Overview
Laptops present unique challenges for Linux users. They use additional hardware and drivers, are used in changing environments, and require special security strategies. Linux for Your Laptop takes on these challenges and gives you hints for selecting the best notebook for your needs, successfully installing Linux on your laptop, optimizing Linux performance, and troubleshooting problems that occur on the road. For the intermediate Linux user, this book is geared toward people who are familiar with Linux software because they use it on their desktops, but who are facing the challenge of running it smoothly on their laptop computers. It will be a valuable tool for companies and individuals alike.Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble ReviewImpress your fellow airline passengers — and get some actual work done, too! Lots of folks talk about it: now you can actually put Linux on your laptop and live to tell the tale. (If it was always easy, it wouldn't be so cool.)
Bill Ball takes you on a journey through configuring oddball notebook display chipsets; then walks you step-by-step through setting up PC Card support for that modem or NIC. There's a full chapter on extending the life of your battery, and another on Advanced Power Management. (The latter walks you through the essential task of building a new APM-enabled kernel, but first make sure you've got an APM-compatible BIOS, or else your new kernel will crash instantly on bootup!)
You'll find chapters on networking, including wireless networking and remote access; and thorough coverage of file synchronization between notebooks, desktops, and Palm PDAs. (You'll be surprised how well Linux distributions support Palms now, but then, 3Com did publish Palm's software internals for open-sourcers like Kenneth Albanowski to leverage.)
There's coverage of printing and backup from the road, and even Linux games (for when your flight's been canceled and you're sitting in the airport). Last but not least, there's also an invaluable miniature "bootable business card" CD-ROM full of rescue and recovery tools for that awful day when your Linux notebook doesn't boot.
—Bill Camarda, bn.com editor