[aclug-L] Re: Laptop help

["Clint A. Brubakken" <cabrubak@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 18 Oct 1999, Wayne White wrote:

> Got a new laptop, an Acer Travelmate 512DX, the choice of
> which was not mine. It's a loaner from Friends. 
> 

> The second bunch of questions follows. I ordered the Debian 2.1,
> 4 CD set, from cheapbytes. The guy on linux on laptops didn't
> try it and I found several references to Debian being the most
> laptop friendly distro. Perhaps those of you familiar with 
> Debian could tell me if it will allow me to install without
> APM? Should I just wait until it gets here and use it? I think
> that I could handle Debian after having some experience using
> Red Hat. Would Debian be a better way to go on a laptop?

The kernel included with 2.1 doesn't have apm included
 
> I really want to get a recent kernel running on this machine
> so that I can go ahead and start tilting at the sound and
> ethernet windmills. I think that I can overcome those problems
> once I get it working, and X working, right.

Beware that 2.1 comes with an older version of X, and you might get the
same 300x200, unless you get one that supports your video card. 

Check my post on the website on how to upgrade to a newer X without going
to unstable.

 
> That brings up one more question. What file, and what part of 
> that file, would one edit to get X to start right into a 
> suitable resolution? I played around with a couple of them to
> no avail. Any help in this area? If I could get X configured

XF86Config which under debian is in /etc/X11 

note it won't do a resolution that it doesn't think video card can handle,
and so if your video isn't supported you get something like 300x200


> 
> Well, enough for now. Any and all help or suggestions will be
> greatfully appreciated.

for debian check out the debian laptop list :
debian-laptop@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

> 
> Wayne
> 
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of 
> servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go 
> home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. 
> Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your 
> chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that 
> ye were our countrymen. -- Samuel Adams, speech at the 
> Philadelphia State House, August 1, 1776.
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> 

Clint Brubakken
Developer, Computer Science Services Group, LLC
Dictator-for-Life Air Capital Linux Users Group 
Wichita, KS
cabrubak@xxxxxxx
---
"Eric also holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and shoots pistols for relaxation,
His favorite gun is the classic 1911-pattern .45 semiautomatic"

  -- Chris DiBona on neo-renassaince Homo Heileinias Eric S. Raymond. (Open 
Sources, 1999 O'Reilly and Associates)