I sort of wish they'd get out of the software business-- you wouldn't buy a Windows laptop or a Linux laotop, but rather a machine that boots, and runs the vendor's self-test, then waits for a boot disc. If the people who wanted Vista on their laptop had to install it just as much as the people who wanted Slackware do, then all of a sudden: 1. Their support costs drop 90%-- the only things they really have to handle are DOA hardware. 2. The Windows tax becomes obvious. 3. Preinstalled-software inertia becomes less of an issue. (OpenOffice would get installed more if MS Office, or worse yet, its free trial versiopn, wasn't preinstalled) 4. No more crapware. -----Original Message----- From: der.hans To: Main PLUG discussion list Sent: Sun, 20 Apr 2008 8:42 pm Subject: Re: OT: notebook shopping Am 20. Apr, 2008 schwätzte Cat Chapman so: > I'm using a system76 laptop to post this. They make Linux lappies, and > so far I've had nothing but great things with this machine. > Check them out at http://system76.com By going with sytem76 or something else purchased with GNU/Linux we can get support for GNU/Linux. At this point I do not intend to buy any computers that don't come with GNU/Linux pre-installed and supported. I almost had to seriously consider getting a new laptop a couple of weeks ago, so this is a current topic for me. I still needed the new workstation and didn't consider anything that didn't come with GNU/Linux pre-installed. I will play with Foresight when my KPC comes in, http://us.shuttle.com/Home.aspx, but I will shrink it down as a reserve with Ubuntu as my primary OS :). Shuttle is advertising compiz with the intel graphics chip. I expect good support. Maybe I'll run Foresight in a VM. I want the computer manufacturers to push the hardware industry for specs and Free Software drivers. That isn't going to happen if we don't intentionally and specifically purchase something with GNU/Linux pre-installed. I would expect good support for suspend and all of the hardware for a laptop with GNU/Linux pre-installed. I likely wouldn't care about the modem, so I won't guarantee that I'd test every single component :). The $700 system76 system comes with an intel graphics chip, so it should have good X support since intel has been providing us with specs for a while. It's also got a dual-core CPU, so virtual machines should have lots of resources available. 4 GB of RAM should be plenty. Well, for now anyway :). It's double what I could get on the desktop. ciao, der.hans -- # https://www.LuftHans.com/ https://LOPSA.org/ # "I guess I should've agreed with my boss more often. Today I was replaced # by a bobblehead doll!" -- Randy Glasbergen, 13Mar2006 --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss