Compaq Computer Corporation; Linux Availability; Compaq' S Linux Strategy For Commercial Portables; Operating System - HP Armada 7400 Software Installation Manual

Installation of Linux on Compaq Armada 7400/7800 Portables
Minimal Hardware Requirements
The Linux kernel' s small size and its efficient memory management contribute to Linux' s low hardware requirements. If
run in a text-based mode, Linux requires less processing power for graphics, unless X-Windows or a Graphical User
Interface (GUI) is used. Depending on the type of GUI used, the minimum hardware requirements will vary slightly for
each distribution of Linux. Following are the minimum hardware requirements for running RedHat Linux 5.2:

Linux Availability

Linux is free (under the GPL licensing agreements) to anyone who can download it. The Linux source code and
operating system are freely available for download from different sources:
For a complete list of Linux vendors and free downloadable sites, see http://www.Linux.org/dist/index.html.

Compaq' s Linux Strategy for Commercial Portables

Compaq Computer Corporation Commercial Portables Division is actively investigating Linux to provide as an
alternative to existing operating systems for Armada portable products.
Compaq has run compatibility tests under the latest RedHat distribution (version 5.2) on Armada 7400 and Armada 7800
notebooks. Compaq is also investigating the feasibility and support issues related to conducting certifications on selected
models of Armada notebooks. Compaq will also investigate other distributions of Linux, their usage for the commercial
notebook market, and whether or not they have any established certification programs. Compaq does not provide
technical support or driver support for Linux on Armada portable products, nor are there immediate plans to do so.
Customers who wish to run Linux will need to rely on existing driver sets available through commercial Linux
distributions, provided as part of this document, VARs, or the official Linux internet web site.
Linux is commonly deployed in budget constrained markets. There is little evidence of brand loyalty among Linux users
and due to the freeware nature of Linux, it is difficult to estimate its installed base. Nonetheless, further study into the
Linux market and the level of support being currently developed for Linux will continue.
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refer to http://www.redhat.com/support/docs/hardware.html
0206-0799-A
Intel 386SX processor
16MB memory
120MB Hard Disk Drive required for a minimal custom install
Most video cards supported
CD-ROM drive
3.5" floppy disk drive
The official Linux Web site
Anonymous FTP sites and web sites
Academic bulletin board systems (BBS)
Packaged on CD-ROMs with textbooks
for additional information:
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http://www.Linux.org
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