free software laptop

[philder]

Linux Emporium do ready installed netbooks and laptops.

I looked for ages for something "Linux ready", but I was after a laptop as desktop replacement and nothing met the spec I wanted. In the end I had to grin and bear Vista for a few days while I checked everything would work under Linux. For what it's worth, the Acer 7720G works nicely with Mint Felicia / Ubuntu 8.10.

[Dan]

I bought the M1330 with Ubuntu from Dell as a desktop replacement and it's been amazing, couldn't be happier with it. The design is great and even impresses the Mac fans I meet. It works 100% with Linux. The model I bought has an Nvidia graphics card because I hate freedom and also the Intel graphics drivers weren't up to scratch a year ago when I bought it. You couldn't get Compiz working with the Intel card at the time, that's been fixed now I believe so you could go 100% free if you wanted.

I wrote a full review of the machine on my blog which you might find of use I dunno - http://danlynch.org/blog/2008/03/laptop ... installed/

As far as I know you can still order a machine like this with Ubuntu from Dell in the UK..... hmm ok at this point I was going to put a link to the m1330 Ubuntu model on the Dell website but now I can't find it. There's only the mini 9 and mini 12 on there. Have Dell removed the m1330 from their Ubuntu line??!!!! I'll be royally pissed off if they have grrr

The Mini 12 looks pretty nice though I have to admit

[smallgoat]

The new HP mini 1000 mi looks interesting, stock ubuntu hardy with a new front end to replace Gnome..

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1060181

Not sure if its available in the UK yet but it has the same keyboard as the HP mini note, which from playing around with in various netbooks in PC world seems to be the best (in my opinion).

hmm ok at this point I was going to put a link to the m1330 Ubuntu model on the Dell website but now I can't find it.

-I've called Dell customer support and no XPS available with ubuntu at the mo

[Dan]

I've called Dell customer support and no XPS available with ubuntu at the mo

Uggh what a load of bollocks, I'll be calling them out on the show over this. I noticed a lot of the options in the Ubuntu section have gone

[NYbill]

i looked at into the HP mini note. i even played with one in a store. they have a really nice keyboard! but, i hear it only gets around 2 hours of battery life. thats pretty lame for a netbook. i did hear a 6 cell battery is coming out for it though.

in the US there are still Dell ubuntu machines. they all have an "n" after the name. try searching for "XPS M1330n" over there and see if you guys find anything.

the Ubuntu machines i can see on the US site are:

desktop:
Dell inspiron 530n

laptops:
XPS M1530n
XPS M1330n
Studio 15n

netbook:
Mini 9n

[Dan]

i looked at into the HP mini note. i even played with one in a store. they have a really nice keyboard! but, i hear it only gets around 2 hours of battery life. thats pretty lame for a netbook. i did hear a 6 cell battery is coming out for it though.

in the US there are still Dell ubuntu machines. they all have an "n" after the name. try searching for "XPS M1330n" over there and see if you guys find anything.

the Ubuntu machines i can see on the US site are:

desktop:
Dell inspiron 530n

laptops:
XPS M1530n
XPS M1330n
Studio 15n

netbook:
Mini 9n

My machine is the m1330n cos I bought it with Ubuntu but they've removed it from the UK site now it seems. All you can get is a desktop, Mini 9 or Mini 12 in the Ubuntu section. Guess they decided they weren't selling enough or something. I'm gonna be looking into this....

[Dan]

Ok I got pissed off enough to write up an article about this http://danlynch.org/blog/2009/02/whats-up-dell/

I will also be mentioning it on the next show. I've had comments on my blog from Dell employees before so let's see if anyone responds to this

[NYbill]

good, dan! Dell needs to hear about this. i hope they do! i'm planing to get a netbook. but, i'm not going to buy a windows netbook out of principal. (ok, that narrows my choices quite a bit.) but, i'll stick to my guns! now Dell is ticking me off as well. i thought Linux would start to be offered on more systems, not less!

EDIT: i just read the blog post, dan. well said.

[jezra]

well..... there goes the Dell sponsorship. What is HP offering?

[NYbill]

well..... there goes the Dell sponsorship. What is HP offering?

LOL!

see what you've started, emma! controversy, anger, ranting blog posts, brand loyalty crumbling, and now blown Linux Outlaw sponsorship!

(just joking. we derail threads, its what we do. they eventually get back on topic. or like Dan once said, not often. its all in good fun.)