X-Git-Url: http://pere.pagekite.me/gitweb/homepage.git/blobdiff_plain/89c05f318d0a44fc206408f7c6335111c0ede44c..0b564fe702c982a9ef42a494f6e81befa0f345c3:/blog/index.rss diff --git a/blog/index.rss b/blog/index.rss index 782991b893..f9640bf06f 100644 --- a/blog/index.rss +++ b/blog/index.rss @@ -6,6 +6,100 @@ http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/ + + How to test if a laptop is working with Linux + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/How_to_test_if_a_laptop_is_working_with_Linux.html + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/How_to_test_if_a_laptop_is_working_with_Linux.html + Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:55:00 +0100 + +<p>The last few days I have spent at work here at the <a +href="http://www.uio.no/">University of oslo</a> testing if the new +batch of computers will work with Linux. Every year for the last few +years the university have organized shared bid of a few thousand +computers, and this year HP won the bid. Two different desktops and +five different laptops are on the list this year. We in the UNIX +group want to know which one of these computers work well with RHEL +and Ubuntu, the two Linux distributions we currently handle at the +university.</p> + +<p>My test method is simple, and I share it here to get feedback and +perhaps inspire others to test hardware as well. To test, I PXE +install the OS version of choice, and log in as my normal user and run +a few applications and plug in selected pieces of hardware. When +something fail, I make a note about this in the test matrix and move +on. If I have some spare time I try to report the bug to the OS +vendor, but as I only have the machines for a short time, I rarely +have the time to do this for all the problems I find.</p> + +<p>Anyway, to get to the point of this post. Here is the simple tests +I perform on a new model.</p> + +<ul> + +<li>Is PXE installation working? I'm testing with RHEL6, Ubuntu Lucid +and Ubuntu Maverik at the moment. If I feel like it, I also test with +RHEL5 and Debian Edu/Squeeze.</li> + +<li>Is X.org working? If the graphical login screen show up after +installation, X.org is working.</li> + +<li>Is hardware accelerated OpenGL working? Running glxgears (in +package mesa-utils on Ubuntu) and writing down the frames per second +reported by the program.</li> + +<li>Is sound working? With Gnome and KDE, a sound is played when +logging in, and if I can hear this the test is successful. If there +are several audio exits on the machine, I try them all and check if +the Gnome/KDE audio mixer can control where to send the sound. I +normally test this by playing +<a href="http://www.nuug.no/aktiviteter/20101012-chef/ ">a HTML5 +video</a> in Firefox/Iceweasel.</li> + +<li>Is the USB subsystem working? I test this by plugging in a USB +memory stick and see if Gnome/KDE notices this.</li> + +<li>Is the CD/DVD player working? I test this by inserting any CD/DVD +I have lying around, and see if Gnome/KDE notices this.</li> + +<li>Is any built in camera working? Test using cheese, and see if a +picture from the v4l device show up.</li> + +<li>Is bluetooth working? Use the Gnome/KDE browsing tool to see if +any bluetooth devices are discovered. In my office, I normally see a +few.</li> + +<li>For laptops, is the SD or Compaq Flash reader working. I have +memory modules lying around, and stick them in and see if Gnome/KDE +notice this.</li> + +<li>For laptops, is suspecd/hibernate working? I'm testing if the +special button work, and if the laptop continue to work after +resume.</li> + +<li>For laptops, is the extra buttons working, like audio level, +adjusting background light, switching on/off external video output, +switching on/off wifi, bluetooth, etc? The set of buttons differ from +laptop to laptop, so I just write down which are working and which are +not.</li> + +<li>Some laptops have smart card readers, finger print readers, +acceleration sensors etc. I rarely test these, as I do not know how +to quickly test if they are working or not, so I only document their +existence.</li> + +</ul> + +<p>By now I suspect you are really curious what the test results are +for the HP machines I am testing. I'm not done yet, so I will report +the test results later. For now I can report that HP 8100 Elite work +fine, and hibernation fail with HP EliteBook 8440p on Ubuntu Lucid, +and audio fail on RHEL6. Ubuntu Maverik worked with 8440p. As you +can see, I have most machines left to test. One interesting +observation is that Ubuntu Lucid has almost twice the framerate than +RHEL6 with glxgears. No idea why.</p> + + + Some thoughts on BitCoins http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Some_thoughts_on_BitCoins.html @@ -118,57 +212,6 @@ kan.</p> - - Now accepting bitcoins - anonymous and distributed p2p crypto-money - http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Now_accepting_bitcoins___anonymous_and_distributed_p2p_crypto_money.html - http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Now_accepting_bitcoins___anonymous_and_distributed_p2p_crypto_money.html - Fri, 10 Dec 2010 08:20:00 +0100 - -<p>With this weeks lawless -<a href="http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/12/06/wikileaks/index.html">governmental -attacks</a> on Wikileak and -<a href="http://www.salon.com/technology/dan_gillmor/2010/12/06/war_on_speech">free -speech</a>, it has become obvious that PayPal, visa and mastercard can -not be trusted to handle money transactions. -A blog post from -<a href="http://webmink.com/2010/12/06/now-accepting-bitcoin/">Simon -Phipps on bitcoin</a> reminded me about a project that a friend of -mine mentioned earlier. I decided to follow Simon's example, and get -involved with <a href="http://www.bitcoin.org/">BitCoin</a>. I got -some help from my friend to get it all running, and he even handed me -some bitcoins to get started. I even donated a few bitcoins to Simon -for helping me remember BitCoin.</p> - -<p>So, what is bitcoins, you probably wonder? It is a digital -crypto-currency, decentralised and handled using peer-to-peer -networks. It allows anonymous transactions and prohibits central -control over the transactions, making it impossible for governments -and companies alike to block donations and other transactions. The -source is free software, and while the key dependency wxWidgets 2.9 -for the graphical user interface is missing in Debian, the command -line client builds just fine. Hopefully Jonas -<a href="http://bugs.debian.org/578157">will get the package into -Debian</a> soon.</p> - -<p>Bitcoins can be converted to other currencies, like USD and EUR. -There are <a href="http://www.bitcoin.org/trade">companies accepting -bitcoins</a> when selling services and goods, and there are even -currency "stock" markets where the exchange rate is decided. There -are not many users so far, but the concept seems promising. If you -want to get started and lack a friend with any bitcoins to spare, -you can even get -<a href="https://freebitcoins.appspot.com/">some for free</a> (0.05 -bitcoin at the time of writing). Use -<a href="http://www.bitcoinwatch.com/">BitcoinWatch</a> to keep an eye -on the current exchange rates.</p> - -<p>As an experiment, I have decided to set up bitcoind on one of my -machines. If you want to support my activity, please send Bitcoin -donations to the address -<b>15oWEoG9dUPovwmUL9KWAnYRtNJEkP1u1b</b>. Thank you!</p> - - - Martin Bekkelund: En stille bønn om Datalagringsdirektivet http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Martin_Bekkelund__En_stille_b__nn_om_Datalagringsdirektivet.html