> Sorry for the lack of any response. The laptop that I work from died
> 2 days ago, and I'm still urgently trying to find a usable
> replacement.

I've had two Sony Vaio machines and I would not get another. They have absolutely no after sales support and certainly nothing for Linux. Not to mention the $500 batteries :(

I've had good luck with a Lenovo laptop (12" screen, 3lb weight) for the last couple of years; I think they have continued the trend from IBM to help with Linux support for that hardware.

                                    - Tom

--
Thomas Lockhart
Supervisor, Distributed and Real-time Group
Instrument Software and Science Data Systems
Caltech/JPL