OT: Recommended Linux Laptops, suppliers?

[Brian Quinlan]

> Indeed.  However, I'm surprised to hear that Dell isn't shipping
> Linux-only laptops.

I think that they stopped selling consumer Linux computers, citing a
lack of demand. 

> They certainly were for desktops (at least at one
> time).  How about IBM?  I understand they've certified Linux for every
> system they make, so I'd think a Windows-free system would be easy to
> obtain from them.

If there is limited demand for Windows-free systems, it doesn't make
sense for them to support another product line.

> Have to disagree here.  Intel boxes, whether laptop or desktop tend to
> be far cheaper than Apple products.

If you are looking at the bottom end of the performance barrel, this is
definitely true.

> I have a catalog in hand at the moment (Global Computer) which
features 
> a Systemax 2GHz Celeron, 15" TFT display, 128MB DDR, 20GB HDD, modem,
NIC,
> and WinXP for $899.  

No Powerbook ships with that little RAM, that small a hard drive, no CD
burning ability, etc. The Systemax is also 1024x768, while the 15"
Powerbook is 1280x854 i.e. 40% more display area. Looking at the
Systemax laptop on the web, I also don't know: how fast the NIC is, what
the specs are on the display (e.g. brightness, constrast) and what the
expected battery life is. The bottom line is that computer comparisons
require more information that two lines of text from a catalog.

> A
> similarly configured iBook or PowerBook (*if* they had one at 2GHz)
> would cost well over $2000.

Are you sure that a 1GHz G4 is slower than a 2GHz Celeron? I'm not.

> Does OSX use X11?  I ssh'd to my gf's school where they've got OSX and
> it didn't seem like it.  If not, that would be a sad decision.

I'm not sure what using X11 would have gotten for Apple. What are X11
strengths? OTOH, using PDF as a display technology is a boon for Apple's
traditional market of artists and publishers.

Cheers,
Brian