Here's a couple ways of doing FE monitoring if you want to use a laptop...
MPGuino now outputs vitals for computer monitoring
DIY MPG guage - GasSavers.org
The
MPGuino is an open source project from right here at EcoModder.com. DCB and others have written code to make a
ScanGauge like instrument, with fewer parameters, but greater flexibility (pre-obdII cars). You can build one (from hardest to easiest):
It now outputs the data every half second so it can be monitored by a computer (not sure what port it outputs to... may not work with one built from scratch)... something I haven't taken the time to really look into, but it could be super helpful for determining where driving habits could be improved. How it works is explained a little more
here. You may have to do a bit of reading to figure things out.
I think the DIY MPG guage is pretty simple, it uses a headphone style jack that's buffered with resistors, and uses the sound card to monitor VSS and Injector Pulses. Much like the MPGuino, but with the laptop as the display. I don't know much about it, but you can do all the digging you want and customize until your heart's content, then tell everyone about it so we can copy if we want!
The advantages to the MPGuino would be that you don't HAVE to have your laptop hooked up to get feedback, it's small so it can sit on your dash, and it can still output to your computer. The disadvantage would be the additional cost. Hope this is helpful.