/peng4.jpg

only on a laptop case instead.

The only reason why I suggested it is because I haven't had any problems with it.

The point on licensing is valid, however; I am not aware of any major video card display manuafacturer who fully embraces the open source concept, are you? From what I hear, ATI's support is worse.

Yes, I am aware of the fact that ATI has even worse drivers - my desktop PC has a Radeon 9600XT so I have experienced those first hand too.

You're right of course - the nvidia drivers do work pretty well and there isn't much of open source 3D hardware acceleration on any current video controller. That's a shame, and I realize going with nvidia might be the best bet if you want it to "just work". But then again I am quite opposed to the idea of promoting nvidia as the reference video chip as I feel a standard should be completely open.

That might just be me being idealistic and possibly also unrealistic.


Håkan

I also voted Dumbest idea ever only because there wasn't a good idea BUT selection. What we need is a series of documents like linux-laptop-insert laptop brand here It would be a much bigger undertaking but isn't that what linux is for. So the whole world can help no matter whether your doing high level programming or trying desperatly to convince your dad to put linux on the family pc (the latter having been a battle I waged and won).

That way the linux newbies won't say "but it didn't work". Believe me I've said that plenty of times now that i am starting to pull my way out of noobland.

Well that's my take.

PS I also believe it's a sign that a linux user is pulling out of noobland when he realizes that the instructions aren't always right. Not quite out put it is the first rung on the ladder.

Doing both, do one brand at a time, instead of doing them all at once. This way we would get finished with one brand (whitebox or for instance Dell) before moving on to the next project, leaving a few developers behind to maintain the project. We could start off with the most used computers and finish of with powermacs? This is a proven way of working that provides results (have you ever played command & conqueror) instead of having 10 out of 10 projects partially finished allways, playing catch-up with teh laptop creators, we would have perhaps 7 of 10 finished. There would not be much of a diffrence from todays system, only a more thourough version of the linux-on-laptops page. Each brand could get its own sourceforge project.