Linux Format forums

Arion · Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:41 pm Posts: 5

Howyas

The time has come when I need to invest in a laptop.

It needs to be cheap(reasonably), have linux-supported hardware, and the most difficult thing is, it needs to be available to me.

The reason availability is most important is because I'm living in South Spain at the minute(about 100 yards from Gibraltar). This would in General mean that a mail delivery company would need to deliver internationally.

Laptops(and anything else for that matter) are tax free in Gibraltar, but local retailers compensate for that by bumping up their profit margin for obsolete machines from what I've seen so far.

My mother is coming over here from Ireland in a few weeks time through Luton Airport, so if there were somewhere reasonably priced in Luton, I wouldn't mind finding out their name(and their phone number/web address if possible)

Any help/suggestions appreciated.

nordle · LXF regular Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2005 10:56 pm Posts: 1497

I cant recommend any shops, but I would suggest checking prices on dabs.com and laptopsdirect.co.uk

IBM have a pretty good rep with Linux

I dont know how much you want to pay, but this seemed to be a pretty nice laptop, I wouldnt call it cheap, but good value.

eg:
http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/IBM_ThinkPad_R52_PM_750_UN34CUK/version-3.asp

or cheaper, but max screen res seems to be only 1024*768, depends on whats important, and it is same series, but £200 cheaper!
http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/IBM_ThinkPad_R52_UJ369UK/version-1.asp

Linux compatability was down as "Excellent", and this company were charging for having a choice of many distros to be put on. Its in America, I was just usng it as an example of Linux compatability, it does explain what this level means.
http://www.vgcomputing.com.au/nsibm18602BM.html

M-Saunders · Moderator Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:14 pm Posts: 2883

I'll second IBM laptops (now technically Lenovo Thinkpads). Extremely solid and well-built, plus they have a good rate of Linux compatibility.

M

Arion · Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:41 pm Posts: 5

They're a bit pricey for me here (Wages and Cost of Living are less here, making imports expensive).

I was looking at the Acer Aspire machine described on http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/asp/spec.asp?V_ID=2313 , which seems to have the right bang per buck ratio, for my needs. Problem is, is it linux compatable.

I'm off to check some linux laptop sites, but if anyone has experience I'd like to hear it.

What components should I do research on:

The graphics card would seem to be the top of the list, but what other components are picky about compatability?

towy71 · Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 2:35 pm Post subject:

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

HTH
Dick
_________________
still looking for that door into summer

Arion · Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:41 pm Posts: 5

First place I checked.

They don't have the model in question.

A-Wing · Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 8:19 pm Post subject:

Got a brand new Vaio FS series coming, my Fuji has broken for the second time in under a year and I can't afford to be without it while its getting repaired, so I am selling it.
As soon as the Sony comes I am formatting and installing Ubuntu on it.
_________________
Andrew Hutchings, Linux Jedi
www.a-wing.co.uk