Which laptop models work perfectly "out of the box" with Linux?

[Matt Graham]

From: Eric Shubert <ejs at shubes.net>
> Josef Lowder wrote:
>> Wireless works "out of the box" with the built-in wireless card
>> (without needing an ndsi wrapper) ... display works at the optimum
>> resolution ... dvd burner works ... usb ports work ... built in web
>> cam works... everything works ***without*** requiring any fussing
>> around or special configuration?

Thinkpad T42p didn't have a built-in webcam, but everything you
mentioned worked except for the 802.11.  I had to download the ipw2200
firmware before that worked, which you would probably have had trouble
with.  It is not possible to distribute that firmware blob on a distro
CD thanks to bonehead licensing, which is a failing a number of 802.11
cards share.

>> attempt to generate interest and support toward the idea of a ONE
>> CLICK *** installation of Linux that makes a dual-boot installation
>> as truly, totally simple as possible.

It is impossible to make something foolproof, because fools are so
ingenious.  Really, untrained people can screw up in ways that the
developers/testers never dreamed of, which is why they have a few
complete noobs bang on the program when they do a serious release of
a software product that has a good develop/test cycle.  (At some
point, I will see a company that has such a thing... right?)

> I think you need to qualify (which) linux distro/versions.

That too.  Ubuntu might work with more stuff than PCLinuxOS, for
example.  Or vice versa.

-- 
Matt G / Dances With Crows
The Crow202 Blog:  http://crow202.org/wordpress/
There is no Darkness in Eternity/But only Light too dim for us to see