[Tfug] TFUG gets to see this first - laptop buyer's guide, Linux specific

[Jim March]

Folks,

In doing research for a new laptop, I looked at current consumer-grade stuff
in the $300-$500 range and was disappointed as hell with the build quality,
poor selection of ports and interfaces, crappy video cards and screen
resolutions.  I figured there had to be a better answer.

There sure as hell is!

Laptops that sold for $3,500 on up (sometimes WAY up) four years ago are
coming in off of corporate lease for exactly the same price range as a new
"consumer grade" rig - and stack up very, very well against a lot of brand
new stuff.  The best deals involve systems with video cards ATI isn't
supporting for Win7 but are thoroughly Penguin-compatible.  What I've built
here:

http://weeklyintercept.blogspot.com/p/rethinking-sub-500-linux-laptop-buyers.html

...is a complete spotter's guide to these critters - notes on models, flaws,
good points and bad, issues with the various parts, etc.  Even some notes on
common repairs.  As a single-spaced MS-Office document it comes out to 11
pages(!).  I don't think anything else quite like it exists.  It covers
systems by IBM/Lenovo, Dell, HP and to a limited degree Toshiba.

Comments welcome.  There's a very short "if you like this please donate to
our election investigation effort" thing of one paragraph towards the
beginning - it isn't repeated and the info is all free regardless.

Thanks,

Jim
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