Linux and laptops

[Dawes, Stephen]

Hi Cheryl,

A laptop with no serial port is not a problem as you can get a PCMCIA
card that can have anywhere from 1 to 4 serial ports on it. They work
well, I am using one of these little gems with 2 serial ports to connect
a Dectalk express and an Alva abt380 to my laptop.

Don't be afraid of an on board modem, as long as it is a true modem and
not a win modem.

I have a Compaq laptop, the armada e700 (now obsolete.)

I use Redhat Linux 7.2 on it.


Bill Acker, wacker at octothorp.org is a big laptop user, and I am sure
that he could help you out with any questions as well. I know that he
helped me when I was getting started.


Stephen Dawes  <B.A., B.Sc.>
The City of Calgary                   |  Phone: (403) 268-5527
   Web Business Office #8300          |  Fax:   (403) 268-6423
   PO Box 2100 Postal Station M.      |  Email: sdawes at gov.calgary.ab.ca
   Calgary, Alberta, Canada. T2P 2M5  |  Web:
http://www.gov.calgary.ab.ca

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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cheryl Homiak [mailto:chomiak at chartermi.net]
> Sent: 2002 August 13 12:59 PM
> To: speakup
> Subject: linux and laptops
> 
> 
> What kinds of experiences have people had with laptops? For instance:
> Is it still possible to get them with serial ports for 
> braille display and/or
> speech synthesizer? On my desktop, I liike to have both 
> available but I realize
> that might not be possible on a laptop.
> Is there any way to be sure you aren't going to be stuck with 
> an unuseable
> internal modem?
> Can you get a laptop without an OS or do you have to remove 
> Windows? I know that
> in some cases the warranty on computers goes by the wayside 
> if you mess with the
> OS. I also understand you can get some laptops with some kind of linux
> distribution, but I imagine then you'd have to redo things so 
> you don't end up
> getting put into Xwindows when you boot; besides, I think I 
> want to stick with
> debian.
> 
> Is finding one that has compatible sound a problem?
> Has anybody found particular laptops that have worked well 
> with linux that you
> would like to recommend (preferably lower end of laptop price range)?
> Of course, I'm looking at all the info in the howtos on 
> laptops and hardware,
> but are there any other pitfalls of which I should be aware 
> if i decide to buy
> one?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Cheryl
> 
> 
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