[Wolves] New desktop

[John Rose]

My laptop is failing. So, can anybody recommend suppliers for a desktop
(modest configuration and therefore cheap) without paying the Windoze
tax.

I want to stick with Ubuntu or similar preferably with Gnome2 but
definitely without Gnome3 or Unity. What are the pros &cons between
Linux Mint 12 and Ubuntu (e.g. Lucid and reverting to Gnome2 when
Precise is released)?