Hi Brent, It's my understanding that the Dell drivers are included in the RedHat source packages. I downloaded the Dell version by mistake and compiled it. I couldn't use sound for some reason. Now there's only one kernel version, so I think we're ok. Obviously, one would need to check with Dell or RedHat before buying a machine. HTH. Bill On Sun, 3 Sep 2000, Brent Harding wrote: > With dell redhat systems, how hard is it to get speakup on them? I've heard > the disk control drivers are binary provided by dell, no disk, no boot, > recompiling the kernel could jeopardize support for the hardware, as dell > builds the code right in to the kernel. I'm thinking of going preinstall of > linux for my next system, as I have plenty of access to windows on this > machine now, and my laptop, so if I need to use windows, not a lot will be > missing, if one networked the machines. > At 12:16 PM 9/3/00 -0700, you wrote: > >My experience with different Linux distributions has been that each one > >does things slightly different, configuration utilities, directory trees > >in different locations sometime symbolicaly linked for compatability, > >different startup scripts to bring up network connections and the use of > >different hw device file names. As a general rule I try to use the > >utilities of the Linux distribution that I am using to configure stuff > >first and if that fails I will try the generic Linux way. I think > >Caldera uses "lizard" which corresponds to the RedHat "linuxconf". > > > >Can you get a new IBM Thinkpad with nothing installed? I would opt for > >Linux since it should be cheaper but If you plan on running Windows > >under Vmware you may opt for a Windows pre-install since Windows may be > >alot cheaper when acquired with a Thinkpad. It would be nice if you get > >get the Thinkpad with Linux, Vmware and Windows pre-installed. > > > >Past experience with Dell computer we actually chose to pay more money > >with a pre-installed RedHat desktop to see how Dell would install Linux. > >Our only choice of pre-installed operating systems were Windows OR > >RedHat 6.0, since we wanted a multi-boot we then had to go out and > >purchase Windows 98 for an additional 200 dollars. I think I understand > >this philosophy, based upon statistics Dell wants to know if sales are > >from Linux OR Windows. > > > >One thing you may want to confirm is whether or not you can to a "text" > >based install with the Caldera distribution, I know with RedHat or > >Mandrake you can still select a "text" based install. > > > >Greg Keto > > > >Janina Sajka wrote: > >> > >> I'm looking for a little advice from the sages on this list. I'm about to > >> buy a new portable computer. From the hardware side I've pretty settled on > >> getting yet another IBM Thinkpad. I've had good enough experience with > >> them for some years now to feel comfortable getting another Thinkpad. This > >> will be my third in a row. > >> > >> IBM has actively begun supporting linux in that they now offer one of > >> their leading Thinkpad models with Caldera OpenLinux eDesktop 2.4 > >> preinstalled. So, here's the dilemma--Shall I get the preinstalled linux > >> and then patch with Speakup and tweak for my needs? Or should I just get > >> the hardware I want and go with an install from scratch? I have no > >> experience with Caldera whatsoever. All my working experience on Linux has > >> been with RedHat (plus a few forays into Debian). My desktop system is > >> running RedHat, and I'm keeping that system for the foreseeable future. > >> > >> So, what would you do? And, how would you decide? > >> > >> On the plus side I see two advantages, primarily. First, I think I can > >> assume the unit will be functional out of the box. Or, is that > >> foolhardy? Is it likely to be functional in X, but have many console text > >> features missing? > >> > >> My second reason for going with the preinstalled system is that I want to > >> get vmware running for Windows access in a Linux console. I've never > >> succeeded at getting X working on my own--so have always fallen short of > >> this goal to date. I feel I'm ahead of the game if I get a working X > >> environment out of the box. Is this enough reason to go with the > >> preinstalled Caldera? > >> > >> I very much appreciate any wisdom you would share on this. Thanks in > >> advance to all of you. > >> > >> -- > >> > >> Janina Sajka, Director > >> Information Systems Research & Development > >> American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) > >> > >> janina at afb.net > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Speakup mailing list > >> Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > >> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > >_______________________________________________ > >Speakup mailing list > >Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > >http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Speakup mailing list > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup >