Basic Laptop purchase question

[basketcase]

I've tried ubuntu and knoppix flavours of linux and found them to pretty much be based on the same kinds of user controls as mac and windows. Maybe there is not as much polish but they work well, have the right cost, are safe, and are constantly being improved. Both were very easy to install and came with common software applications also for free. The only reason I'm still using xp at all is for games and a couple of incompatable apps that I need.

 

[danibbler]

Windows just went to Vista and later this year Mac is doing a major upgrade to a new OS also, so my thinking is, dump them both and learn Linux which seems to do everything they do and it's FREE.
That's why I recommended doing a dual boot setup, so you can take your time learning Linux which so far I find very impressive.

OS X upgrades are not sea-changes on the order of Windows or OS 9 to OS X. The new Leopard version will be very similar to its Tiger predecessor. I went from 10.1 to 10.3 and the biggest difference seemed to be a faster speed.

For me, OS X is my main OS with WinXP for gaming and Linux on this old laptop for websurfing.

 

[sarasota]

Thanks again for everyones help. I placed the order and the Dell 1501 with XP, 1G RAM etc. is arriving this week. I had to go to the business section of the Dell website to buy it. The first rep. I spoke to said no because I was not a business. So I call again and second rep sold me one.