buying a new laptop

[adnanius]

hi,

I'm looking forward to buy a new laptop, and since I became a linux fan, I want it to be linux compatible! I found that the last 'linux laptop purchase' article goes back to 6 months, so decided to open up a new one.

So here are my questions (classic):
-Where can I buy an OS-Free laptop? (I live in europe!). I found this Danish company named ZEPTO, which produces the notebook PC series Znote.

This means that all notebook PC’s are produced according to the built-to-order concept where the individual consumer can compile his or her own notebook PC on Zepto’s website
Many different types of hard disks, optical drives, operating systems, memory modules ...

(Well you can choose between Visto and OS-Free)
Do you know any equivalent companies ?

-What are the preferrable 'brands' with which I know that I wont have installation or driver problems. For example, I know that I should not get a Broadcom wlan, because it's a pain! How can I check if (for example) a Wi-Fi 300Mbits Intel® Pro/Wireless 4965AGN would install easily or not.

Any recommendations ?

[BlueC]

Why not just go with a ThinkPad? Lenovo do a variety of linux friendly laptops including the T61 which is available with Ubuntu preinstalled (it uses some slightly different - more linux friendly - hardware than the windows versions).

[sewalk]

How can I check if (for example) a Wi-Fi 300Mbits Intel® Pro/Wireless 4965AGN would install easily or not.

As for your example, Intel wireless cards should be very well supported. Intel releases the driver source for their cards and updates it regularly.

Dell and System76 also offer desktop and notebook computers with Ubuntu pre-installed. That would save you the trouble of selecting hardware that is compatible. I don't know what the availability outside the US for these systems is, though.

[Freston]

I don't know if it's still relevant. But as the thread got bumped, I thought I'll chip in.

I have a Zepto myself, and I'm quite pleased with it. The same Intel Wireless as you mention, the 4965AGN, works out of the box. The only thing I have issues with when I try out a new distro is sound. The soundcard isn't supported by the ALSA that distro's ship with. But the latest ALSA fixes the issue.

Zepto sometimes mentions Linux on their site.