March 2006 - wlug - list.wlug.org.nz

Re: [wlug] wlug Digest, Vol 177, Issue 3
by Mathew Carley 08 Mar '06

08 Mar '06

In my experience, I would not buy another Acer - especially a cheap one. Not because of the lack of Linux support (I've run several Debian Based distros including Breezy and Xandros, Suse 9, 10, Fedora and probably others without too much trouble). The main reason is the fact that I've had so many problems with the hardware; including the fact that my machine in particular is badly designed (very little airflow over the processor, which is prone to overheating - lucky I can just open the window, and because its -10 outside it cools down OK). I've had the motherboard and hard drive replaced (in the first year) and the second hard drive died just 3 weeks ago. Their 2-hour warranty service agreement is misleading (I used to work for an Acer reseller until about 3 years ago), if I unplug the speakers or a pair of headphones, there seems to be a short of some sort which causes the machine to just turn off... and... I'm sure there are other things too. It went in for warranty service (for periods up to a week, even if I drove to Auckland to hand-deliver the machine) I think 4 or 5 times in its first year. Perhaps I just got a lemon. I do remember someone else at an installfest a year ago having the same overheating problem that I did with the same model of laptop, though. Normally I wouldn't speak so badly of a product or brand, but this thing has just been ridiculous. Lucky for me I have just had the opportunity to acquire a nice Mac, so I'm happy about that. I'll be using this laptop as a media center in my apartment or something. Go for the Toshiba or something similar. I wish I had gone and got a Toshiba. I will put it this way: if the motherboard chipset is Intel, chances are most (if not all) of the bits and pieces attached will work in Linux. Not always true, but something I would use to gauge the likelihood of something working. Also, if you can get an ATi video processor on board, thats usually a good thing, right? Fujitsu Siemens are supposed to be OK, but I'm not sure about the differences between FS in Finland and FS in New Zealand (the same way that HP and NEC/Packard Bell are very different in quality between the USA/NZ and Japan/NZ respectively). As for the power brick - I dont think I have seen one for a laptop that is not capable of handling 100-250v and 50-60Hz, so it shouldn't be a problem. Keep in mind that the next Ubuntu will be coming out in a month or thereabouts, so perhaps if something doesn't work in Breezy 5.10, it might work in 6.04? Mathew -- Regards Mathew Carley **UUSI** Nopeita tietokonepalveluita ja ohjausta @ www.fingeekit.com (Avaamme pian!) HostENZ Data Services A Carley Network Media Ltd. (NZ) Company http://www.hostenz.co.nz mathewc(a)hostenz.co.nz Phone (Suomalainen Yhteyshenkilö/Svensk Kontakt): +358 4 4925 0459 Phone (Helsinki Office): +358 9 2316 3712 Phone (Finland Cellular/English): +358 4 0418 6944 **NEW** Phone (France Cellular): +33 6 1811 9475 Sony IVE Number: 243 700 9835 Skype: mgcarley MSN Messenger: mgcarley(a)hostenz.co.nz The information contained in this electronic mail message and any attachments are confidential to Carley Network Media Ltd and it's subsidiaries, and may contain proprietary information or may be legally privileged. See http://www.cnmltd.net/email/ for our standard email disclaimer. Errors & Omissions Excepted. Prices in this email do not include GST unless stated otherwise.

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Warren Hughes (IBM) is out of the office.
by Warren Hughes 08 Mar '06

08 Mar '06

I will be out of the office starting 07/03/2006 and will not return until 09/03/2006. Hi, thanks for your email. In my absence for urgent queries please contact Wayne Goss on +64 21 375592. Otherwise I will respond tomorrow March 9. Cheers, Warren.

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Re: [wlug] more laptop consideration
by jaytee＠clear.net.nz 08 Mar '06

08 Mar '06

----- Original Message Follows ----- > Sorry to hear about the issues, I have several acers and > we had a similar but easily fixed problem. > > The poor airflow is really bad dust protection, So what we > do is use a household vacuum cleaner and the crevice tool > (narrow slot thing) to vacuum all the cooling ports. Phew I bet you have to chock the fan first or it would huper drive :-) <quote> Laptops are great but if you want a workhorse that keeps on trucking for years at a time, nothing beats a (under-the-)desktop box. ;)<end quote> I agree with Oliver but a desk top is hard get get around with.. John > > _______________________________________________ > wlug mailing list | wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > Unsubscribe: > http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug

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Re: [wlug] New laptop
by jaytee＠clear.net.nz 07 Mar '06

07 Mar '06

Hello all It just gets better all the time. Matt told me to bring a full distro (after showing me e-live) and see if it installs ok if not get some thing else. I cant argue with that so will try it before long Watch this space. John ----- Original Message Follows ----- > another Hint ... If you go into the powerhouse store, Ask > Matt at the Support counter of his opinion, After he gets > past how great e-live is as a distro > if the store wont let you boot a live Linux cd, you > should be looking elsewhere. Again Matt will have some > experience here as its his "Job" to try these sorts of > things (and he gets to mix business and pleasure) > > At the end of the Day you can never do too much homework. > > Good luck and let us know what you end up with and why. > > Daniel Lawson wrote: > > >Again, as Craig suggested, take an Ubuntu livecd into DSE > and try it out. > > >_______________________________________________ > >wlug mailing list | wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > >Unsubscribe: > http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > wlug mailing list | wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > Unsubscribe: > http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug

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Warren Hughes (IBM) is out of the office.
by Warren Hughes 07 Mar '06

07 Mar '06

I will be out of the office starting 07/03/2006 and will not return until 08/03/2006. Hi, thanks for your email. In my absence for urgent queries please contact Wayne Goss on +64 21 375592. Otherwise I will respond tomorrow March 8. Cheers, Warren.

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Fwd: Re: New laptop
by jaytee＠clear.net.nz 06 Mar '06

06 Mar '06

Sorry Drew I meant to "reply all" John ----- Message Forwarded on Mon 6/3/2006 ----- From: "" <jaytee(a)clear.net.nz> To: Drew Broadley <drew(a)corrupt.co.nz> Subject: Re: [wlug] New laptop Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2006 18:58:24 +1300 Someone mooted that if the frequencies are the same <50mhz> then the power outlet voltage is fairly unimportant there fore it should run on an American outlet. Yes there are 110v transformers available I was hoping not to have to get one though, hence my question(s) John ----- Original Message Follows ----- > jaytee(a)clear.net.nz wrote: > > I also wonder if it is likely to run properly on > > 110 volts.. > > Well, I'd hope you'll be running it on ~12-15v ;) > > You should be able to get an American version of the 240v > transformer brick you get with it. > > - Drew

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New laptop
by jaytee＠clear.net.nz 06 Mar '06

06 Mar '06

Hi All I am thinking seriously about buying an entry level Acer 1.5mhz 40gig hd 512meg ram wifi enabled laptop from DSE and wondered if it would be suitable to run a Ubuntu system.(Breezy) I also wonder if it is likely to run properly on 110 volts.. Nods of approval most welcome <g> Regards John..

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Re: [wlug] New laptop
by David Nicholls 06 Mar '06

06 Mar '06

Could also perhaps try the hp compaqs, and ive run an ubuntu live cd on them without too much trouble... Very nicely specced too. > -----Original Message----- > From: Gavin Denby [mailto:redhat(a)ihug.co.nz] > Sent: Tuesday, 7 March 2006 12:15 a.m. > To: Waikato Linux Users Group > Subject: Re: [wlug] New laptop > > another Hint ... If you go into the powerhouse store, Ask > Matt at the Support counter of his opinion, After he gets > past how great e-live is as a distro ( Actually I am getting > to like it), he will be able to discuss the pro's and cons of > Linux on the various laptops. > > The 2 points will be wireless card support ( a pig when your > built in doesn't work and you have to add a pcmcia card), and > the Video driver, If you can live with unaccelerated VESA it > wont matter as much, but some SIS an be annoying as well. > Also look at little things like the volume control and Screen > brightness controls, if these work its a definite plus. > > Live CD's definitely help in his area and are a good idea, if > the store wont let you boot a live Linux cd, you should be > looking elsewhere. > Again Matt will have some experience here as its his "Job" to > try these sorts of things (and he gets to mix business and pleasure) > > At the end of the Day you can never do too much homework. > > Good luck and let us know what you end up with and why. > > Daniel Lawson wrote: > > >Again, as Craig suggested, take an Ubuntu livecd into DSE > and try it out. > > > >_______________________________________________ > >wlug mailing list | wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > >Unsubscribe: http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > wlug mailing list | wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > Unsubscribe: http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug > >

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Re: [wlug] New laptop
by jaytee＠clear.net.nz 06 Mar '06

06 Mar '06

Argh!!! My other option in that price range would be a Toshiba satellite with similar features. Would that be a better idea?? Regards John.. ----- Original Message Follows ----- > On Mon, Mar 06, 2006 at 07:17:03PM +1300, > > jaytee(a)clear.net.nz wrote: Many thanks Fridolin. > > > > Does anyone have an opinion on the Acer running Ubuntu?? > > Regards John > > > According to Matthew Garrett's presentation on lca2006, > Acer isn't a good choice at all. Matthew is currently > responsible for laptop issue for Ubuntu, such as ACPI. > > -- > Best Regards, > Carlos > > _______________________________________________ > wlug mailing list | wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > Unsubscribe: > http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug

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Re: [wlug] New laptop
by jaytee＠clear.net.nz 06 Mar '06

06 Mar '06

-I do not know the model but I think it is a new "SPECIAL" I was quoted $998 for the 256 meg ram plus around $70 for the other 256 meg. The proccesser maybe a 1.4 or 1.6 thanks for the link and idea of trying a live cd in store ----- Original Message Follows ----- > On Mon, 2006-03-06 at 17:31 +1300, jaytee(a)clear.net.nz > > wrote: Hi All > > I am thinking seriously about buying an entry level > > Acer 1.5mhz 40gig hd 512meg ram wifi enabled laptop from > > DSE and wondered if it would be suitable to run a Ubuntu > > system.(Breezy) > > You don't mention the particular model you are intending > to purchase which makes it hard to answer the question. I > can't find a model that matches the specs you list above > on DSEs website either. > > Ubuntu's laptop support page for Acer at: > https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportMachinesLaptopsAcer > > indicates that there is a wide range in the level of > support with some models working almost perfect, others > not so well. > > The best strategy would be to take the Ubuntu live CD > along to DSE and try it in the laptop in question. > > Regards > > -- > Matt Brown > matt(a)mattb.net.nz > Mob +64 21 611 544 www.mattb.net.nz > > [Attachment: matt(a)mattb.net.nz.sig]

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