Where can I buy a linux-friendly laptop?

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Mon, Nov 21, 2005 at 02:11:55PM -0500, Colin McGregor wrote:
> Sigh, or there is the third option, the type III PC
> Cards with more-or-less conventional phone jacks in
> them. Granted this third type of modem card is
> something of a rarity (I have one a Xircom (now part
> of Intel) RealPort CardBus Ethernet 10/100+Modem 56
> GlobalACCESS Adapter (RBEM56G-100)). I haven't used my
> card as a modem, just an ethernet card, but that sort
> of thing is an option.

Too bad most new laptops only have room for type II cards.

> Reasonable points, but the downsides of USB modems are
> the use of what in many cases are precious USB
> connectors (which yes you can get arround with a hub,
> but that adds one more bit of cabling that you have to
> deal with).
> 
> If I were going with an external modem for a laptop I
> would look at the the likes of a conventional serial
> US Robotics 56K modem. Cheap (used), near bullet
> proof, uses a never used in my case serial port, the
> gold standard in Hayes compatibles and lots of idiot
> status lights to tell you what is happening. The one
> down side, a bit big and bulky...

Have you seen a new laptop with a serial port on it?  Dell has a few,
but the majority no longer have them, except on the very highend large
screen models.  Seems weird, but that's how it is going.  I wonder when
the parallel port will disappear given it seems even less useful than
the serial port to me (who uses parallel for printers anymore?  At least
serial has a use still).

Lennart Sorensen
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