[TynesideLUG] Things to ponder before buying a laptop to install Linux on.

[Alex Kavanagh]

On Tue, 29 Oct 2024 at 08:41, Findlay, Benjamin <B.Findlay at tees.ac.uk>
wrote:

> Ian,
>
> That's a really helpful list, many thanks for sharing.
>
> One other thing I also do/recommend in this situation is checking any
> intended-for-purchase model on the ArchWiki (
> https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Category:Laptops) to see what has been
> documented for it. I've found this to be an invaluable resource for getting
> Linux working properly on a wide variety of different makes/models, but
> especially Apple devices. Case in point, it recently helped me solve the
> sleep/resume issue on an old Macbook that I had switched over to Linux as
> Apple had force-obsoleted it, but was otherwise still more than fit for
> purpose.
>

Or, buy a Frame.work laptop and install Bluefin :)
https://projectbluefin.io/ - it's an immutable OS based on Fedora Atomic.
The developers there have some Frame.works so everything just works
(including the fingerprint reader), along with FDE and TPM2.  I'm currently
on Ubuntu 24.04, but I'm very close to ditching it for Bluefin.

Obviously, that's less fun than rolling say, Arch, or NixOS, but it's
definitely a very quick way of getting up and running without paying any
Redmond taxes, as you can buy the Frame.work kit sans OS.  Still, a bit
pricey.  On the other hand, I do really like mine, despite it taking ages
for the BIOS to handover to the OS on start up.


>
> Cheers,
>
> Ben
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tyneside <tyneside-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk> On Behalf Of Ian
> Bruntlett
> Sent: Monday, October 28, 2024 2:12 PM
> To: Tyneside LUG <tyneside at mailman.lug.org.uk>
> Subject: [TynesideLUG] Things to ponder before buying a laptop to install
> Linux on.
>
> CAUTION: External email. Ensure this message is from a trusted source
> before clicking links/attachments.
>
> Hi,
>
> I posted this on a Linux Facebook conversation and thought it might be of
> interest to others...
>
> Many laptops these days are compatible with Linux. However, here are some
> comments...
> 1) Before you buy it, Google the manufacturer's name and the model type.
> 2) Before you buy it, ask here about people's experiences with it.
> 3) Ask the vendor how compatible it is with Linux.
> 4) Find out how upgradable it is. For instance - is the RAM soldered onto
> the main circuit board? If so, this would prevent future RAM upgrades.
> 5) Does it have a hard drive or a solid state drive? What capacity?
> 6) Have a good think about how much data you want to store on your
> laptop's drive and make sure you get a laptop with more than enough space
> for you.
> 7) Do you want to run Windows as well as Linux? (I only know about running
> Linux)
> 8. I use Ubuntu Linux on an old lenovo ThinkPad. Prior to that I have used
> Linux on old Samsung and Dell laptops OK.
>
> HTH,
>
>
> Ian
>
> --
> -- ACCU - Professionalism in programming - http://www.accu.org/
> -- My writing - https://sites.google.com/site/ianbruntlett/
> -- Free Software page -
> https://github.com/ian-bruntlett/TECH-Manuals/blob/main/tm-free-software.md
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-- 
Alex Kavanagh
Home: http://alex.kavanagh.name
@ajkavanagh