[techtalk] light laptops for linux?

[Caitlyn Martin]

Hi, Molly,

I have two Toshiba Librettos (one older, one newer) and they run Linux just
fine.  They are really tiny and weight about 1.8 lbs.  The bad news is that
I believe they are out of production.  You should still be able to find new
Libretto FF1100V and SS1050 models around.  The bad news is that the processor
is only a 233 or 266 MHz Pentium II.  Used ones abound in places online, such
as EBay, and the older you go the cheaper they get.

Sony has a new super small, slim model of the Vaio with a Transmeta Crusoe 600
MHz chip in it.  Very nice, very light (~2 lbs.), very purple :)  I can't
afford one just now, but it is on my list.  You may also want to check out the
Casio FIVA, also available with a Crusoe chip.  Soyo also makes a small
mini-notebook, but it isn't much more powerful than a Libretto.  The Soyo
would be the cheapest of the lot.  The Toshiba Libretto is the smallest and
lightest.

If you go the Libretto route there are some challenges.  The PCMCIA floppy is
not supported by Linux.  The BIOS recognizes it, so it can be used as a boot
device, but little else.  Third party drivers for the floppy are available for
download, but a kernel recompile is required since floppy.c needs to change.
Also, there is no CD-ROM drive in a Libretto.  (An optional external
DVD-ROM is offered for the FF1100V.)  I use an Addonics CD98 with mine to load
software, and that *is* supported natively by Linux.  So are *most* (but not
all) SCSI PCMCIA cards, so a SCSI PCMCIA CD-ROM drive works too.  Also,
Toshiba does not provide the utilities for Linux (though they do still support
OS/2, of all things), but again, very nice third party ones are available.
Write me and I'll provide you with lots of helpful web sites and downloads if
you get a Libretto.

FWIW, my really old one is the very first one made, the Libretto 20CTA, a
whopping 486DX2-75 with a whole 16MB of memory.  It runs Red Hat 6.0, no KDE,
no Gnome, and works OK.  My newer Libretto also has Red Hat on it, but handles
Gnome and KDE well.

Good luck!
Caity

Molly Tomlinson wrote:

> Does anyone have a recommendation for a good, slim laptop? I will be taking
> it on a cross-US bike trip this summer; small and light will be my primary
> concerns. :) I'd like something reasonably powered - I will be doing photo
> work - but given the choice, I'd take light over fast.
>
> Right now I'm looking at the Sony Vaio R505 "SuperSlim" series and the Dell
> Inspiron 2100. Anyone have experience running Linux on either of these (or
> similar) beasties?
>
> thanks,
> --Molly
>