[RLUG] Linux on a laptop

[christopher baus]

> I've always been able to solve my wlan card problems easily with
> ndiswrapper.

I've had the most luck with the ndiswrapper myself, although I did get
native intel drivers to work.  Some of the credit should go to Microsoft
on this one for producing a stable binary network driver interface.

YMMV, but I've been much happier using Windows drivers and VMWare.  There
might be a better interface for wireless networks that I don't know about,
but personally I don't get a kick out of messing around with iwlist and
iwconfig.

I go down the SF a lot where there might be 5-7 networks in the
neighborhood.  I could easily spend 1/2 hour selecting the network and
setting the WAP key etc.

Plus setting up dual monitors in X is a pain.  I can run Rhapsody on my
laptop LCD, and emacs under Linux on my external monitor under VMWare.

If any software has changed the way I use computers in the last 2 years it
is VMWare.  I can't say enough good things about it.

But maybe I shouldn't scare you away.  Your use case might be totally
different than mine, and ndiswrapper and little one time x.conf hacking
could be all you need.