On 01/18/2015 07:29 AM, john@AgeingGracefully.ca wrote:
I have never installed used nor installed linux on a laptop ($500 - $600), however I have decided to buy one but before doing so I need some advice. These are the questions that come to mind. 1. Graphics radeon or nvidia? I have nvidia on my desktop but have no experience with radeon. 2. WiFi what to avoid? 3. Dual boot? What problems should I expect? I will install Jessie from a thumb drive and upgrade to testing when Jessie becomes stable.
Checking Linux hardware compatibility a priori is very difficult. Product manufacturers deal with product lines, model numbers, version numbers, etc., and don't release the schematic and bill of materials. Linux kernel developers deal with specific make, model, HW version, and/or FW version chips. Linux packagers deal with kernel, driver, firmware, and/or software packages and versions. Software developers potentially have to deal with everything. Cross indexing this morass is next to impossible. The only way to find out if Linux distribution A edition B version C works on make D line E model/version F computer is to install it and test. If A is "Debian", you might want to post here using D, E, F as the subject, ask if anyone runs that, and ask what is B and C.
As for graphics, I prefer integrated Intel HD graphics (GMA on older machines). They work with lots of OS's -- Windows, Linux, BSD, and others. Beware that the newest chips require the newest kernels, graphics drivers, etc.. Also, beware of Intel chips with PowerVR graphics (Atom, maybe others?) -- they are proprietary and FOSS support is poor.
As for dual-boot, I hate it. I recently tried installing Debian on USB flash drives, and found that it works. The 16 GB SanDisk Cruzer Fit USB 3.0 drives are very compact and only stick out 7 mm when installed (so there is little risk of breaking them off). They can max out a USB 2.0 port (~40 MBps). While a traditional HDD may have higher throughput numbers, flash wins on latency and overall responsiveness. It's a poor-man's flash drive for $10.
I see a couple of options:1. Buy a new laptop from a vendor who knows how to put both Windows and Linux on it correctly, and will back up their claim with a 30+ day money-back guarantee.
2. Try installing Linux onto a flash drive on a new or used laptop before purchasing. As another posted suggested, older machines with BIOS/MBR technology should be the most likely to work correctly. If you get an older machine and Linux works on it, maxing out the RAM and/or replacing the HDD with an SSD will make it more responsive.
HTH, David