Linux Laptop

Tim Schmidt computer_holic@hotmail.com
Tue, 13 Mar 2001 04:38:14


I just bought a Dell Inspiron 4000...

It runs Linux (SuSE 7.1) better than I ever expected...

I should probably be crediting kernel 2.4, or XFree86 4.0.1 or something, 
but The laptop itself is pretty kick-ass.

I thought I'd post to the group just in case anyone was looking for a 
[relatively] cheap linux laptop, this one is it.  Here's how I pimped it 
out:

-Inspiron 4000-
-Intel Celeron 700
-Single 64Mb SoDIMM (I purchased a 128Mb SoDIMM and installed it myself for 
192Mb of RAM, the slots are user-accessable)
-5Gb UDMA-33 Hard Drive (It's an IBM!)
-14.1" TFT
-8Mb ATI Mobility Graphics
-Internal MiniPCI 56k WinModem (bleh!) / Intel 10/100 NIC (yeah!)
-53WHr smart Liion battery (~3Hrs use -- I've tested, real world)
-Swappable 8x DVD
-Swappable 3 1/2" Disk Drive
-ESS Maestro 3 Sound

All for a grand total of $1398 (after $100 rebate only good until the 14th, 
sorry)

Everything was auto-detected by SuSE 7.1 (with the obvious exception of the 
WinModem)

The screen is excellent, I really like the keyboard, it has an eraserhead 
and touchpad, 1 USB port, 1 parallel, 1 serial, 1 IRDA, 1 PS/2, and a 
docking station hookup.  It has an external power brick, comes with 5 
different colored eraserheads (woohoo!), the only thing I don't like is that 
the speakers are incredibly weak.  It's no big deal, because I have a nice 
set of computer speakers at my desk anyway, and I will take headphones on 
long trips (to watch DVD's)...

The cooling system is impressive, it only get kinda warm after a lot of use.

It has S-Video/Composite TV-Out (a major plus for DVD's)

Dell would not ship it to me w/o WinME, but I have not broken the EULA's, 
and the first time I booted it I had the SuSE CD in the drive, so I have not 
used Windows at all...  I work at a computer shop downtown, and they have 
promised to purchase my unused copies of WinME and MS Works Suite...  Nice.

Just wanted to give a heads up to the GLLUG for anyone who's looking for a 
nice laptop...  Have fun.

--Tim
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