> BTW, the one exception to the rule that all modern machines use
> switching power supplies is... ta dah!!!   laptops!

I'd think even a laptop would use a switching supply to drop the +6V battery
down to +3.0V for the processor.   (I guess a dual-CPU laptop could power them
in series. ;-) )  On the other hand, that way Intel can claim that the Pentium
in their laptops ISN'T the biggest waste of power on the board:  the 40W
wirewound resistor next to it is. :-)