In the last episode, Neil Bothwick wrote: NB> On Thu, 29 Mar 2007 17:20:27 -0500, »Q« wrote: NB> NB> > > 1) You know that all the hardware works with Linux. If they supply NB> > > driver for Ubuntu, you can get them for Gentoo (unless Dell do NB> > > something horrid like using ndiswrapper) NB> > NB> > Already I know that the hardware I buy will work with Gentoo. If I got NB> > a Dell with preinstalled GNU/Linux, I could know that without engaging NB> > $searchengine, but avoiding searches isn't important to me. NB> NB> That's all but impossible with a laptop, unless the shop lets you boot it NB> with a live CD before you buy, because manufacturers change chipsets NB> without changing the model name. NB>
Indeed - and that's even assuming you buy from a shop (that you walk into). Here in the UK, companies that sell preloaded Linux are as rare as hen's teeth, and though I can cope with written German, there are linguistic issues which would be involved if I bought a laptop from Germany and experienced problems - aside from the legal issues which would worry me buying either from there or the States. (What happens if it gets damaged in transit? Would they be liable for not living up to the guarantee? Is there a warranty that covers international customers? If I have to take legal action, where would I file a suit? etc.) Whatever happens, there's very little chance my next laptop purchase won't be made on line, so no liveCD testing possible. Jeff -- For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled. Richard Phillips Feynman, American physicist, 11/5/18-15/2/88 -- -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
