[ale] Big laptop advice

[Geoffrey]

Mike Harrison wrote:
> On Sat, 6 Jun 2009, Jeff Hubbs wrote:
> 
>> A few months ago, we got a Toshiba Qosmio with an 18.1" screen for my 
>> daughter; she likes playing Sims 2 and plans to edit video.  It's definitely 
>> a desktop replacement...no, wait - it's a DESK replacement.  No idea how it 
>> would do under any Linux distribution but as big laptop hardware with a nice 
>> screen, it certainly answers the mail.
> 
> 
> I'm down to the Asus 18.4" monster.. (awesome machine)..
> 
> or a Sony one.. (pretty, but I've had driver issues in the past)
> 
> and eyeing a MacBook Pro 17" with the Matte screen.
> 
> Anyone dual-booting into Ubuntu on a Macbook Pro?
> If so: How is it working for you?

Not Ubuntu, but I've got a 'tri-boot' with Red Hat EL 5 and Fedora 9. 
There are a number of things that don't work with the stock kernels. 
Sound, backlit keyboard, camera.  If you subscribe to the Linux/macbook 
list, all of these issues have been resolved in the latest kernels, but 
you'll have to build your own.  When I first installed Red Hat, the 
wireless did not work with gui, but with the latest kernel updates it 
does now.

I do extensive development under Red Hat on my laptop.

-- 
Until later, Geoffrey

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little
temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
  - Benjamin Franklin