Laptop edition

Forum: DSL Ideas and Suggestions
Topic: Laptop edition
started by: coldsalmon

Posted by coldsalmon on Dec. 04 2005,11:51

Hi, I would like to see a DSL version for laptops. I suspect that you could get great battery life since you could just run it in RAM and not mount any HDDs. But for battery life you would need ACPI and powernowd in order to scale the CPU usage and conserve power. The addition of CPU frequency scaling and maybe suspend would be incredible and would probably make this my distro of choice.

--C

Posted by importmastr on Dec. 24 2005,10:36

Amen!!!!!

Posted by Importmastr on Dec. 24 2005,10:52

Thought I would add a little more on this subject. Every major OS I have used, and I have used a dozens has utilities for laptops. I don't recomend adding this to DSL because it is not consistent with the goal of keeping it small. On the other hand please consider that a brand new cheap desktop computer capable of running Microsuck WinBlows XP efficiently can be had at Fry's Electronics for $150 while even the cheapest of new laptops cost $600+, so people tend to use there laptops longer, and buy them used more often than desktop computers. With the added functionality of their take anywhere design they hold their value much longer than desktops as well, so a laptop edition of any OS that is extremely small, lightweight, fast, and system resource friendly is a good idea. This laptop edition should at a minimum include a battery power meter that tells how much battery power is remaining (pref. in minutes), & if the laptop is plugged in tell the charging progress (either in minutes remaining to full charge, or current % of full charge), and another must have is fully configurable suspend/hybernate like features.

Posted by roberts on Dec. 24 2005,16:29

I use DSL primarily on laptops. Used older laptops, 300Mhz to 600Mhz.
DSL is designed for older hardware.
DSL fully supports APM.
My battery meter in torsmo works, as well as fan speed and hybernate.

DSL is a perfect match for laptops in the 300Mhz and up!

So, what you are really asking for is support for newer laptops?

Posted by cbagger01 on Dec. 27 2005,18:50

In theory, it is possible for you the user to download the sources and compiler tools and recompile the DSL kernel sources to enable CPU frequency scaling and then create a special bootdisk to use your new kernel with the existing DSL 2.x series livecd.

Have fun!

Posted by Dan Jania on Dec. 30 2005,01:36

Speaking of laptops, I have ordered DSL to install on my 1998 Compaq 1640 that is just sitting around.(Keeping my fingers crossed that installation goes well - I'm a Linux virgin) If I like it I plan to install Mandriva 2006 on my Desktop.

I heard that some wireless cards work w/ DSL and some work but require much confiquration. Are there any models that you guys would recommend more than others?

Linksys?
NetGear?
D-Link?

Thanks for your input :-)

Posted by cbagger01 on Dec. 30 2005,05:15

< http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/index.php/Verified_Wireless_Cards >