Want to Help Fedora Suck Less
 

Hello all,

I'm a new guy here, but I've been using Fedora since about 3.0, and
used Red Hat Linux from around 5.2. I'm a big fan. I have it installed
on a tower at home, and on my main laptop that I use for work every
day, a Lenovo ThinkPad T60. Obviously, I think it's pretty good to use
it every day, but there are some things that drive me crazy about it,
and I'd like to help make those problems go away for everyone else.

Is this the right place to help with the overall system, even though
the issues I'm having are related to specific hardware? I'm having
issues with video drivers (open source and proprietary), audio drivers
(on a ThinkPad 600X, alsa bug 305, FWIW); but also the default battery
and configuration settings are not very good, causing shortened
battery run-time and battery life, especially for the secondary
battery.

What's the best way to help make sure Fedora becomes even more awesome
on these machines?

I am a software developer by trade, and I have written very low-level
assembly and C code, just not for Linux. I'm happy to learn but don't
have a ton of free time. I'd like to find one or more mentors who will
instruct me on the best ways to nudge developers and maintainers of
existing projects, but getting the latest software, building, testing
and reporting.

How do I start?

Thanks,
Chris

_______________________________________________
Fedora-laptop-list mailing list
Fedora-laptop-list@redhat.com
http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-laptop-list

Want to Help Fedora Suck Less
 

> Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:14:10 -0500
> From: chris.schumann@gmail.com
> To: fedora-laptop-list@redhat.com
> Subject: Want to Help Fedora Suck Less
>
> Hello all,
>



> Is this the right place to help with the overall system, even though
> the issues I'm having are related to specific hardware? I'm having
> issues with video drivers (open source and proprietary), audio drivers
> (on a ThinkPad 600X, alsa bug 305, FWIW); but also the default battery
> and configuration settings are not very good, causing shortened
> battery run-time and battery life, especially for the secondary
> battery.
>

If you are having problems with drivers etc always search Bugzilla to determine
if the issue has been reported as there may be a work around or if nothine is
listed always try to report so things can be looked in to.

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/

Have you considered using laptop mode tools which can help with hard disk
clicking and power saving?
http://samwel.tk/laptop_mode/

The following websites may also help:

http://www.thinkwiki.org/

http://www.linux-laptop.net/

> What's the best way to help make sure Fedora becomes even more awesome
> on these machines?
>

Consider becoming a Bugzapper so you are testing Alpha, Beta... Preview etc.
http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/BugZappers

> I am a software developer by trade, and I have written very low-level
> assembly and C code, just not for Linux. I'm happy to learn but don't
> have a ton of free time. I'd like to find one or more mentors who will
> instruct me on the best ways to nudge developers and maintainers of
> existing projects, but getting the latest software, building, testing
> and reporting.
>
> How do I start?
>

See Bugzappers ref above ;=)

> Thanks,
> Chris
>

Hope the information helps.

--
Lalit Dhiri
Linux the root to no GPFs
__________________________________________________ _______________
View your Twitter and Flickr updates from one place – Learn more!
http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/137984870/direct/01/

_______________________________________________
Fedora-laptop-list mailing list
Fedora-laptop-list@redhat.com
http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-laptop-list

Want to Help Fedora Suck Less
 

On Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 2:25 AM, Lalit Dhiri <my_linux@live.com> wrote:
>> From: chris.schumann@gmail.com

>> Is this the right place to help with the overall system, even though
>> the issues I'm having are related to specific hardware? I'm having
>> issues with video drivers (open source and proprietary), audio drivers
>> (on a ThinkPad 600X, alsa bug 305, FWIW); but also the default battery
>> and configuration settings are not very good, causing shortened
>> battery run-time and battery life, especially for the secondary
>> battery.
>>
>
> If you are having problems with drivers etc always search Bugzilla to determine if the issue has been reported as there may be a work around or if nothine is listed always try to report so things can be looked in to.

Excellent. Will do.

> Have you considered using laptop mode tools which can help with hard disk clicking and power saving?

I use powertop, which helps a lot, but I have to remember to use it
every time I restart, which is more often than it used to be with F9.

> http://www.thinkwiki.org/
I'm a contributor there and know it well. Unfortunately, it doesn't
seem to have just what's needed in an accessible manner, and I don't
know how to improve that.

>> What's the best way to help make sure Fedora becomes even more awesome
>> on these machines?
>>
>
> Consider becoming a Bugzapper so you are testing Alpha, Beta... Preview etc.
> http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/BugZappers

Never heard of that before. Thank you!

Chris

_______________________________________________
Fedora-laptop-list mailing list
Fedora-laptop-list@redhat.com
http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-laptop-list

Want to Help Fedora Suck Less
 

> Date: Sat, 14 Mar 2009 09:01:27 -0500
> From: chris.schumann@gmail.com
> To: fedora-laptop-list@redhat.com
> Subject: Re: Want to Help Fedora Suck Less
>

<snip>

> > Have you considered using laptop mode tools which can help with hard disk clicking and power saving?
>
> I use powertop, which helps a lot, but I have to remember to use it
> every time I restart, which is more often than it used to be with F9.
>

The laptop mode tools can run as a service and switch settings depending on whether the laptop is connected to mains or running off battery automatically. From my experience this has helped with battery life a lot on my Dell and HP laptops.

--*
Lalit Dhiri
Linux the root to no GPFs

Windows Live Hotmail just got better. Find out more!
_______________________________________________
Fedora-laptop-list mailing list
Fedora-laptop-list@redhat.com
http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-laptop-list