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Ubuntu 8.04 on X60

Used Wubi, which creates a big file (loopback file system) for installation instead of requiring a partition.

Much improved, it got everything right, except:

• no wireless (!!!!!) disappointing.
• trackpoint is sluggish (even on fastest settings)
• time set incorrectly

Wading in the forums, same old same old. Disappointing.

Must support

External monitor - mirrored and unique - http://lilserenity.wordpress.com/2007/10/21/output-switcher-easy-linux-screen-management/

Power management

- suspend on lid close, power button

- comparable battery life

Camera

Trackpad

- two finger scrolling

Zoom support (like control-scroll) - Yay! 7.04 supports this. Also Expose like features.

Linux Issues

External monitor support

Plugging in a projector, maybe pressing a hotkey, seeing coherent external (and inbuilt) display - this is something you assume works on a Mac or Windows PC. But it's one of the big sore spots of a Linux based computer. Incredibly, you can play the most esoteric digital video formats, but trying to hook up an external monitor or projector usually leads to sadness and pain.

I recall logging into the #2600 efnet IRC channel around 1992, and seeing some "hacker" celebrate getting a desktop monitor to display correctly, and it seems notebook external displays are much more complicated. Yes, you can buy a particular notebook, and expect it to work with a particular distro or kernel/X* setup... but if you want any particular computer, expect to spend hours of obscure research to discover it can't be done.

See Also: Next computer