Who here runs Linux on their laptops? I'm thinking of getting a laptop
(thinking, mind you-- buying is a different story ;) ), and what to
know what experiences people have installing and using Linux on a
laptop. (I know Dean has a Debian laptop, and Sacha runs it on her
Lifebook, IIRC.)

Currently, I'm looking at older, second-hand laptops and/or desknotes. 

In particular:

* Hardware support issues - What hardware doesn't work? Since I'm
looking into a second-hand machine, in general, how difficult is it to
look for parts?
* Is a Linux laptop suggestable?
* Distro - I'm leaning towards Debian and Slackware, but if you've run
RH or MDK on a laptop, please share your experiences
* Kernel - I'm looking into using 2.6 and not 2.4, since IIRC 2.6 has
better (yet experimental) suspend support, which I definitely need.
* Desktop environment - I'm primarily a GNOME user, so I'm leaning
towards GNOME 2.4/2.6, but might switch to using XFCE 4. Then again, I
might drop to using IonWM instead, as I like being (generally) mouse
free.
* Use - Primarily as a general-purpose and development/coding machine.

I'm assuming that, in general, the Linux laptop experience is the same
or similar across the major distros, but distro-specific
knowledge/experience is helpful.

You'll have to excuse me, as I am clueless about laptops in general,
having been a desktop user all my computing life.

(FWIW, I was able to install Mandrake 9 for a friend on her Compaq
(can't remember what model). The install was ok, with the exception of
the winmodem (good Lord, I hate 'em even if I have to live with one).
IIRC, I had installed KDE and not GNOME since she preferred to use
KDE. I think she's nuked the Linux partition though.)

(I'm checking the archives, and see several people successfully
install Linux on laptops.)

-- 
JM Ibanez
http://www.livejournal.com/~jmibanez/
http://www.mycgiserver.com/~butiki/
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