On 09/19/2009 09:18 AM, Kenneth Gonsalves wrote: > On Saturday 19 Sep 2009 9:15:55 am scrapo wrote: >> > Thanks, >> > Lynus >> > >> >> acer offers laptops with linux os. > > not any more - M$ has fixed them
Actually, I've seen and heard conflicting stories. I have myself /seen/ linux laptops (from acer, samsung, hcl and IIRC HP) in various stores in Pune (including Croma, Landmark, House of Laptops and various 'computer stores'). In any case, I would recommend doing research online for the *hardware* configuration you seek and then walk into a local vendor to buy the laptop. The chances are local vendors, such as your friendly neighborhood 'registered [ACER|HCL|SAMSUNG] distributor' would be more likely to offer you customization (at a better price too) than online shops or large retailers. IMHO, it makes more sense to buy a decent configuration that addresses your requirements and installing linux on it (believe me, most hardware works out of the box these days, and if it doesn't, it will in a couple of months[*]), than obsessing about having to pay the M$ tax. Not to say that you shouldn't care about that part at all, it's just that you shouldn't make pre-loaded linux a hard requirement. My reasons for this are: a. Generally linux laptops are sold by vendors to address the cost factor, and I've seen that while they do bring down the cost by pre-loading a free or cheap OS, software is not the only place where they cut costs. b. The pre-installed OSs are useless from a productivity or support perspective. 100% of the people I know who bought a linux pre-loaded laptop/netbook have replaced the OS it came with. c. In the long run, you'd hopefully end up contributing more to the FOSS eco-system with a laptop that suits your needs rather than one that you place artificial 'pre-loaded with linux' requirements on. ...but those are just my reasons. hth, cheers, - steve [*] or you could see this as an opportunity to contribute to the community by filing bugs and testing drivers as they get written !! :) -- random non tech spiel: http://lonetwin.blogspot.com/ tech randomness: http://lonehacks.blogspot.com/ what i'm stumbling into: http://lonetwin.stumbleupon.com/ -- http://mm.glug-bom.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxers
