At 11:59:22 on Friday Friday 03 September 2010, Shlomi Fish <shlo...@iglu.org.il> wrote: > On Friday 03 September 2010 06:04:59 Steve G. wrote: > > My 4+ year old Macbook is dying a slow death, and I am contemplating > > getting a new laptop and would like your advice. Here are the > > parameters: > > > > > > - My environment is Linux, Ubuntu for the last 2-3 years, and I > > would like to have it available to me on the laptop if I can. I have > > little use for either Mac OS-X or Windows as far as actually making > > much use of the software, beyond vary basic usage (iTunes, VLC, > > etc.). Linux is a different story. > > > > > > - I have several reasons to buy a Windows 7 machine. First, I > > have a Magellan GPS that only works with Windows. Second, some bank > > accounts require it to fully function. Third, I can get a lot more > > computer for the money with Wintel than with Apple. Last, Ubuntu > > Laptops with the latest hardware may or may not work. > > > > > > - So, I am thinking about getting a 64x, core i3 laptop from > > Toshiba or Dell. These are available with 13-15" screen, 250-350GB HD > > (I think IDE, some are Sata but more expensive), 3-4GB RAM. In > > theory, at least, these can be virtualized, and I should be able to > > run either vmware, xen, virtual box or whatever client MS provides > > for free. One can get core i3 for around $500 > > > > So here are my questions: > > > > 1. Does anyone know if Win7 includes a virtualization program that > > would allow me to run Linux under it? How efficient is it - will I be > > able to put it on full screen, forget I am running Windows, and use > > my preferred environment? > > I don't know if it "includes" anything like that, but you can always > install something like the open-source VirtualBox: > > http://www.virtualbox.org/
You could even (what am I saying?) run Linux on the machine, and run Windows under VirtualBox for your GPS. > I've been using VirtualBox happily on top of Linux. There's also VMware > which isn't free or gratis and other solutions. > > > 2. Any recommendations for something that is fully compatible with > > Linux, in case I get an alternative and can get rid of the windows > > part? > > I bought this Acer laptop: > > http://www.shlomifish.org/meta/FAQ/#computers-specs > > "Acer Aspire 5738DZG" and it works perfectly fine with Mandriva Linux > 2010.1 (most everything I've tried there works, with a few minor > glitches), though it's a relatively old model - Dual Core. > > Regards, > > Shlomi Fish -- Stan Goodman Qiryat Tiv'on Israel _______________________________________________ Linux-il mailing list Linux-il@cs.huji.ac.il http://mailman.cs.huji.ac.il/mailman/listinfo/linux-il