On Sun, 4 Jan 2009, Keith Bachman wrote: > The Dell is likely to come with a 32-bit install (64-bit has been > difficult at best for plugins etc) - but, it's in the price range you're > looking at, and throws some weight behind the "customers want Linux" > which is why I ordered the first one they put out last year. (I got the > 1505N) - plus all the hardware just WORKS. > > If you're going to put Linux on there anyway, might as well have it come > that way. I agree with your ideas but note that some people have had problems with Ubuntu pre-installed on Dells and that was followed by bad experiences with Dell customer support. I might try it though and just hope I get lucky, like you obviously did. I don't use the laptop for much serious computing. For that I ssh to another machine. So I don't think the 32 v. 64 will really matter to me. So one really serious requirement for the laptop is that it let me connect to the web through wireless (or wired) access points in hotels, airports and coffee shops. If it won't do that roughly as effectively as a WinXP machine, it will be a serious limitation. I also want the sound card to work. That's pretty much all the important stuff. To the list -- What are your experiences with GNU/Linux laptops in hotels, airports and coffee shops? Mike