[lug] Cheap laptop for a neophyte

[Kevin Kempter]

Check this site before you buy and find a manufacturer / model that someone 
else is already running Linux on.

http://www.linux-laptop.net/


 
On Wednesday 08 April 2009 09:08:58 Steve Sullivan wrote:
> What would you recommend for a not-so-newbie looking for a more
> full functioned laptop - DVD RW, wireless, larger screen and
> keyboard?
>
> My main concerns are:
>   - I install my own Debian, so don't want a machine that
>     requires much customization when installing Linux.
>     For example, hopefully no vendor-supplied custom drivers.
>
>   - In particular I'm interested in the wireless adapter.  Many laptops
>     don't handle wireless well under Linux.
>
>   - And of course how well does the vendor support it.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Steve
>
> On Wed, Apr 08, 2009 at 08:54:56AM -0600, Michael J. Hammel wrote:
> > Just my 2 cents:
> >
> > On Wed, 2009-04-08 at 08:26 -0600, Bear Giles wrote:
> > > Dell is running sales on 12" inspirons.
> > > The main thing to do is to check their website daily and not panic when
> > > the price jumps.  They try a different combination of base price +
> > > discounts every few days and the bottom line can shift by as much as
> > > 20%.  Just be patient and ready to act when the prices drop again.
> >
> > Why would anyone want to do business with an outfit like that?  I
> > personally don't buy Dell because they treat their employees so crappy.
> > not to mention the Dell's at work (which I did not buy) have been more
> > trouble than the off-the-shelf stuff I put together from component
> > purchases.  But ignoring that, why would you buy something from a vendor
> > who changes the price by the minute?
> >
> > > Elyse M. Grasso wrote:
> > > > A computer user at work wants to buy an inexpensive laptop for home
> > > > use
> > > > She would like something under $600. She doesn't want a netbook: she
> > > > wants a larger screen and keyboard.
> >
> > NewEgg has some good options.  The Samsung Via Nano (a netbook) has a
> > 12.1" monitor and runs $549.  The lowest price laptop they list is a
> > Toshiba Satellite pro dual core Pentium with a 15.4" XGA screen for
> > $529.99.
> >
> > I can vouch for excellent service from NewEgg.  They even catch my posts
> > about problems on a particular item and notify me when the *vendor*
> > responds to my negative posts (in order to address my concerns).  For
> > now at least, I wouldn't buy hardware from any place but NewEgg.
> >
> > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834131031
> > http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2034940032%
> > 204021&name=%24500%20-%20%24750
> > --
> > Michael J. Hammel                                    Principal Software
> > Engineer mjhammel at graphics-muse.org                          
> > http://graphics-muse.org
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >----- When his IQ reaches 50, he should sell.
> > -- From a real employee performance evaluation.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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