Re: [PLUG] Linux Laptop

Last time I looked at the Dell Ubuntu flavored laptops they were ~$100 cheaper than their windoze equivlient. Not to mention the XPS 13 Developer Edition comes fully loaded with open source development tools. Dell also maintains a repo just for their laptops in case they require any special drivers/software. Great if you're an Ubuntu... user which I am not. And if you see a laptop that doesn't come with Linux preloaded you can open a chat session (or call them) and they'll give you a quote (on many systems) without an OS installed. Lenovo and ASUS (both laptops I happen to like better) don't seem to offer that option. Dell does have a couple of laptops with Ubuntu preloaded that are under $500... not power houses but it depends on what you're looking for. Dell also has a pretty good return policy. So I buy from Dell. It's what I buy for personal use and what I buy for my developers.

I haven't shopped at Costco in years as in the end it just didn't seem to make economic sense.. sure you get some things less expensive but you usually have to buy in quantity. When I did the analysis of my purchases I found it really wasn't less expensive to shop at Costco. Granted, I didn't make a lot of high dollar purchases at Costco. In the end I'd rather pay the premuim to buy from some one that seems to listen to their customers... something you'll never get from Costco.

Just my two cents.

On Sat, Jun 20, 2015 at 12:00 AM, Steve Litt <slitt@troubleshooters.com> wrote:

Absolutely true. When I buy cheap at Costco and slam Linux on it, the
OEM bean counters think I'm using Linux and don't change their ways. As
a good citizen of the Free Software Community, I'd gladly pay five or
ten bucks to let the bean counters know. Matter of fact, to make
absolutely sure it works with Linux, I'd pay an extra $75. But Rich,
we're talking about a 50% to 100% markup over the Costco computer. Buy
two, get one. It doesn't play well if it's your own money you're
spending (as opposed to your employer's).

And from what I hear, System76 has as many QC problems as the rest of
them. It's a marked up commodity machine that happens to be Linux
compatible. Like most of the computers I've purchased from Costco.

SteveT

Steve Litt
June 2015 featured book: The Key to Everyday Excellence
http://www.troubleshooters.com/key

On Fri, 19 Jun 2015 15:49:44 -0400
"Rich Mingin (PLUG)" <plug@frags.us> wrote:

> Problem with the Costco option is, to the beancounters back at $OEM,
> you have just cast yet another vote for Windows. It doesn't matter
> what you're running, if you already paid for Windows.
>
> On Fri, Jun 19, 2015 at 11:12 AM, Steve Litt
> <slitt@troubleshooters.com> wrote:
>
> > If your objective is "Know it works with Linux", there's an
> > alternative that doesn't involve the 50% to 100% premium you pay,
> > for equivalent hardware, from the likes of System76 and zareason.
> >
> > Walk into Costco, see what's on sale, and buy it. They have a 90 day
> > warranty, and when I asked, I was assured that if it didn't run
> > Linux, I could bring it back under warranty. For that reason I've
> > bought my last eight or so laptops from Costco, and have been
> > pleased as punch.
> >
> > If you have several weeks' warning that you'll need a laptop, so
> > much the better --- you can keep checking the "on sale" items til
> > you get just the right thing.
> >
> >
> > SteveT
> >
> > Steve Litt
> > June 2015 featured book: The Key to Everyday Excellence
> > http://www.troubleshooters.com/key
> >
> >
> >
> > On Fri, 19 Jun 2015 09:46:40 -0400
> > Anthony Martin <anthony.j.martin142@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > the reason I like the laptops that come with linux is because
> > > than I know all the hardware will deff work with linux which is
> > > one of the reasons i like system 76 but even when we got my
> > > father in laws laptop first thing i did was replace stock ubuntu
> > > with ubuntu mate 14.10 (current at the time) and even if it was
> > > going to be default install of ubuntu id still do the install
> > > myself so I can have it tweaked exactly how I want it. I just
> > > think its stupid to have to fight to get your hardware to work
> > > and i see this as a problem with the hardware vendors not linux.
> > >
> > > Anthony Martin
> > >
> > > Jr Linux System Administrator
> > >
> > > (M) 609-410-1168
> > > anthony.j.martin142@gmail.com
> > >
> > > On Fri, Jun 19, 2015 at 9:42 AM, Rachel Rawlings
> > > <rachelneko@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > I tend to spend paltry amounts on laptops, as you may have
> > > > noticed.
> > > >
> > > > My Lenovo Z565 cost $350, and the little HP stream is $200. So
> > > > even paying the Mickeysoft tax I get a solid cheap machine to
> > > > wipe out and put Linux on.
> > > >
> > > > I have had no problems with Ubuntu on either of them, save the
> > > > fact that the stream has a bleeding edge wireless chip that is
> > > > missing Bluetooth support so far in the kernel.
> > > >
> > > > While I love the idea of getting a laptop with Linux already
> > > > installed, it's kinda like buying a house someone else
> > > > refurbished. Great for some folks, but I just know I'll want to
> > > > remake a few things, so I'd rather do a gut reno. And if you
> > > > want Arch you'll have to do that regardless. On Jun 18, 2015
> > > > 4:52 PM, "Anthony Martin" <anthony.j.martin142@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> I was wondering what everyone's opinion on a laptop
> > > >> specifically for linux. I know of system76 and the laptop we
> > > >> got my father-in-law from there is a nice machine but I wanted
> > > >> to know what options there were.
> > > >>
> > > >> Anthony Martin
> > > >>
> > > >> Jr Linux System Administrator
> > > >>
> > > >> (M) 609-410-1168
> > > >> anthony.j.martin142@gmail.com
> >
> > ___________________________________________________________________________
> > Philadelphia Linux Users Group --
> > http://www.phillylinux.org
> > Announcements -
> > http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
> > General Discussion --
> > http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
> >

___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug