Hi-res refurb Dell laptop. Comments?

[Tyler Aviss]

On Aug 5, 2012 7:38 AM, "D. Hugh Redelmeier" <hugh-pmF8o41NoarQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org> wrote:
>
> | From: charles chris <cccharlz-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>
>
> [I've tried to undo some of the top-posting in this thread.]
>
> | >> On Fri, Aug 3, 2012 at 11:41 AM, Tyler Aviss <tjaviss-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>
wrote:
>
> | >>> I started looking at what's available for larger screens, and
noticed
> | >>> this little guy with a 1920x1200 native LCD resolution.
> | >>>
> | >>>
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834200599&Tpk=M6300
>
> Wow.  That's quite the notebook for the price.  It costs less than
> almost any new monitor with that resolution (there are few monitors
> left at that resolution).  I wonder if the screen is IPS ("LCD
> Features: Ultra Sharp").  This doesn't say:
> <
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/wsm6300/en/UG/HTML/specs.htm#wp1085867
>
>
> These folks don't seem to be excited (at a higher price point):
> <
http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-latitude-vostro-precision/674895-precision-m6300-refurbished-cheap-opinions-2.html
>
>
> The M6300 was announced in 2007 September so it is getting old.  And I bet
> these refurbs have been used a lot of the time since then.  A bit scary.
>
> | On Sun, Aug 5, 2012 at 2:51 AM, Tyler Aviss <tjaviss-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> |
> | > My main concern was whether the old GPU will work on newer
> | > distro's/kernels (with the nvidia driver)
>
> I imagine that googling would get you the answer but I haven't tried.
> Guessing is a bit risky.
>
> [back to Charles]
> | Almost all software is backward compatible.  Some manufactures may be
slow
> | or may never provide drivers for the new OS, especially where older
> | hardware is concerned.
>
> Linux is different.
>
> The kernel is constantly changing its internal interfaces.  It's a
> hell of a ride for those trying to maintain binary-only video drivers.
> In fact, they often lag.  And when they drop older hardware, it drops
> with a thud.
>
> The open source video drivers are mostly fine, and getting better all
> the time.  But they often don't have great game or multimedia
> performance.  And they sometimes have nits due to the difficulties of
> reverse engineering.
>
> | However, most times a new OS will detect and install older device
drivers
> | automatically.
>
> That's not the Linux way.  There is no provision for running older
> drivers.  On balance, this is a Good Thing, but the shoe pinches in
> the video card area.
>
> In-tree drivers (i.e. open source drivers that have been accepted by
> Linus) are maintained very well until lack of interest kills them.
>
> Out-of-tree open source drivers are often OK but are
> (1) usually lower quality
> (2) may not be part of your distro
> (3) often get abandoned
> The neat thing about open source is that you have the power to fix
> these deficiencies.
>
> Binary drivers are to be avoided if possible.  When they break, you
> are out of luck.

Since I'm mainly looking at something for 3d graphics dev, having a binary
accelerated driver that works with recent kernels/xorg is important. Sad
that a 1997 laptop has better resolution than most newer laptops or even
LCD's available today.
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