[wild68fury]

What new economical laptop would you recommend to run FC9?

[techieMoe]

Dell has several options. You could pick up one of their N-series Inspirons that come with Ubuntu and install Fedora on it instead. You could also purchase a Vostro (their business line) without an OS at all and put Fedora on it.

You could also purchase a laptop with Fedora preinstalled from LinuxCertified:

Linux Laptop - Fully Supported & Configured Linux Laptops | LinuxCertified

Or an Ubuntu laptop from System76:

Ubuntu Linux Laptop Computers - system76, Inc.

The key here is picking a laptop that has components that are well-supported in Linux, such as Intel video if you're not a gamer, or Nvidia/ATI if you are. In general, Intel onboard components such as wireless chipset 3945 tend to work well in Linux, sometimes out of the box. Just consider what is in the system before you buy.

[carlosponti]

I bought a Dell preloaded with Ubuntu it was a Inspiron 1525n and I am pretty happy with it. I frankly like using Ubuntu so it was definately worth it and if you need support you will have problems if you install fedora because Ubuntu is the Os of their support choice. you can also look at the freeDos versions from dell and install fedora on it.

ps nevermind on the freedos versions those are for only two models of desktops.

[Freston]

I'm quite happy with my Zepto. They build to order, so you can pick out which components you want in it. A lot of Intel stuff available, so it 'just works'. Also, and this to me was important, they list well known operating systems as a (non-default) option. That means you have to pay extra if you consider dual booting Windows

The only thing was the sound card, that was newer than what the ALSA that most distro's ship with can handle. So I had to compile the latest ALSA from source. Works perfectly now.

[wild68fury]

Thanks for all your recommendations. I will probably go with the dell. I have ubuntu on my kids computer and it works great. I could not get ubuntu to work on my laptop so i tried fedora and I like it too. Hard to pick a favorite. Carlosponti, does DVD playback work out of the box. I have a lot of time in my current setup to get it to work.

[GNU-Fan]

To those that can afford it, I always recommend Thinkpads.

Their hardware is know to work well with Linux and is rather rugged.

[carlosponti]

Originally Posted by wild68fury

Thanks for all your recommendations. I will probably go with the dell. I have ubuntu on my kids computer and it works great. I could not get ubuntu to work on my laptop so i tried fedora and I like it too. Hard to pick a favorite. Carlosponti, does DVD playback work out of the box. I have a lot of time in my current setup to get it to work.

you know so far i havent tested an actual DVD playback but there is an ubuntu package you can download and install called ubuntu restricted extras that are in the add/remove programs on the main applications menu. there is also the macromedia flash plugin to install as well for flash 9. I usually install both of those after i install ubuntu. the restricted extras comes with DVD playback java mscorefonts etc.

Distro News: Dell Preinstalled Ubuntu System

that is what mine looks like.

ps the reason i never thought to try the dvd play back out was that I was so damn tickled that the wireless worked out of the box i never got around to doing much else lol. The SD card slot worked as well. I will try installing that restricted extras and see if I can play a dvd.

[carlosponti]

it does indeed work when you install the ubuntu restricted extras.

[jmadero]

I would recommend Dell not because they support Ubuntu (their support is fairly misguided from my understanding) but because of their warranty.

I bought a Dell a few years ago, 6 months before my end of Warranty (4 year) I was having big time wireless issues (lots of fluxuation in speed). They did about a month of diagnostics, coming out to my apartment, changing parts. In the end, they replaced my 3.5 year old system with a refurb 6 month old system. The old specs:

512 megs RAM, 64 meg Video Card, 15" monitor, 40 gig HD, etc..

new:

2 gigs of RAM, 256 Nvidia card, 17" monitor, 90 gig HD, etc...

To say the least, despite my issues with Dell, their warranty support and my personal experience with them (and to second it, my roomate had his replaced as well because of an overheating issue) convinced me that I will always go Dell for laptops.