Here in Australia laptops have to come out for screening, but they're very polite about it. I have a PowerBook and while I remove it from it's bag, I usually keep it inside a foam protective covering when I send it through the x-ray.

There's no yelling or barking that laptops have to come out and no shoe carnival either.

At the checkpoints they also conduct ETD swabbing / screening, but it is done at random, it is done efficiently, and they're polite about it. Last time I had an ETD swab done the screener just asked for my Surname, wrote it into a log, did the ETD swab, and I was on my way.

No requirement to show ID at checkpoints either as meeters/greeters can go through security in the domestic terminals - plus if travelling with carry-on only it's just as easy to check-in airside in the lounge (Qantas Club). Just hand them your FF card at the Qantas Club, they swipe it, and out come your boarding passes.

Travelling around Australia is a breeze and relatively hassle-free compared to the states.

SDF_Traveler