Looking to purchase a new laptop

[aoriii]

I'm searching for a new laptop, but all of the major manufacturers only offer units pre loaded with M$ products. What ways have you found around this. Is there a distributor out there that sells a no-OS laptop, or am I going to have to pay for M$ license that I won't use?????


Thanks

[logan5]

I think that this is the first "name brand" laptop with linux installed.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5831949/
or this article
http://www.computerworld.com/softwar...,95026,00.html

Or these ar two companies that have been releasing thier own laptops with linux
http://www.linuxcertified.com/linux_laptops.html
or
http://www.emperorlinux.com/

If you are looking to install linux on a laptop that you buy that doesn't have linux preinstalled I would take a look here
http://www.linux-laptop.net/

[sether]

adding to what logan5 said, apparently it's possible to buy a laptop with windows and then not agree to the microsoft software license agreement, which would, in some cases, allow you to get a refund from the laptop manufacturer. you would have to contact the laptop manufacturer via email or letter to get a refund, so this option might be a bit complicated.

[logan5]

If you can't find a 'brick and mortor" store with laptops with out an OS installed something else you might think about is buying on-line. I was on http://www.pricewatch.com/ today and noticed that they have a section for ‘notebooks – no OS”. I might be a little nervous buying a laptop from an on-line retailer, but they did have Compaq, Gateway, IBM, Sony, and Toshiba, as well as many no-name variations, so they would probably stand behind their products.