Possible bridges to whatever you decide to get:

- Use Ubuntu on VirtualBox on your Mac (yes, I did see the using 'linux in a 
non-server computer' concern -- thus the bridge qualification).

- Depending on the issues and languages you're using, use in-language 
package-managers. For example, we have a library of python repository code with 
three python-package dependences: fcrepo, lxml, and solrpy. Using 'pip' (a 
python package-manager), we've created a simple requirements file, so that, 
when I run, on my mac, a pip-install command for our repo_utils, it 
automatically web-downloads and installs those packages if necessary (even 
specific versions if desired). And this'll work the same on your Mac, VBox, and 
a possible eventual linux laptop.

-Birkin

---
Birkin James Diana
Programmer, Digital Technologies
Brown University Library
[email protected]


On Dec 14, 2011, at 12:54 PM, Chris Fitzpatrick wrote:

> Thanks everyone for all the recommendations. I know this would be this list 
> to ask. 
> 
> Sounds like Ubuntu is the overwhelming favorite. In the past when I've used a 
> linux in a non-server computer, there are always some annoying problems... 
> things like the laptop not waking from sleep mode, power consumption 
> problems, or the microphone not working.  
> 
> So, I wondering about specific laptop brands/models and linux 
> distributions/versions that people have found to work really well. A Dell or 
> ThinkPad with Ubuntu seems to be the popular choice? 
> 
> But, yeah, I know i started it, but I'm going to avoid going deeper into my 
> opinions on Apple vs. Windows vs. Linux and the implications vis-à-vis 
> productivity, copyright, social justice, and the plight of the polar bear. If 
> only out of concern that introducing this discussion might cause the poor 
> mail server at ND to meltdown…..
> 
> b,chris. 

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