Re: ready to use debian or ubuntu laptop reccomendations?

[Star King of the Grape Trees <thestar@fussycoder.id.au>]

Britton Kerin wrote:

> I would like to buy my non-linux girlfriend a ready to 
> use laptop with:
>  
>   wireless scan, falling back to CAT5 DHCP
>   open office
>   CD ROM that automounts
>   SD card reader that automounts
>   working sound card
>   reasonable memory and disk
>   working video acceleration (at least a bit)
>
> The last item is nonessential, needed only to make
> X more comfortable, not for games or anything.
>
> I can spend about $1000, though it seems like they
> should be available for less given the windows crud
> that is out there and the supposed high cost of
> Windows XP.
>
> Is it possible to get such a system?  I tried with
> linuxcertified but the system she got was broken in
> a variety of ways.  I'd really appreciate it if
> anyone has any reccomentations of a model that they
> know from personnal experience will work.
Usually, personal experiences are with laptops that are now out of date.
(ie, they'll recommend their laptop after they've used it for a month or 
so - which happens to be when the laptops have stopped being sold).

Windows is very expensive *UNLESS* you get some sort of volume discount 
or you purchase it with your computer.
I have heard of places where windows cost $30 AUD or less, due to these 
deals with MS.

You can spend $1000 <What currency>?  $1000 AUD will get you a laptop, 
but afaik, only DELL can get one that cheap, and it will not have 
hardware accelleration.

I have a (fairly expensive) laptop, which has a SD Card reader, however 
the reader does not work in linux.  If price is a concern, I suggest an 
external adapter.