--- notify/notify.c	2009-05-05 01:06:36.745110612 -0400
+++ notify2/notify.c	2009-05-05 02:15:46.613111660 -0400
@@ -245,7 +245,15 @@
 		if ( fd_new_brightness != -1 )
 
 		{
-			if ( (nread = read(fd_new_brightness, buf, 1024)) > 1) {
+			nread = read(fd_new_brightness, buf, 1024);
+
+			if ( strncmp("<not supported>\n", buf, nread) == 0 ) {
+				perror("new brightness stuff not supported");
+				fd_new_brightness = -1;
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			if ( nread > 1) {
 
 				lseek(fd_new_brightness, 0, SEEK_SET);
 				buf[nread] = NULL;