[TAG] Laptop review: Averatec 5400 series

[Benjamin A. Okopnik]

On Mon, Nov 08, 2004 at 08:28:35PM -0400, Rick wrote:
> Hi Ben,
> 
> Thanks for the reply.
> 
> Yes, I agree with you. However, the vast majority of users do not know
> how to recompile a kernel, nor do they want to know. I would say that
> people like you account for a very small percentage of computer users.
> Most of my friends think I am some kind of computer wizard, but in
> reality, I am nowhere near that. Everything is relative, isn't it? I
> am probably in the top 10% of computer users from a knowledge point of
> view, and you are likely in the top 1%.

I'm afraid you missed the point I was trying to make, Rick - I guess I
didn't state it clearly enough. In essence, if I can get a laptop
working well under Linux, whatever the distro, then it's at least
possible and in fact not too difficult - you may have noticed in the
article that I'll simply stop trying once it's consumed a certain amount
of time (a few hours at most.) If I can't do it at all (as was the case
with the HP 5000 I'd picked up from Staples), then it gets blackballed.
In both cases, a report of the experience becomes useful and doable,
whereas testing every laptop against a dozen distros is out of the realm
of possibility.

> As for the comment about hardware manufacturers purposely engineering
> anti-Linux products, I was just being facetious.

I understood that, but wanted to use your comment to clarify my view of
the situation; I've heard a lot of people grumbling about it as if they
believed it.

> As for aviation, well I am only 43, but I took up flying when I was
> 16. I am not currently flying, as things got all f&*^%$d up for me
> after 9/11. It's a rather long story.

Yeah. I've heard of a number of pilots who were affected... and you've
probably heard about the recent TSA alien flight training/citizenship
verification rule. That's going to shaft a *LOT* of pilots - and the
damned thing is as confusing as can be imagined, and a couple of miles
beyond that. AOPA is fighting the good fight, but there's a lot of fear
in the air - and about it.

> Anyway, I instructed on singles
> and light twins (Pipers and Cessnas) back in 1983-1986. I spent a few
> years flying a Beech King Air, and then in 1989 went on the Learjet. I
> flew the Lear 25 and 35 until 1995 (last position was chief pilot of
> air ambulance company), then I moved onto the Boeing 727. I went
> captain on the 727 in 1999

Whew. You, sir, climbed a _very_ tall ladder. My respects.

> , and then everything went down the toilet
> for me right after 9/11. It's doubtful that I will fly again for a
> living, although I might do some recreational flying at some point

I'm very sorry to hear that, particularly in light of that long climb.

> I am presently taking
> some IT certification courses (Network+, Server+, Security+, Linux+,
> and LPI Level 1), and hoping I can figure a way to become
> self-employed at some point in the not too distant future.

I can only wish you the best of luck. This is a good field - and you
have certainly proven yourself to be technologically able and have a
number of other relevant positive abilities besides; you should do well.


* Ben Okopnik * okopnik.freeshell.org * Editor-in-Chief, Linux Gazette *
-*- See the Linux Gazette in its new home: <http://linuxgazette.net> -*-