> > > you can buy computer without windows from many places. I would (and
> > > actually did) go that way...
> > >
> > > or build your own, it's fairly easy and you get exactly what you
> > > want/need (there are good articles in latest linux journal on building
> > > both the ultimate linux workstation and under $800 machine).
> >
> > What do you do if you want to buy a laptop? I think buying a laptop
> > without windoze is nearly impossible (at least here in austria) :(((
>
> http://www.tuxtops.com/
They ship internationally. If you can't do credit, they take other forms
of money like cashiers cheques and the like. You can order via the webform
and then converse with their staff via email if there's no easy way for you
to call them during U.S. pacific 9am-6pm.
Somewhat more importantly and not made obvious above, Tuxtops laptops are
available preloaded with Debian. *puffs up with pride*
(I remind you not to exchange private info across email if you can possibly
avoid it.)
> Heather Stern may know of a local Ozzie source for you. She's pinged on
> this.
I don't know any Austrian vendors personally, but I know some places to go
looking if you just really can't stand to have a non-local vendor. My fave
method is to use the Google! search engine (www.google.com) with a minimum
of 4 keywords, one of which is the model indicator of whatever it is you're
looking for, and another of which is something to narrow down the location.
Um, and don't tell it that you want only English. That usually reduces the
hits quite a bit, and in Europe especially, there might be really good vendors
who only throw up English pages as an afterthought.
Um, anyways to finish off, they also sell the software alone (e.g. Debian
in a ready-to-press-one-button kind of install kit) for the exact same hardware
as they sell. So if you're able to get an -exact- match from a closer vendor,
then you can reduce or delete that nasty MSwin stuff. However, your chances
of getting nailed for the Windows Tax are then pretty high. You might prefer
to pay it in shipping rather than see Mr.Bill earn any of it... for that matter
I dunno how much they overcharge for MSwin variants in other countries, it
might still be cheaper to get it from the U.S.
* Heather Stern * star@ many places...
p.s. You should check the recent archives on the debian-laptop list, since
both "Best Laptop?" and "Budget Laptop for Linux?" threads relate
to the matter of picking one, and what to look for.
http://lists.debian.org/ is your friend!
