Well, I finally got around to installing Slackware 12.1 on my laptop. It is a Dell Inspiron 700m.
Specs
- Intel Centrino 1.6GHz
- 1024MB RAM
- 160 WD Scorpio PATA HD
- Intel 855 Video w/ 64MB Shared
- Intel 2200 BG Wireless
- DVD +/- RW
- 12.1″ 1280×800 LCD Screen
- 1394a Firewire
- Broadcom 10/100 Ethernet
- Secure Digital (SD) Card Reader
The first thing I noticed was that the installer was the same. Fine by me, I enjoy it anyways. Always simple to use and never problematic. But after the reboot I was greeted by a lilo splashscreen with Slackware on it. Looks nice.
OK on to the big things. After manually changing lilo to use compact (severely increases boot time), and editing my /etc/X11/xorg.conf file to use the i810 driver for the video (it may have done this through one of the xorg setup programs, but I already knew what I needed), I booted into X. Surprisingly it came up at the default resolution of the monitor of 1280×800. In the past I always needed to use a resolution program. Awesome.
Then my wireless worked automatically. No downloading of firmware or recompiling of the ipw2200 or the ieee80211 modules. So far I am very impressed. I did try the SD card reader, and upon inserting the card the laptop froze. No surprise, I have never had any luck trying to get that to work.
But I must say. Initial impressions are very high. I will post more when I get further into it.
EDIT: Upon further investigating (transfering all my backup files and settings of an external), it seems that CPU Speedscaling isn’t working. The CPU is currently stuck at 600MHz, and as far as I can tell, there are no utilities included to change this. I guess I will have to build CPU Freq Daemon. I don’t mind this because I was probably going to build it any way, because I really enjoy the options it gives me.