On Fri, January 22, 2010 11:23 am, frank hunt wrote: > i know this question periodically shows up - but usually it is not when > i am looking for a laptop so i don't pay much attention. > > anyways - need a general purpose laptop with the usual stuff on it - > lots memory, cd/dvd/blu-ray, wireless, 500gb +/- hdd, etc. looking for > recommendations. i'll probably put ubuntu on it unless there is a > better option. also don't want to break the bank so <$700. ideas? > comments? gotchas? > > tnx . . . > >
Although other denizens of this list have offered to hurl on my shoes for mentioning Acer, System 76 will sell you a nice Acer whitebox laptop with Ubuntu already loaded. The one I got has lasted through three-four years of moderately heavy use (it's my "get email when I'm upstairs" machine, as well as my traveling machine). Of course, my previous laptop -- a Dell -- has lasted long enough that it's now fit only for Xbuntu, and is built well enough that at twice the age it looks less shabby than the System 76 one... You get the laptop, you get the system already loaded, and if it needs it you get a special driver set from System 76 to make all the questionable hardware bits play nice with Ubuntu. You _don't_ get Windows of any sort, so if you need something with Windows that you can dual-boot or virtualize you're pretty much out of luck. -- Tim Wescott Control systems and communications consulting http://www.wescottdesign.com Land line: 503.631.7815 Cell: 503.349.8432 _______________________________________________ PLUG mailing list [email protected] http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
