Passing on Ubuntu 804
For years, my home office has had a configuration of three machines: one that I consider a server, one that I consider a desktop, and one that is a laptop. Initially, they were all Windows, and eventually Windows XP, but over time I tried out various permutations and ended up with all running Ubuntu.
My server continues to run Ubuntu, now 710, and I will probably update it to 804 eventually, but being a server that works, I’m in no hurry.
I recently converted my desktop machine to a Mac Mini. For a number of reasons, including one that I wasn’t ready to mention at the time: to work on my new book. I didn’t participate in the recent history meme as it would have revealed too much information about my activities. But suffice it to say that my Mac usage is somewhat a-typical. I hardly touch the Mac keyboard at all. Most of my activities involve me ssh'ing into the Mac, and scrolling through a PDF using a mouse.
This brings me to my laptop. It, too, has recently been replaced. My trusty T42p, after years of hard use, was starting to fall apart. I was issued a new T61p. While I am aware that there are models of the T61p that work well with Linux, this does not appear to be one of them. The issue is the NVIDIA display. When I do a fresh install of Ubuntu 804 on this machine, the display is sluggish. If I move a window there are often artifacts left behind momentarily. Video playback is jerky. CPU load is often in the 3 to 5 range, even when the machine is “idle”. The fan is constantly running.
So, for the last two months, I’ve been running XP with CYGWIN. Mostly the SSH client, Firefox, Thunderbird, and Pidgin. I’m increasingly using my server (via SSH) for development where I used to use my laptop.
Clearly, if I’m willing to run XP, I would be willing to try restricted video drivers. The restricted video drivers, either installed directly or via envyng-gtk do address all of the problems listed above, but introduce one new problem. Suspend works. Resume doesn’t. Unfortunately, for me, that is a complete show-stopper.
Another part of the trend is that I’ve gone from three IBM provided machines to two self-purchased machines and one IBM provided machine. Perhaps it is time to go to three self-purchased machines.
Buy a laptop Sam?
For Ubuntu?
I recommend a dell xps m1330.
Although I’m currently cursed with vist-f**ing-a it did run ubuntu gutsy well albeit just for a few days :-(
Of course you shouldn’t take my advice in case I’m just a lucky one, but dell are ubuntu friendly after all.
Posted by Danny Angus at
I just got a T61p. I’m running Ubuntu 7.10 with no issues. But I got the intel video - the nvidia discrete is just overkill for development IMO. Anyways, pretty much everything worked. Had to hack with xrandr to get the external display going. Have you tried OpenSUSE? Apparently that’s certified on these T61’s, whatever that means.
Posted by Pratik Patel at
I too failed at getting resume working on my T61 with nvs140 chip. Quite a freaking pain.
Posted by rektide at
I ditched my proprietary-video-powered Thinkpad last year for an Intel-powered one, and things are so much better now. Suspend and hibernate are no problem; rotation works great, and stability reigns.
Nothing ruins a perfectly good Ubuntu system like an Nvidia or ATI display chipset.
Posted by Phil atquote
“Nothing ruins a perfectly good Ubuntu system like an Nvidia or ATI display chipset.”
Obviously you haven’t run to many systems, cause if you did you would know that it ATI that ruins a completely good Ubuntu system. lol
Posted by Erik at
I ran into a number of problems with Gutsy on my two personal ThinkPads, and so have stayed back to 7.04 at work (which ironically is neither a ThinkPad nor a laptop). Of course the biggest of those problems was resume failing, so I just don’t suspend/resume anymore. I want to believe in my heart of hearts that some of these issues might be resolved in 8.04... We’ll find out this weekend.
Posted by Justin Watt at