On Tue, 10 Sep 1996, Bruce Walker wrote:

> I would like to buy a laptop to run NetBSD 1.1 on for network
> management.  Ideally it would have a removeable drive so I could
> replace it and boot Win95 for packages that require it (like the
> Portmaster GUI).  It should have or be capable of taking a PCMCIA
> card or cards for 28.8K modem (hopefully USR) and ethernet.
> 
> There must be people doing this already, so what are you using?
> What PCMCIA bits are fully supported by 1.1?  Do you also run X on
> it?  I'd like to be able to run GUI-based SNMP stuff (tkined, etc.).
> 
> I'd rather not tinker with alpha or beta NetBSD code, so I'll accept
> that there may be only one laptop model that fits the req't.
> 
	To get pcmcia support under NetBSD you have to use jtk's patches,
	which apply to either 1.1 or (much better) 1.2(BETA).

	I use a hinote-ultra with a 3com network card & a multitech 28.8k
	modem, and I never hot swap the cards. The machine is  _rock_
	solid running 1.2BETA :)

	The only proviso is you need to ensure the pcmcia cards are on
	the isa bus not a pci bus (from memory).

	My recommendation would be to build a boot disk with a pcmcia
	kernel (I can put one up if you want), take it to a shop with
	a laptop you like the look of & boot it with the cards you want
	to use in the machine. If it comes up & probes them all correctly,
	buy the machine :)

	Its important to get a keyboard you're happy with & a good screen.
	Go for 800x600 or 1024x768 if you can, 640x480 is _really_ painful
	under X :)

                   David/abs             (david@mono.org)

.---- I've been too drunk to love ----.--- I've been too drunk to remember -.
|          Too drunk to care          |     The hell of the night before    |
|  Looked like death, felt like Hell  |    I've been drinking myself blind  |
`------ Been the worse for wear ------'--- And still I'll drink some more --'