Pricing against HP must be why Dell sent me a nice discount book on
their gear a few weeks back.
It looks like I can get the Inspiron 1720 (Intel T5420,, 2 GB memory
and 250GB disk) for $999. "$260 off" according to this booklet.
Such a deal!
It comes with Vista Home Premium, of course. No mention of a
discounted Ubuntu pre-load on the same box.
However, judging from another recent thread, I can just skid the MS
crap into a corner, install Ubuntu into a major disk chunk and then
dual boot the sucker. (The PC gaming is better after all.) Plenty
of disk to go around (as long as I don't go for Flight Simulator).
Probably won't invalidate Dell's service plan either.
Sounds like a plan. Except that I like the Ruby Red this week.
-- Dan Connelly
Richard Jeroloman wrote:
Dan,
I'm also in the market for a laptop. I've looked at what's available and I like both Dell and HP but it seems strange to me that the Dell linux laptops are actually about $200 more expensive that the equivalent HP Windows laptops. I would have expected them to be cheaper since linux is free. I think that they are making people pay extra for support and maintenance of linux. I tried out an HP Pavilion costing $1000 and I was able to install both Kubuntu 7.10 and Puppy linux. They both appeared to work well although I didn't try everything. HP seems to be the better buy because you can save $200 and get Vista as a bonus.
I think that I might try the HP tablet computer next but I wonder if the 12" screen might be too small. Tablets don't seem to be very popular but I think that using Ubuntu with Rosegarden on it, I could set it on the music stand on top of my piano and read the music directly off the computer. Also the touch sensitive screen might be useful. Of course I want it to do everything else that a normal laptop would do.
I think that it would be helpful if VAGUE had a discussion of this so that we could draw upon the combined expertise of the group in making our purchase decisions. $1000 is after all a significant investment. I choose this figure (actually $999.99) because I want to buy the computer in NH, tax free. I will then declare it on my Vermont income tax form and pay the $7 extra tax which applies to out of state purchases of less than $1000. This will give me a net savings of $63. Of course this won't pay for the gas to go to NH but if I make the purchase during a trip that I make for other reasons, it's a nice bonus. It's good to keep in mind that a purchase from a chain store in NH can be returned to that chain's branch here in Burlington.
Terry
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:32:54 -0500
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Inspirion (w/ Ubuntu 7.10)
To: [email protected]
Okay, okay. I don't really need a notebook. I don't hang out at
Starbucks or anything.
But, its just not cool now to go out on a gig without sniffing the wifi
(just to show I am Web 2.0 hip). I mean, nobody jots down the
deliverables in notebook anymore.
(Oh, I am being archaic. Forgive me. Consultants and other students
used to write notes in a binder full of blank sheets of paper. They
called that a "note-book." Weird, huh?)
In any case, I don't want the usual case. I want a Dell Inspirion with
colorful case (but not Spring Green or Flamingo Pink).
I am considering the following:
Alpine White
Ruby Red
Midnight Blue
Sunshine Yellow
Dell's swatches are not helpful. Geez, when it comes to important
decisions like this, I get all wobbly in the knees.
Anyone want to help me out here?
(viz.: impress chicks, put-off thieves, accessorize my Levis, complement
the compiz eye-candy, project an aura of anti-establishment
self-confidence, etc., etc.)
I think I'll go with Yellow.
-- Dan Connelly
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