you can configure the kernel to use acpi for power management (i.e.,
keeping your laptop from over heating or eating the battery life), but
keep the configure stuff off (so standard plug-n-play detection stuff is
used).
http://acpi.sf.net i believe is the sight for linux acpi information and
so on.
so I read that site. very informative and useful. then I look at my
system, booted without acpi=off in the kernel boot line, and I have none
of the /proc entries of which they speak. Does that make sense?
-sv