The IBM ThinkPads have become something like a standard notebook for Linux/Unix hackers. This has not always been that way but since late T41 models the IBM ThinkPad belong to the best supported Linux notebook computers. Following are some notes from my experiences with my T42p.
My T42p has the following data:
Most of the hardware works flawlessly with recent Linux, with just one exception, the ATI graphics, see below.
You will definitely need Xorg 6.8.2 or later. Current XFree86 does not supprt the R300 based ATI chips and even with Xorg you will not get 3D acceleration. But there is a work in progress R300 project at SourceForge. You can try the proprietory ATI fglrx drivers which support 3D but then you will loose suspend/resume capability.
With latest kernels speedstep is supported for all Pentium 4-M machines (aka Centrino if you also have the rest of the specified Centrino platform which the Thinkpad luckily does not have ;)
Bluetooth is a rather standard CSR USB dongle. Simply switch it on and it should be detected.
The IBM 802.11a/b/g card aka Atheros 5212 behaves very well. I use the madwifi driver from SourceForge. The older 11MBit only chipsets seems to be a little trickier, a friend of mine has the 11MBit version in his T41p and has problems with DHCP now and then and then has to reload the driver module.
Any additional hints are absolutely welcome! If you happen to know something more please let me know!
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