Support for Linux

[wilporta]

I work in the IT industry and - like many people - I prefer to have both Windows and UNIX operating systems on a laptop. The Sony Vaio is a very nice laptop, but it there are a number of problems relating to Linux support. The main one which makes the laptop unpleasant to use is that the brightness of the monitor cannot be controlled. The hot keys do not work and there are a number of posts to NVIDIA, who make the GeForce card, Suse and Ubuntu relating to difficulties in getting the brightness control to work. I am surprised that Sony do not work with NVIDIA and Linux groups to resolve this problem. I am sure that a better support for Linux would be cheap to provide and would result in more sales.

There seem to be a number of half-hearted attempts to fix this problem with sonypi and spicctrl (which don't seem to work and which may apparently damage the laptop hardware). This is unsatisfactory.

I would be interested in knowing whether Sony's plans to support Linux better. Can I look forward to a time when I can use my Sony Vaio in Linux without wearing sunglasses?

Surely all that Sony and NVIDIA need to do is to make the interface specifications available to the Linux community so that these people can include the support? And this information must already exist because the brightness control works under other platforms like Windows Vista. What are the problems in making this information more widely available?

I quite understand that Sony recommend that Windows Vista be used as an operating system for the VGN-NR21Z. However, it would be useful if basic support were provided for other common platforms as well.

[ViNS32]

BUt I'm not shure - there are some issues with the 8 series cards.

Yes, there are some issues with Geforce 8 series cards. Nvclock doesn't work as the Nvclock developer doesn't know where the registers that regulate the brightness are. They are not the same registers used in Geforce 7 series.

[benste]

why doesn't they now - or shit my mistake
of course nvclock is not included into the nvdriver you have to install the package which is developed from open source comuity or??

[wilporta]

Benedict,

You mentioned that Sony were going to issue a statement about Linux. Could you please find out for me when they intend to issue it. I am still waiting for an answer and hope that the wait will be worthwhile.

I am disappointed to see that this thread topic is not in RECENT THREADS; it is more recent than some, and if I look at the 28 threads started on the same day, the 25th May, which are on that list, none of them have more posts and none of them have more views. If interest is a factor, then it should be on the list!

I have also been looking at some of the posts where people who have bought NR21Z laptops are trying to install XP instead of Vista. The response from Sony is to be that XP is not supported either. It is unusual for a laptop to only be supported on a single operating system. If this is true, rather than saying Vista is recommended for the NR21Z, Sony should say Vista is mandated. But they didn't when I bought mine.

Best wishes,
William Portal.

[benste]

Dear Wiliam, yes we're waiting for the statement.
This thread is not a sticky thread because normally the English Experts care about their part and me + others for the german part, so I'll ask to make this a sticky post, but it's the decision of the English Experts.

Sony + XP,
yes it's true Sony Europe doesn't support XP for consumer modells delivered with Vista Home Premium,
other modells with Business or Ultimate are downgradeable. Your question was submited to Sony under the topic of 2nd level OS (like Linux or XP),
so when they'll publish an statement it may contain something about XP.
But remember [german site: http://www.heise.de/newsticker/Windows-XP-Der-Anfang-vom-Ende--/meldung/110116 ]

Microsoft won't deliver XP anymore !!

HOpe you can trus that we'll get a statement asap.

[benste]

Only to let you know - question still in progress

[wilporta]

Benedict,

Thank you,

William Portal.

[Sealbhach]

I want to add my support to this thread.

I use Ubuntu 8.04 on my Vaio VGN-FZ21M all them time. I found Vista impossible to put up with.

I've had no major problems except that I needed to add a sound module to get sound into my headphone speakers.

Also, webcam doesn't work. And no support for Blu-Ray.

Other than that no problems - but Sony please support Linux - people are not willing to put up with Microsoft any longer and Linux will grow hugely in the coming years now that user-friendly distros are becoming available.


.

[ViNS32]

I want to add my support to this thread.

I use Ubuntu 8.04 on my Vaio VGN-FZ21M all them time.  I found Vista impossible to put up with.

I've had no major problems except that I needed to add a sound module to get sound into my headphone speakers.

Also, webcam doesn't work. And no support for Blu-Ray.

Other than that no problems - but Sony please support Linux - people are not willing to put up with Microsoft any longer and Linux will grow hugely in the coming years now that user-friendly distros are becoming available.


.

Are you able to change the brightness of the LCD monitor? Are you using nvidia proprietary drivers?

Thanks!

V.

[Sealbhach]

Are you able to change the brightness of the LCD monitor? Are you using nvidia proprietary drivers?

Thanks!

V.

I've never had occasion to change the brightness, I don't even know how to. The appearance is fine to me.

I have an NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT - 256 MB graphics card. It works fine, there is a driver for it which Ubuntu found for me automatically. The card works very well, handles all the Compiz special effects really well.

Very glad I switched to Ubuntu.

.

[margheor]

I have managed to get the new Fedora Core (Sulphur) working on my vaio without any major qualms. The media buttons such as the volume work fine as does the mute shortcut. Getting the graphics to work involved getting community drivers but now my nVidia card is fully supported, or at least to the extent I have tried it thus far.