FreeBSD on laptops

[Frank Mayhar]

On Thu, 2008-10-02 at 16:21 +0200, Reg Me Please wrote:
> Hi all.
> 
> I'm considering to move from Linux to FreeBSD on my main laptop.
> I don't have enough time resources for the "test and try" process
> I'd like to know from the community what is the status for:
> 0. Core2 Duo CPUs

Full support, of course.

> 1. Support for modern chipsets (ICH8)

Generally good support.

> 2. support for power management (mostly ACPI and CPU clock freq. ) on laptops

Generally good support, with some exceptions (mostly having to do with
buggy ACPI, from what I understand).

> 3. support for accelerated graphic cards (nVidia GeForce 8600M GT)

Excellent as long as you're using i386 kernels.  Amd64 kernels don't yet
have the support for the nvidia drivers.

> 4. support for Intel wifi (4965 AGN)

No idea.  I know that my Atheros AGN chipset _isn't_ supported (it's a
9000-series).

> 5. support for other hardware like audio, card readers, i-Link, USB

USB, good.  Audio, generally good, although the new driver in -current
has some buggy spots remaining.  Card readers, that depends.  My
cardbus-attached O2Micro device isn't yet supported, although I think I
saw a potential driver go by on a list recently.  I don't even know what
i-Link is.  USB support is generally excellent.

> And, of course, any advise about FreeBSD on laptops will be highly
> appreciated.

I never run anything else on my laptop.  (Not counting work laptops,
which run Linux because that's what work supports.)
-- 
Frank Mayhar frank at exit.com     http://www.exit.com/
Exit Consulting                 http://www.gpsclock.com/
                                http://www.exit.com/blog/frank/
                                http://www.zazzle.com/fmayhar*