[Wiltshire] Wiltshire Digest, Vol 97, Issue 4 (swindon meetings).

[David Corking]

> Dell sell laptops preinstalled with Ubuntu.
> http://www.ubuntu.com/dell

http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/ubuntu_deals?c=uk&l=en&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1

This laptop seems to be 30 pounds cheaper than the equivalent with
Windows 7, which might be a reasonable reflection of Bill's tax.

But, you will have to upgrade from Ubuntu 9.10 as soon as it arrives
(9.10 is end of life.)

My personal frustration with laptop shopping is figuring out if they
need experimental, proprietary, binary or 'tainted' drivers or indeed
if drivers exist at all. (Such issues seem to me to be common for the
webcam and graphics, and occasionally for the sound and 802.11. I
don't know about bluetooth.)   These can make upgrades and re-installs
a pain, and in the worst cases can lead to lugging and plugging USB
dongles to replace unusable built-in components.  Linux-like systems
with a Windows or Apple host then start to become attractive. (Think
VirtualBox, cygwin or macports.)

I have seen some online suppliers (not Dell) where laptops and netbook
are sold without the OS but have clearly not been designed with Linux
in mind, but even some laptops made for Linux need proprietary
drivers.

I miss my ThinkPad (which was from the days when IBM certified its
laptops with OS/2 and DOS!)

Novatech has stores in Somerset, Berkshire and Hampshire - which might
just be in reach for Wiltshire folk that prefer bricks and mortar.

David