OK I sent a copy of that message to Chris Day of DSE, he's on the nzlug list. Helpful guy.
He advises: 1. This is a rush to market, and their web page update broke down last night, so the support page is still on the way. 2. 256M maximum ram is an error, 512M is the max, but it only takes one module so you would have to ditch the 256 to get 512M. 3. they now have the modem working. 4. working on accelerated X. 5. his "bitch of the day" was no independent testing available to test linux compatibility. ( I offered to test one as long as I didn't have to send it back - funnily enough he has not taken me up on that) 6. He pointts out that there *is* linux compatible 802.11b gear out there, (Although I personally hate the thought of a usb thing hanging out the back of my computer when there are kids/dogs/cluttered coffee tables round. pcmcia is sooo tidy, even with an aerial hanging out the side.) 7. He is very amenable to feedback 8. If this lot goes well it is a precursor to more os-less lappies and desktops. On Fri, 27 Feb 2004 10:35:43 +1300 Nick Rout <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > OK immediate thoughts: see product number XC3394 on > http://www.dse.co.nz/ > > price $1500, not bad. one of the cheaper laptops around. but see below. > > transmeta crusoe 1GHz - not the fastest, but should be ok > > no floppy (do we care any more?) > > cdrw/dvd - great > > video - no mention of chipset, it works with linux but is it accelerated? > 3d? dse don't say. > > NO PCMCIA/CARDBUS mentioned - big bummer. > > no firewire - bummer again, they are getting pretty common on laptops > > no wireless and nowhere to put any of my pcmcia wireless cards. > usb wireless cards available, but do THEY work with linux? not according > to the dse site. > > <quote>Also tested with Linux Mandrake 9.2 & Knoppix 3.3 - please see support > section for notes on Linux > installation.</quote> - no link to the support section. where is it? > > 256MB Ram supplied is the max it will take - BIG BUMMER - the one thing > that would compensate for the slower processor is unavailable. > > Good move DSE, but why a laptop without all the bits? If you are serious > about selling to linux users, where is the output of lspci -v? > > <quote>Keep costs down by supplying & installing your own operating > system</quote> > > Seems more like keep costs down by supplying something cut down with > no ability to upgrade the memory, and no ability to use the very good > and cheap collection of available, linux compatible pcmcia gear out > there. I can't see where the no OS discount applies. Add $200 for Win XP > and you are at $1700.00. Add another $200 and you get the acer > travelmate (XC5467) with a 2.5G celeron max 2G ram, 2 pcmcia slots. IR, > a vid chip that will do dri in xfree 4.3, I am left wondering whether > that price difference of $200 isn't in fact the price difference in real > hardare features, and nothing more. > > > > On Fri, 27 Feb 2004 09:37:12 +1300 > Michael Pearce <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > I will let you know what the pricing is when I recieve the email from DSE. > > > > > > Mike > > > > -- > > Linux Rocks! > > -- > Nick Rout <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> -- Nick Rout <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
