> -----Original Message----- > From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org > [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org]On Behalf Of Brian D. > Ropers-Huilman > Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 2:46 PM > To: TCLUG Mailing List > Subject: Re: [tclug-list] good notebook for college student? > > > On Wed, Aug 11, 2010 at 12:50, Mike Miller <mbmiller+l at gmail.com> wrote: > > My son starts college in a few days. He has an old Dell laptop > that isn't > > good enough for him, I guess. He wants for his laptop to be his main > > computer, ... > > > > We definitely want to run Linux (Ubuntu, preferably) ... > > > > Just thought I'd check here to see what kinds of tips and ideas you guys > > have. It's a tricky decision because of the trade-offs with > price, power, > > battery-life, features, etc. We'd like to keep the price down to $600. > > Like Florin, I'd recommend an IBM ThinkPad, though I don't have a > particular model in mind and I don't know how it fits in with your > proposed budget. There's a great list (though traffic is declining) > called [ltp] linux-thinkpad at linux-thinkpad.org which is devoted to > helping people run Linux on ThinkPad systems. > > For work, I've run Linux on ThinkPad laptops and used them as a > primary machine for over a decade now and I'm very happy with them. > > -- > Brian D. Ropers-Huilman > 612.234.7778 I prefer a lease return Dell Latitude D D610 or newer or D810 or newer. I got a fully loaded D810, fresh battery an short warranty for $196 not long ago. The newer D820s are available also. The big advantage of the Dell's is lifetime tech support, and ready availability of very good Dell accessories like dock, etc. I don't believe the IBM series can match the accessory suite, used price, etc, due mainly to markey share. Dell has a vibration and shock (etc) spec for the Latitude D's that HP, for example, does not. This means the Dell is actually rated for road warriors (my HP was not and the mobo died 3 times due to vibration even when in a proper bag, and poperly carried in a car). Chuck