On 07/05/07, Sam Varshavchik <mrsam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Dotan Cohen writes: > On 06/05/07, Sam Varshavchik <mrsam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > >> Maybe it's just me, but I always found it easier just to buy and support >> hardware that's fully supported by free software. I don't need these >> headaches. I always thought that this is what Linux was all about, and if >> someone wants to use non-free, closed source, binary blobs, there are other >> operating systems that work better, and give you as many of them as you >> could possibly want. > > I'm not being sarcastic. If you know of a 256 MB graphics card (again, > for SW) that I can put in this Dell Inspiron E1505 that is fully > supported by open source software, I'll buy it right now. Up to 1000 > NIS, that's ~$250US right now. That's a lot of money that I'm willing > to put where my mouth is. That's not the right approach. As the old saying goes: the horse has already left the barn. This is like buying a Hyundai, than offer to spend a reasonable amount of money for an engine that can make it go 200 mph. And blame the auto makers for absence of any viable option.
I'm not blaming anyone but myself. I did, however, spend quite some time on this list collecting recommendations and talking with people. At the time of purchase, I thought I was covered.
Before you purchased this laptop, the right thing to do would've been to verify that it's video hardware is supported by Mesa. It's fine that you're willing to spend some of your money to purchase hardware that's supported by free Linux drivers, however, the time to do that was before you purchased your laptop. You cannot just take it for granted that you can buy any OEM laptop, off the shelf, and have everything in it working, right out of the box, in Linux. That, unfortunately, not how it works. Maybe in about 10-15 years, but not now.
Like said, I did do that. Seperate threads on this very list for the wifi card, video, bluetooth drivers, and vefore all that for the laptop model itself.
I know that Dell has been making mild noises recently, regarding Linux support, but that's only for selected hardware, but it doesn't look like this model is one of them.
Yes, I know.
If it is, and you bought this laptop from Dell based on their promise of Linux being supported on this hardware, well, I hope that you've got it in writing, and you'll need to take it up with them. I also recall that Dell's Linux support is limited to supporting Ubuntu; I suppose that Ubuntu packages non-free drivers in their distro, so the fact that this laptop may be supported by Ubuntu is no guarantee with regards to Fedora.
Actually, I do have a copy of the conversation I had with the Dell tech, but he states that there is no guarantee. That was in November 2006, before Dell thought about installing Ubuntu at the factory.
>> The reason there's nothing by that name is the same reason you won't find a >> distinct package called "smtp", even though whatever mail software you're >> using must certainly implement it. > > Hmm... good point. Thanks. > > So, I understand that I cannot run Beryl nor GoogleEarth (nor VMWare > Server, for that matter) with the current state of Fedora. For all practical matter, yes, it seems that you can't. Others, who have done their due diligence and made sure their video hardware will work out of the box, with Mesa, before they buying, probably have much better luck.
You like rubbing that in, don't ya? :)
Although I'll add that you might be able to wrangle it into submission and get it working, if you spend some time on it. But this is one of those things that just doesn't have a general "How-To" regarding what needs to be done.
I'm not sure how much more time I'm willing to spend on Beryl, as it's not that important. Google Earth, on the other hand, is rather useful. Thanks. Dotan Cohen http://dotancohen.com/eng/movies.php http://what-is-what.com/what_is/unix.html
