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What Subnotebooks Work Best w/ Linux?
elliotj asks: "With the widespread adoption of WIFI, I'm finding more and more places where I'd like to use the Internet on the road. All I really need is a linux command line to run SSH, links, and a few other things. What I'm looking for is a very lightweight subnotebook with a long battery life, quick sleep/wake times, that can run Linux and WIFI. I've looked at the Sony picturebook line and the Toshiba Librettos. Both are sweet machines, but have more features and are more expensive than I really need. Are there any cost effective options out there?"
Get yourself an apple ibook... it has a very efficient battery. OSX is BSD based... if you don't like that then run over to yellowdoglinux.com and pick up a copy.
probably people need two more criteria. What is the budget in terms of $$, top end, and do you need a real keyboard integrated?
Without knowing those things, I think that any notebook or subnotebook (really no industry cutoff point there I think, it's a matter of taste) used that has a known track record of running and installing linux easily will narrow it down, then look at that list for best battery life. Virtually all decent used notebooks nowadays accept pcmcia cards, so wireless is just a matter of putting the appropriate card in.
Also, you have to ask yourself, is one or two lbs difference really a deal breaker? You might be able to get a pretty decent machine if you are willing to lug around 2 more lbs in gross weight. It seems like every pound subtracted from a "normal" laptop costs another 500 bucks or something like that and makes it harder to see and use. Me, I'd just as soon hump the extra weight and have a bigger screen and bigger battery, etc, for cheaper cost. For your needs, the older and slightly heavier used laptop would be cheaper to buy, then you could spend the savings on more ram, the wireless card, etc. Anything 200 mghz or larger runs linux in graphics mode just fine with enough ram, so text mode should be a piece of cake.