I've worked with the Thinkpad 600. It will do just fine, but you must enable the serial port if you're going to use it. You can do that in CMOS (not accessible), or via DOS command line tools which work well with DOS speech. Of course, once you have Linux, you can also use the Thinkpad Linux controls available on Source Forge. The process is: 1.) Disable Infrared 2.) Enable Serial 3.) Enable the db9 port as your first serial port Janina Sajka writes: > Return-Path: <blinux-list-admin@redhat.com> > Received: from localhost (cantata.rednote.net [127.0.0.1]) > by cantata.rednote.net (8.12.3/8.12.3/Debian -4) with ESMTP id g8DEpbRq002825 > for <janina@localhost>; Fri, 13 Sep 2002 10:51:38 -0400 > Received: from 165.212.14.253 [165.212.14.253] > by localhost with POP3 (fetchmail-5.9.11) > for janina@localhost (single-drop); Fri, 13 Sep 2002 10:51:38 -0400 (EDT) > Received: from umdvg002.cms.usa.net [165.212.10.2] by umdvg002.cms.usa.net via mtad (CM.0402.2.02C) > with ESMTP id 896gimotY0182M02; Fri, 13 Sep 2002 14:45:51 GMT > Received: from esmail03.eservices.usa.net [165.212.64.10] by umdvg002.cms.usa.net via smtad (CM.0402.2.04); > Fri, 13 Sep 2002 14:45:50 GMT > Received: from listman.redhat.com [66.187.233.211] by esmail03.eservices.usa.net via mtad (ES.0801.2.03); > Fri, 13 Sep 2002 14:46:00 GMT > Received: from listman.redhat.com (localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1]) > by listman.redhat.com (Postfix) with ESMTP > id EFEFC3F1AE; Fri, 13 Sep 2002 10:46:02 -0400 (EDT) > Delivered-To: blinux-list@listman.redhat.com > Received: from int-mx1.corp.redhat.com (int-mx1.corp.redhat.com [172.16.52.254]) > by listman.redhat.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8968B3EF71 > for <blinux-list@listman.redhat.com>; Fri, 13 Sep 2002 10:45:00 -0400 (EDT) > Received: (from mail@localhost) > by int-mx1.corp.redhat.com (8.11.6/8.11.6) id g8DEitM07415 > for blinux-list@listman.redhat.com; Fri, 13 Sep 2002 10:44:55 -0400 > Received: from mx1.redhat.com (mx1.redhat.com [172.16.48.31]) > by int-mx1.corp.redhat.com (8.11.6/8.11.6) with SMTP id g8DEitk07411 > for <blinux-list@redhat.com>; Fri, 13 Sep 2002 10:44:55 -0400 > Received: from TekRD.grg.afb.net (w088.z208036108.was-dc.dsl.cnc.net [208.36.108.88]) > by mx1.redhat.com (8.11.6/8.11.6) with SMTP id g8DESFw27428 > for <blinux-list@redhat.com>; Fri, 13 Sep 2002 10:28:15 -0400 > Received: from localhost (janina@localhost) > by TekRD.grg.afb.net (8.11.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id g8DEir307753 > for <blinux-list@redhat.com>; Fri, 13 Sep 2002 10:44:54 -0400 > X-Authentication-Warning: TekRD.grg.afb.net: janina owned process doing -bs > From: Janina Sajka <janina@afb.net> > X-X-Sender: janina@TekRD.grg.afb.net > To: blinux-list@redhat.com > Subject: Re: IBM Lap Tops > In-Reply-To: <20020913115819.7ccad15a.gandre@arkeia.com> > Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.44.0209131042080.7686-100000@TekRD.grg.afb.net> > MIME-Version: 1.0 > Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII > X-Loop: blinux-list@redhat.com > Sender: blinux-list-admin@redhat.com > Errors-To: blinux-list-admin@redhat.com > X-BeenThere: blinux-list@redhat.com > X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.1 > Precedence: bulk > Reply-To: blinux-list@redhat.com > List-Help: <mailto:blinux-list-request@redhat.com?subject=help> > List-Post: <mailto:blinux-list@redhat.com> > List-Subscribe: <https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list>, > <mailto:blinux-list-request@redhat.com?subject=subscribe> > List-Id: Linux for blind general discussion <blinux-list.redhat.com> > List-Unsubscribe: <https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list>, > <mailto:blinux-list-request@redhat.com?subject=unsubscribe> > List-Archive: <https://listman.redhat.com/pipermail/blinux-list/> > Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2002 10:44:53 -0400 (EDT) > Content-Length: 2885 > Lines: 90 > > Luke: > > If you need the serial port on that Thinkpad 600, you will need to enable > it in CMOS--or by using the DOS utilities available for that model. The > DOS utilities are accessible to DOS screen readers. The Thinkpad control > utilities for Linux may also work--but I don't start with such a > recommendation as you may not be that far along! <grin> > > The default on most Thinkpads is to have the nin-pin port disabled in > favor of infrared. You need to kill the infrared, enable the serial port, > and assign it as the first serial port--in that order. > > > On Fri, 13 Sep 2002, Gil Andre wrote: > > > > > Hi Luke, > > > > On Thu, 12 Sep 2002 22:00:01 -0400 (EDT), Luke wrote: > > > I am abot to be installing Slackware or Debian on an > > > IBM Thinkpad 600. > > > > > > Is there anything I might need to know, before attempting > > > my first laptop install? > > > > For general information, please check out the following web > > page: > > > > http://www.linux-laptop.net > > > > At last count, they had 19 people who installed Linux > > successfully on an IBM Thinkpad 600/600E/600X. The > > information these people supplied to Linux Laptops can > > be very, very important when you try to install Linux. > > (regardless of which distro you choose). > > > > Also, you should check: > > > > http://tpctl.sourceforge.net > > http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/tpb/ > > > > As these are additionnal software, specifically written > > to use Thinkpad features under Linux. > > > > Next, to be more specific: > > > > Unless you have a very, very fast Internet connection, use > > Slackware 8.1 for this installation. I recently installed > > this version of Slackware on my laptop and everything worked > > very well. I do not recommend Debian, in general, because > > installation seems harder than Slackware. > > > > On the other hand, updating Debian once it is installed is > > muche easier *if* you have a high-speed connection to the > > Internet. A colleague of mine has, at work, a complete and > > up-to-date mirror of Debian and he uses to update all his > > machines -- most can be updated with a single command and > > a few minutes. > > > > Slackware, on the other hand, offers less functionality when > > it comes to updating, but is (to me) easier to install and > > a very, very stable platform indeed. > > > > The one thing to remember with Slackware is to configure the > > different modules (in /etc/rc.d/) that will be needed to > > support all the hardware of your laptop. The rest is easy. > > > > Hope this helps! > > > > > > -- > > Janina Sajka, Director > Technology Research and Development > Governmental Relations Group > American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) > > Email: janina@afb.net Phone: (202) 408-8175 > > Chair, Accessibility SIG > Open Electronic Book Forum (OEBF) > http://www.openebook.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Blinux-list@redhat.com > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list -- Janina Sajka, Director Technology Research and Development Governmental Relations Group American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Email: janina@afb.net Phone: (202) 408-8175 Chair, Accessibility SIG Open Electronic Book Forum (OEBF) http://www.openebook.org Please avoid sending me Word or PowerPoint attachments. See http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html _______________________________________________ Blinux-list@redhat.com https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list