LAPTOPS LINUX 'N' STUFF

Linux has been installed on the Toshiba Tecra A2 that I use at work. For what I do it seems to work fine, except that it does have these issues which others may find trying if we are going to install Linux on other laptops:

• At boot up the laptop will freeze when it trys to start network and sendmail sendmail services. That's if you do not have a network cable plugged in and the network available. So if you are away from the office you need to make sure that these services aren't initiated at start-up. This means you have to log on as root each time you start-up and logon, and then turn those services on (I'd forget to turn them off each time I was away from the network if I left them on, getting frustrated when I arrived home to find I can't boot up. Have to find a way round this.
• There is no facility to see the current battery power status, so if you run you out of power during a session the machine just dies!
• Don't think peripherals via USB ports are supported, I tried the USB floppy disk the other day and nothing happened

I've checked out a few sites for Linux device drivers for the Toshiba Tecra A2 and so far have not met with much success with regard to these areas. I wonder what will be revealed when we install Linux on the other laptops we have.