my parents present to me:

Thu Nov 24 15:17:21 MST 2011

You are an absolute wealth of information. Thanks. I found the spec sheet
for the computer (http://i.walmart.com/i/rb/0088611205066.pdf) and all
seems to be good. So it will be a little slow. Can't be any slower than my
desktop!

On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 2:41 PM, Jim March <1.jim.march at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dual-core means there's really, seriously two CPUs in there.  The AMD
> "Opteron" has eight "cores" - separate CPUs.
>
> There's some applications out there that are set up to run on two CPUs
> at once.  Most don't.  It also helps some when you do "virtualization"
> - run one OS such as, say, WinXP underneath another OS such as Linux.
>
> OK.  Look.  There ARE some low-end CPUs and GPUs (Graphics Processing
> Units) that choke hard on Linux.  A lot of CPUs (including the C-50)
> are integrated with the graphics processor, which is why the CPU can
> be trouble.
>
> AMD/ATI (same company) graphics tend to work well with Linux these
> days.  AMD has put out a lot of data on how their GPUs work, which has
> let the open source community build good drivers.  You should be OK
> with any AMD/ATI GPU except the very highest end.  Referring to this
> page, it looks like you want the absolute latest Linux variants for
> the 6250 card:
>
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RadeonDriver
>
> That means run Oneiric, or Linux Mint 12, or the latest release Fedora
> or similar.
>
> The Intel GMA500 is a total disaster.  Intel bought it from a small
> Linux-hostile company.  Avoid at all costs.  Some of the GPUs
> integrated with the Core i3/5/7 series are messy but rapidly
> improving...these are probably higher-end than you're looking for.
> The Intel i945 graphics are still seen on a few micro-sized critters
> and it's rock solid...not that fast, but it can still do basic Compiz
> fr'instance.  The 965/3000 series is one to avoid, the 4500 series
> work great.
>
> NVidia has some integrated CPU/GPU combination chips that are also
> very Linux-hostile and a total mess to deal with.  Look for the word
> "ION" and run away screaming if you see it.  Some are integrated with
> the Intel Atom series CPUs, either on-chip or nearby.  Avoid all such
> combinations at all cost - if you see "Atom" and "Nvidia" together,
> run away.
>
> LISTEN UP: when you listed system specs in an earlier message in this
> thread, you didn't list the video card/chipset.  That's a serious
> mistake.  Pay close attention to the video chip and google it with the
> word "Ubuntu" to see if the support is there.  That's how I got the
> ATI/AMD video driver support link I showed you above.
>
> The only other potential trouble spot is the WiFi chipset, and even
> then you're usually OK.  With Lenovo, HP and Compaq, the BIOS will
> fail to start up if you swap WiFi chipsets with something else - so
> you're stuck with the factory WiFi card.  On Dells, Acers, Asus,
> pretty much everything else, you can swap WiFi cards around.  This can
> be a lot of fun.  Example...my Dell 1525 came with a Broadcom-based
> 1390 (Dell part number) WiFi card.  I've put the 1395 in for more
> range.  I also have an Intel in there that doesn't have as much range,
> but it DOES have the ability to re-broadcast...which means I can take
> in a signal off of my cellphone via USB in and re-broadcast that for
> other users if I want to share my cellmodem connection...in other
> words, create a WiFi hotspot.
>
> The very best Linux WiFi cards are usually Atheros.  All have
> re-broadcast support and excellent open-source driver support.  Next
> best is Intel - good drivers but only some can re-broadcast.
> Broadcoms require connecting up some other way first to download the
> right firmware, but once running they're pretty solid.
>
> Jim
>
> On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 2:17 PM, Michael Havens <bmike1 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > But what id 'dual core'? Or is that one of those things that can't
> really be
> > explained?
> >
> > On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 2:13 PM, Jim March <1.jim.march at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> The C-50 is dual-core.  Still a slow one though.
> >>
> >> Jim
> >>
> >> On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 1:50 PM, Michael Havens <bmike1 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >> > I found the c-50 on your link jim but not the dual-core c-50. Or else
> >> > does
> >> > 'dual core' mean anything?
> >> >
> >> > On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 12:07 PM, Jim March <1.jim.march at gmail.com>
> >> > wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> Lemme show you something.  The C-50 is a turd.  Here's it's score of
> >> >> 453 at CPUBench:
> >> >>
> >> >> http://www.cpubenchmark.net/low_end_cpus.html
> >> >>
> >> >> The T7400 found in some six year old Thinkpad T60p critters
> >> >> fr'instance pulls over 1,200:
> >> >>
> >> >> http://www.cpubenchmark.net/mid_range_cpus.html
> >> >>
> >> >> Granted, the video chip isn't half bad that's integrated with the
> >> >> C-50.  It'll work.  But the whole machine is built to a very low
> price
> >> >> point.
> >> >>
> >> >> Jim
> >> >>
> >> >> On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 11:50 AM, Michael Havens <bmike1 at gmail.com>
> >> >> wrote:
> >> >> > Glad I didn't jump at any of the opportunities you guys presented
> >> >> > because.....
> >> >> >
> >> >> > For BLACK Friday the Wal-Mart up here is selling  a Compaq Presario
> >> >> > with
> >> >> > an
> >> >> > AMD dual core processor with 2 gig of memory and 250 gig drive for
> >> >> > $198.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > http://tinyurl.com/7ykallg
> >> >> >
> >> >> > hmmm,,,, it seems bestbuy has a better deal. but we don't have
> >> >> > bestbuy
> >> >> > up
> >> >> > here.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > On Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 6:08 AM, Stephen <cryptworks at gmail.com>
> >> >> > wrote:
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> I just for a d630 from eBay for 95 shipped to my door.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Not new but working and the are workhorses and are well supported
> by
> >> >> >> Linux. All I need is a hard drive for it.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> On Nov 21, 2011 11:52 PM, "Michael Havens" <bmike1 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >> >> >>>
> >> >> >>> My parents said they would get me a laptop. I asked how much they
> >> >> >>> wanted
> >> >> >>> to spend and figured I'd ask you guys because you might make a
> >> >> >>> little
> >> >> >>> money!
> >> >> >>> Who wants to build me a laptop for about $200?
> >> >> >>>
> >> >> >>> --
> >> >> >>> :-)~MIKE~(-:
> >> >> >>>
> >> >> >>> ---------------------------------------------------
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> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> > --
> >> >> > :-)~MIKE~(-:
> >> >> >
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> > --
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> >
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-- 
:-)~MIKE~(-:
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