[techtalk] laptops

[T. E. Pickering]

> I'm looking into buying a laptop.  So far I've looked at Dell and Sony.
> I'd consider a powerbook, if I knew I could get software for it (linux,
> that is.)  Does anyone know of companies that sell laptops with linux
> installed?  I don't want to have to pay for more miscrosoft if I  don't
> have to.  I've set an upper limit around $2000 (US).

www.linuxlaptops.com is an obvious first place to look.
unfortunately, it doesn't look like their pages and prices have been
updated in a while.  they're asking $2500 for a vaio 505TR i saw at
fry's a month ago for $1800.  wouldn't hurt to e-mail or call and see
what the scoop is.

from what i've seen, the sony vaio 505TR is a good choice for linux.
everything works (even the modem is a real modem!) and it's pretty
fast.  on the downside, the screen and kbd are small and the
reliability may be suspect.  my friend's vaio just had the left mouse
button die on her and i've heard horror stories about sony's customer
support (or lack thereof).  my boss has a dell which also runs linux
very well and looks like a nice machine, if a bit bulky.

tim

-- 
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  Tim Pickering                 |     Kapteyn Institute, Postbus 800  |  
|  tim at astro.rug.nl              | 9700 AV Groningen, The Netherlands  |
|  http://www.astro.rug.nl/~tim/ |                    +31-50-363-6519  |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Machines have less problems.  I'd like to be a machine.
		-- Andy Warhol

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