Laptop and Distro Recommendations?

[Bob Scofield <scofield@omsoft.com>]

Here are two questions.

1)  Is there a laptop brand that is recommended for running Linux?

I assume that the answer is "no."  I assume that laptop components are 
changing so rapidly that if Toshiba is better in January, then Lenovo is 
better in April.  But are there brands that are generally better than others?

2)  Are there distros that are easier to get running on a laptop then Debian?

I was wondering, for example, if there were more drivers in a commercial 
distro like SuSE that would make it easier to set up for a person like me, 
who is not all that tech oriented.  I've installed Debian a few times on this 
desktop, but I have to say that reading the posts on this list really 
intimidates me.

Thank you.

Bob