DaemonForums  

Go Back   DaemonForums > Miscellaneous > General Hardware

General Hardware General hardware related questions.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 2nd November 2008
vermaden's Avatar
vermaden vermaden is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: pl_PL.lodz
Posts: 1,056
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JMJ_coder View Post
One thing that has been a bear is configuring X. I first tried just plain XFree86 that ships with NetBSD. That didn't work - and I can't blame it, the 'intel' driver is too new to have been compiled for it. So, I installed modular X.org. Everything compiled smoothly, but when I tried to startx, nothing. The two main errors I received was that the glx module didn't exist and that agpgart wasn't configured (or didn't exist - I can't remember). I fought with it for about two days. Many people mentioned a similar problem, but their solutions didn't work for me. So, I finally went back to plain old XFree86, used the 'vesa' driver - and all is peachy. I really don't need 3D acceleration, so a basic driver will work. The only reason I have X installed is to use programs like Firefox, OpenOffice, GIMP, and maybe watch a DVD.
NetBSD comes with XFree 4.5 but there is also newer XFree 4.7 or even later that copes with Intel driver, I do nto have a link, but if you ask about that on NetBSD mailing lists, they will give you links to apriciate packages.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JMJ_coder View Post
speaking of graphical needs, does anyone know if NetBSD ships with an image viewer? I thought that X would come with xv, but it's not there. -
Have you checked pkgsrc?

This one should do the job: http://pkgsrc.se/graphics/feh

Quote:
Originally Posted by JMJ_coder View Post
possibly mapping the special function keys (does any know where I can find the key event codes for those special keys?)
Launch xev from the terminal in x11, it will tell you which keys (keycodes) you are pressing, you can map them to commands with xmodmap.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JMJ_coder View Post
The only thing that I don't like about this computer so far is the placement of the F1 and the Function keys. F1 interferes with Escape and Function interferes with left-Control.
I do not know why they mess thir keyboard with such defects, for example, none of them can be faound on Dell Latitude laptops (CTRL and ESC are where they should be).
__________________
religions, worst damnation of mankind
"If 386BSD had been available when I started on Linux, Linux would probably never had happened." Linus Torvalds

Linux is not UNIX! Face it! It is not an insult. It is fact: GNU is a recursive acronym for “GNU's Not UNIX”.
vermaden's: links resources deviantart spreadbsd
Reply With Quote
Old 3rd November 2008
JMJ_coder JMJ_coder is offline
VPN Cryptographer
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 464
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by vermaden View Post
NetBSD comes with XFree 4.5 but there is also newer XFree 4.7 or even later that copes with Intel driver, I do nto have a link, but if you ask about that on NetBSD mailing lists, they will give you links to apriciate packages.
I have a suspicion that a -current kernel would support it much better. I compiled the new 5 beta kernel and it has support for features like the function buttons and the sound driver works with it where it really doesn't with the 4.0 kernel (also the -current from June I have on my server - this stuff was added first half of this year). I had hoped that the 4.0.1 would include all these new improvements, but I guess it is purely a minor patch upgrade and all the new features are going to go into the 5.0 branch (when will that be released as a stable version!!!).

Any way, I don't really have the inclination at this time to try and get the intel driver working when the vesa driver works good enough for me - I have bigger fish to fry, like trying to get the wireless working and configured. If in future I have need of it, I'll then look into it further.


Quote:
Originally Posted by vermaden View Post
Have you checked pkgsrc?

This one should do the job: http://pkgsrc.se/graphics/feh
Many will do the trick. I just didn't know if one came already installed with a stock X installation.



Quote:
Originally Posted by vermaden View Post
Launch xev from the terminal in x11, it will tell you which keys (keycodes) you are pressing, you can map them to commands with xmodmap.
Thanks. I found a blog entry that describes how to switch the console keys.


Quote:
Originally Posted by vermaden View Post
I do not know why they mess thir keyboard with such defects, for example, none of them can be faound on Dell Latitude laptops (CTRL and ESC are where they should be).
I can understand why the engineers and designers put the F1 key where they did, even if I don't agree with it - but I cannot understand the placement of the function key. Oh well, at least it isn't as bad as engineers have screwed up car designs.
__________________
And the WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us. (John 1:14)
Reply With Quote
Old 6th January 2009
drhowarddrfine drhowarddrfine is offline
VPN Cryptographer
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 377
Default

Does anyone have any info/opinion on whether it matters if you get "dual core" or "core2 duo" for freebsd? I know core2 is the way to go but my last laptop, which just died, was a P4 so either would be better than what I had but I can't get myself to get anything but a core2. The prices on the dual core, however, are $100-200 cheaper and I'm cheap. My last laptop was given to me for free.

Are both of those 64-bit? I just read something that gave me that impression. I really haven't read up on this stuff, and I'm a former hardware guy! So, above, someone said I should look into the Turion64.

I'd be just as happy with someone's 3-year old Windows "upgrade" throwaway. Something that, if it broke in a couple years, I wouldn't care.
Reply With Quote
Old 6th January 2009
vermaden's Avatar
vermaden vermaden is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: pl_PL.lodz
Posts: 1,056
Default

Core 2 Duo descendants (T5xxx / T7xxx / T8xxx / p8xxx) are 64bit CPUs, Core Duo descendants (T1xxx / T2xxx) are 32bit CPUs, its best to check @ Wikipedia first:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...icroprocessors
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...icroprocessors
Recently they also added T3200 (Code Duo) and T5800 (Code 2 Duo) CPUs which are not listed @ Wikipedia.

You can also check Intel's Processor Finder:
http://processorfinder.intel.com/det...px?sSpec=SLAVG
http://processorfinder.intel.com/

Imho get used Dell Latitude / IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad with Core 2 Duo t7xxx / t8xxx.
__________________
religions, worst damnation of mankind
"If 386BSD had been available when I started on Linux, Linux would probably never had happened." Linus Torvalds

Linux is not UNIX! Face it! It is not an insult. It is fact: GNU is a recursive acronym for “GNU's Not UNIX”.
vermaden's: links resources deviantart spreadbsd
Reply With Quote
Old 6th January 2009
JMJ_coder JMJ_coder is offline
VPN Cryptographer
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 464
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by drhowarddrfine View Post
Does anyone have any info/opinion on whether it matters if you get "dual core" or "core2 duo" for freebsd? I know core2 is the way to go but my last laptop, which just died, was a P4 so either would be better than what I had but I can't get myself to get anything but a core2. The prices on the dual core, however, are $100-200 cheaper and I'm cheap. My last laptop was given to me for free.

Are both of those 64-bit? I just read something that gave me that impression. I really haven't read up on this stuff, and I'm a former hardware guy! So, above, someone said I should look into the Turion64.

I'd be just as happy with someone's 3-year old Windows "upgrade" throwaway. Something that, if it broke in a couple years, I wouldn't care.
I have not heard good things about AMD's laptop processors. Everyone seems to recommend Intel for laptops.

My T61 with a Core 2 Duo (T9300) and 4GB RAM flies! I've never been a big fan of Intel - always being an AMD fan - but I have no complaints with this processor.
__________________
And the WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us. (John 1:14)
Reply With Quote
Old 7th January 2009
ninjatux's Avatar
ninjatux ninjatux is offline
Real Name: Baqir Majlisi
Spam Deminer
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Antarctica
Posts: 293
Default

AMD processors are behind in terms of performance, raw performance. I'd go for the best you can for the price. So, you should compare the best AMD and the best Intel within your price range.
__________________
"UNIX is basically a simple operating system, but you have to be a genius to understand the simplicity."
MacBook Pro (Darwin 9), iMac (Darwin 9), iPod Touch (Darwin 9), Dell Optiplex GX620 (FreeBSD 7.1-STABLE)
Reply With Quote
Old 7th January 2009
Oliver_H's Avatar
Oliver_H Oliver_H is offline
Real Name: Oliver Herold
UNIX lover
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Germany
Posts: 427
Default

>AMD processors are behind in terms of performance, raw performance

They are cheap, they have a low power consumption (sometimes better than Intel apart from their Quads) and last not least don't choose your hardware according to some benchmarks but your very own needs. Choosing according to benchmarks is stuff for youngsters or PR mumbo jumbo for big companies to kick some other companies ass and to lure some easy minded customers into some suicidal buying behaviour.
__________________
use UNIX or die :-)
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Is it worth upgrading this laptops RAM TerryP General Hardware 4 17th January 2009 04:56 AM
Alternative Architecture Laptops JMJ_coder General Hardware 6 7th October 2008 05:05 PM
FreeBSD on laptops? ViperChief FreeBSD General 3 26th May 2008 12:40 PM


All times are GMT. The time now is 02:42 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Content copyright © 2007-2010, the authors
Daemon image copyright ©1988, Marshall Kirk McKusick