[Pc_Support] Fedora Core 6 on HP dv9000z ... coming to a BS notebook near you ...

[Bryan J. Smith]

Fedora Core 5.92 (6 Test 3) just hit mid-last month and tomorrow is
the official package freeze, with official release slated for Wed,
2006Oct11:
  http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Core/Schedule

I just orded a new HP dv9000z with the Turion x2 and added the GeForce
Go 7600 (256MB dedicated VRAM) for under $800 after rebate.  It should
arrive next week (perfect timing for FC6's planned release date of the
11th):
  http://lists.leap-cf.org/pipermail/pc_support/2006-September/002602.html

Fedora Core 6 is GCC 4.1 (with GCC 2.96, 3.2 and 3.4 compat-libs),
GLibC 2.5 (2.4.90beta) and kernel 2.6.17.  Kernel 2.6.17 (I'll have to
check the exact Red Hat revision/patches) should have the latest
Broadcom 43xx drivers for the WLAN and work out-of-the-box (I was
originally incorrect to assume the WLAN 802.11a/b/g were Intel
chipsets, I was thinking Dell) -- although many people report it's
patched into FC5's 2.6.16 kernel update:
  http://lists.leap-cf.org/pipermail/pc_support/2006-October/002606.html
  http://bcm43xx.berlios.de/

Probably the "I'm NO LONGER with stupid" move in FC6 is that Red Hat
is shipping _both_ Firefox.i386 and x86_64, like SuSE Linux 10.x, at
least as of the 5.92 (6 Test 3) release:
  http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/core/test/5.92/i386/os/Fedora/RPMS/

About damn time!  That definitely removes the issue of dealing with
common plug-ins and what-not.  While I have praised Red Hat in their
most excellent choice of select i386 libraries to complement the
x86_64 ones -- all of which _still_ (along with compat-libs et. al.)
allow me to run stuff from all the way back to Red Hat Linux 7 and
even 6 from 6-8 years ago, the select of actual i386 programs was
always a PITA -- like only Firefox x86_64 with _no_ i386 option.  I
finally just started maintaining a separate /usr/local with those
select programs (e.g., Firefox, MPlayer and its dependencies, etc...)
instead of fighting" the repositories (even if there are no library
issue).  But that should be no more.  Hopefully the Livna.ORG guys
will take note and offer .i386 multimedia libraries and packages in
their x86_64 that are used by Firefox (e.g., MPlayer and
MPlayer-plugin).

Before noting this change in FC6, I decided I was just going to put
the .i386 version on any new system.  But now that FC6 x86_64 actually
offers Firefox.i386 and a few more, select, key i386 programs, I think
I'm going to stick with x86_64 like my Athlon x2 4600+ desktop.  I
can't wait to update my desktop to FC6 as well.

I'm going also start goof'ing with the Compiz Window Manager using
AIGLX, which is now in FC6, although I might just fall back to the
standard MetaCity AIGLX enhancements:
  http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/RenderingProject/aiglx

AIGLX is fully supported by the Beta nVidia ForceWare95 drivers:
  http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_downloads_linux_display_x86_1.0-9625.html
  http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_downloads_linux_display_x86_64_1.0-9625.html

There are two different approaches to OpenGL accelerated/buffered
window managers.  SuSE has gone down the full OpenGL as the window
manager "xgl" route, while Red Hat has gone with a split model that
nVidia prefers (which is actually a bit more involved
development-wise, but more compatible IMHO).  FC6 actually now
supports Compiz too, which is not a xgl-only option.  BTW, for more on
nVidia's logic, see:
http://download.nvidia.com/developer/presentations/2006/xdevconf/compositing-with-current-framework.pdf

I plan on documenting my exploits in my Blog and put them to
LinuxLaptops.ORG, since no HP Pavillion dv9000z documentation exists
yet.  My contract ends here in New England at the end of next week, so
I'll definitely have some time again at home to do so -- maybe in time
for the October 19 meeting?  ;->