4 ms·

Personally I would pick Thinkpad or Dell - you can check "compatibility" of specific model with drivers shipped in linux kernel - so you don't have to mess with

by ergo14 15y ago

Personally I would pick Thinkpad or Dell - you can check "compatibility" of specific model with drivers shipped in linux kernel - so you don't have to mess with drivers at all. At least that's what I always do - never had an issue with compatiblity with linux nowdays, just buy what you know will be supported best. I think it more depends what you want to develop, i've often heard that it's less hassle to play with python etc. on linux than on a bsd.

libria 15y ago
This would be even more attractive if vendors consistently refunded the $130 if you refuse the Windows TOS (and license). Anyone had any luck with that? [1] http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2008/08/lenovo-wont-refund-the-windows-tax-without-an-nda.ars http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2008/08/lenovo-wont-... [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_refund http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_refund
- pm90 15y ago
  This is the only reason why I'm holding out buying a Dell laptop. I just can't bring myself to pay so much money for something I'm just not gonna use (I use linux)
pestaa 15y ago
> i've often heard that it's less hassle to > play with python etc. on linux than on a bsd. Why is that so? I've switched my server OS from Linux to FreeBSD, and I think I won't ever go back. Apart from the binary distribution channel, I haven't observed the slightest difference when it comes to programming stacks.
- ergo14 15y ago
  By bsd I meant OSX ;-)
  - pestaa 15y ago
    I see. The architecture is named Darwin, and I heard the same rumors about it python-wise and the like. Thanks for the response.
huxley 15y ago
If you go with homebrew and virtualenv to handle the installs for your python development, most of the problems disappear.
- ergo14 15y ago
  Good to know that it's getting better nowdays, still I would not exchange my trusty linux distro to osx ;-) How are things when you have to compile python extensions on your own?
  - huxley 15y ago
    With homebrew it's feasible if not quite completely painless. When Lion came out, I had problems with some C extensions that expect gcc, but found llvm-gcc or clang instead, though that problem is coming up less frequently. I don't use many exotic extensions so YMMV.

by ergo14 15y ago

libria 15y ago

This would be even more attractive if vendors consistently refunded the $130 if you refuse the Windows TOS (and license). Anyone had any luck with that? [1] http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2008/08/lenovo-wont-refund-the-windows-tax-without-an-nda.ars http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2008/08/lenovo-wont-... [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_refund http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_refund

pm90 15y ago
This is the only reason why I'm holding out buying a Dell laptop. I just can't bring myself to pay so much money for something I'm just not gonna use (I use linux)

pestaa 15y ago

> i've often heard that it's less hassle to > play with python etc. on linux than on a bsd. Why is that so? I've switched my server OS from Linux to FreeBSD, and I think I won't ever go back. Apart from the binary distribution channel, I haven't observed the slightest difference when it comes to programming stacks.

ergo14 15y ago
By bsd I meant OSX ;-)
- pestaa 15y ago
  I see. The architecture is named Darwin, and I heard the same rumors about it python-wise and the like. Thanks for the response.

huxley 15y ago

If you go with homebrew and virtualenv to handle the installs for your python development, most of the problems disappear.

ergo14 15y ago
Good to know that it's getting better nowdays, still I would not exchange my trusty linux distro to osx ;-) How are things when you have to compile python extensions on your own?
- huxley 15y ago
  With homebrew it's feasible if not quite completely painless. When Lion came out, I had problems with some C extensions that expect gcc, but found llvm-gcc or clang instead, though that problem is coming up less frequently. I don't use many exotic extensions so YMMV.