[NTLUG:Discuss] New Laptop with Linux pre-installed

[ntlug at thorshammer.org]

There are some questions you need to ask:

1) Do I want to do it myself?
2) Do I want to power it on and go?
3) How much do I want to spend?

For 1), you can buy a laptop from anywhere (but check linux-laptop.net
for hardware compatability) and install your favorite distro on it. You
will probably have to pay the MS tax for this option.

For 2), emperorlinux.com and the like are good places to start. You can
thumb through any Linux magazine and look at the ads for places.

For 3), ebay is an option. That's probably the cheapest but it's
nebulous about the MS tax. Technically you may not pay it, but someone
may have. You'll also have to install your distro on it, though there
may be some kind of Linux deal out there.

Robert Thompson


On Wed, Sep 20, 2006 at 01:00:24PM -0500, Stan Gatchel wrote:
> Ok, I am thinking of taking the plunge. I have tried to avoid getting a
> laptop for many years but it looks like I will now be sucked into a giant clam shell for the rest of my life thus avoiding all human contact!  8-]  Wasn't there a StarTek episode something like this? 
> 
> I recently attended a class where I was the only one without a laptop. Oddly enough, no one seemed to notice. They even viewed the presentation slides on their laptops while the speaker was talking. The good news is... the overhead projector is now useless! :-)
> 
> 
> Just wondered if anyone can suggest a good place to get one and which
> brand/model is a good choice?
> 
> Here are my general requirement
> 
> 1. Light weight (3 - 5.5 lbs) and thin (1-1.5 inches) if possible
> 2. Screen size 12-15+ inches, bright screen
> 3. Core duo processor?
> 4. Nvidia or ATI graphics
> 5. Modem (no broadband here...low elevation, rural location.)
> 6. The usual other stuff. 60GB+ HD, 1GB, usual ports, etc.
> 7. Oh yeah, no M$ tax if that is possible
> 
> Now for the difficult part: which distro to install. Most seem to
> install Fedora but I'm more of a KDE guy. I'm thinking SuSE 10.1 or Kubuntu.
> 
> Here are the suppliers I've found so far:
> 
> http://www.linuxcertified.com/linux_laptops.html
> http://www.shoprcubed.com/products.asp?cat=27&gclid=CJKFvuf5uIcCFQE7GAod2hxSIA
> http://www.emperorlinux.com/
> 
> Any help would be appreciated,   
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Stan
> 
> 
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