Why does everyone think I AM mad?!

[rubix41]

Hi everyone!

I have just been given a job in Japan and, since I am going to be staying for some time, I am going to practice my Linux skills.

Anyone who has seen my earlier posts regarding Linux knows I am a total newbie but I am going to change that! THE only problem is when I say I am going to put a version of Linux on a laptop, everyone goes "oooh" like as though I just rubbed glass sand studded paper on my crotch.

Is it so hard? In Tokyo, there is a district that has really cool laptops - most considered defunct because of windows - so I could get one that should be pretty much decent. After all, Linux runs on 486's right?

Also, why does everyone make like a tree and leave when I say anything about making a laptop?
Akhibara, the district, is chock-a-block full of hardware and peripherals of the surplus variety.
On a good day, I bet I could get a laptop case, the motherboard and the battery...the only problem is I don't know that much about laptop architecture...oh well.

Anyone up my quest for Linux on a laptop?

If so, I need to know are there any tools or guides that I can use (programs, tables, sheets) to find out if a laptop is compatiable? (Think graphics, processor, etc the stuff you would need for a pc) Or is there anything that I should avoid for Linux?

(Don't give me that site about Linux on a laptop that has a sort of orange/peach tint background. It didn't help me in finding the compatability but I will use it later.)

Secondly, if I am tempted to build a laptop, any one know any links, sites or anyone I can talk to about it?

(Motherboards org's reply was: buy a refurbished comp. Gee, that's good but RTFQ forum poster. I know the people here have got some idea right?)

Anyone who helps me and, if I am sucessful, will get credit in any possible website regarding the subject in the future! Plus, you get to see your handle on a nice photo of a cool sticker on the laptop case!

[voidmain]

I run linux on both of my laptops without a problem. It really depends on what laptop model you have as to the amount of trouble you will have. Here's how I use my laptops most of the time:

http://voidmain.kicks-ass.net/redhat/redhat_8_terminal_server.html

The rest of the time I use them as a normal standalone system running Linux.

[Calum]

quote:Originally posted by rubix41:
Hi everyone!

I have just been given a job in Japan and, since I am going to be staying for some time, I am going to practice my Linux skills.

Anyone who has seen my earlier posts regarding Linux knows I am a total newbie but I am going to change that! THE only problem is when I say I am going to put a version of Linux on a laptop, everyone goes "oooh" like as though I just rubbed glass sand studded paper on my crotch.

Is it so hard? In Tokyo, there is a district that has really cool laptops - most considered defunct because of windows - so I could get one that should be pretty much decent. After all, Linux runs on 486's right?

Also, why does everyone make like a tree and leave when I say anything about making a laptop?
Akhibara, the district, is chock-a-block full of hardware and peripherals of the surplus variety.
On a good day, I bet I could get a laptop case, the motherboard and the battery...the only problem is I don't know that much about laptop architecture...oh well.

Anyone up my quest for Linux on a laptop?

If so, I need to know are there any tools or guides that I can use (programs, tables, sheets) to find out if a laptop is compatiable? (Think graphics, processor, etc the stuff you would need for a pc) Or is there anything that I should avoid for Linux?

(Don't give me that site about Linux on a laptop that has a sort of orange/peach tint background. It didn't help me in finding the compatability but I will use it later.)

Secondly, if I am tempted to build a laptop, any one know any links, sites or anyone I can talk to about it?

(Motherboards org's reply was: buy a refurbished comp. Gee, that's good but RTFQ forum poster. I know the people here have got some idea right?)

Anyone who helps me and, if I am sucessful, will get credit in any possible website regarding the subject in the future! Plus, you get to see your handle on a nice photo of a cool sticker on the laptop case!

well i have had 2 laptops in my time. one was a pentium 75mhz with 32M of RAM, and i ran basiclinux on it (go to http://gd.tuwien.ac.at/opsys/linux/baslinux/ for more info) with all the extras like XWindows and so on. i had not much problem. The other laptop i have is a pentium 3 850Mhz, 128Mb of RAM, and so on. this laptop i could never get the modem to work in linux. no problem i just bought a PCMCIA modem and shoved it in the PC card slot (a xircom CEM56) and it now works fine. Another thing is that older linuces don't set up my video card correctly, but new ones (mandrake 8.2 and 9.0 for instance) set it all up just fine, plus mandrake autodetected my external usb mouse, my external keyboard and the PC card modem no problem.

I'd say, try and put some linux on there and then deal with the problems as you come to them.

And keep that glass paper well away from your groin.

[rubix41]

Cool

The Void Calum Laptop begins.