Comsumer assistance...

[Wechter, Ron]

I work with all kinds of laptops.  

Toshiba laptops are pretty standard (The older ones at least) when it comes
to hardware and there is a specific website for support for linux.  One
caveat -- Good luck trying to get the PCMCIA chip to work properly -- Its
do-able but it took me a while.  Their newer laptops have Soft modems and
Soft network cards so dont plan on using those.

Compaq -- Stay away
HP -- Better than compaq but very proprietary

Dell - Again hardware is very standard and there is not much proprietary
hardware inside their systems -- One downfall they dont readily post their
system specs unless you email them.  They will then send you a PDF of EVERY
spec needed (This may change on their website -- hopefully).

If your looking for a new laptop try this site...
www.mtechcomputer.com or www.sagernotebook.com	-- These are generic custom
built laptops.  The 8500V works GREAT with linux -- one problem -- it weighs
10lbs BUT uses a FCPGA PIII and NOT a PII-M processor! WOOHOO (Also costs
1200)

Hope this helps a bit.

Sincerely,

Ronald K. Wechter
NRD Buffalo Assistant Systems Administrator
NRD Buffalo Webmaster
Navy Recruiting Department Buffalo
(716) 551-4901 



-----Original Message-----
From: scott [mailto:voodoo098 at adelphia.net]
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2001 9:38 AM
To: nflug at nflug.org
Subject: Re: Comsumer assistance...


Richard Hubbard wrote:

>I am currently in the market for a laptop that needs to meet the following
>conditions...
>1. cheap
>2. reliable
>3. runs linux (see item 1)(x-window) quickly
>
>Because of item 3, my guess is that a pentium of the 233 class should be
>adequate (i saw that p75 doing great as long as there it was a text
display,
>but as soon as the x-window system loaded, it died..)
>
>I'm currently looking at e-bay and I really need to know, are there any
>brands to avoid?  I have run linux on Dell's before, so I know those work.
>
>Also, as far as basic software is concerned, I'm probably going to be
>running StarOffice (This will be used for business, so I will need to
>interoperate with M$ Office, otherwise K Office looks great!)  The other
>question I have is ... Is there a QuickBooks Style Small business
accounting
>software package out there for Linux? (yes, If I am pushed, I can write
one,
>but right now I'm lazy.  If I can't find one, then I know what my next
>project is!)
>
>Thanks for your help!
>
>
>Richard Hubbard
>MCT, MCSE, MCDBA, MCSD,
>CLP, CLI, A+, Net+, I-Net+, LCP, LCI
>phone : 716-553-5048
>
>Heisenberg may have slept here...
>
>
>
Dell has a auction site  http://www.dellauction.com/
I bought a desktop there and it came with a 10 month warranty. The cd 
rom went bad after a  couple months and dell replaced it next day. I was 
impressed with the customer service. Good luck.