I just bought a new Compac Laptop from Wall Mart. It comes with Vista loaded. Most of the crap on the opening screen is software that I have to remove because it is a 60 day trial. What a bunch of crap. If it doesn't belong to me, why do they put it on the computer and use up disk space! But its immaterial since I will be erasing it all to put Freespire on it anyway. But it just goes to reinforce my love of Linux.

The very first thing I did when I bought computers ( I build then from scratch now a days) is format the hard drive and install some linux distro.

Wow, not like anyone has done this before. Well, except for buying a computer at Wal Mart. WTF?

I wonder how good that would be...

I'll never buy straight from Compaq again. They screwed me over.

Incidentally, Walmart is one of the few/first stores where one can purchase a computer with Linux installed, though not necessarily a Walmart in your area, or on your continent, nor necessarily a Linux you like (or even have ever heard of) or computer brand you like.
As an example, Walmart in China apparently sells laptops containing 'Redflag Linux'..

SVA

Well, I tried to buy one a CompUSA but they have a real classy business plan, "Dont Honor Rebates During Inventory"...thus guaranteeing that there will be more inventory to pay tax on at years end. So on the way home from NOT buying a computer at CompUSA I stopped at Wall Mart and their price on the Compac was better than anything CompUSA had to offer, even with the rebates....so that excellent business plan of theirs drove me not only out of the store, but right into the arms of a competitor.

I cant imagine what they were thinking when they came up with that plan.

Compaq? There are stores that still sell Compaq branded PCs? Since when? Compaq was acquired by HP a while ago now last I heard.

They were bought out by HP, but I think HP still uses the Compaq brand name. I've seen several new notebooks that are labelled as Compaq or HP Compaq.

Yes, and HP is still using the Compac brand name on the computers. I guess thy think its good bussiness to use the good will that comes with a brand name.

Well, a week ago I bought an Asus eee at ... .. . . . Toys R Us!!
It's awesome for the price (£219 = US$440?)
Of course it comes with linux, wireless, webcam, solid-state "disk", skype, openoffice, amarok etc.
.. and it's highly hackable:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biRzKj3XxCY
http://www.eeeuser.com/2007/10/29/ee...-linux-review/

OK, well. I would never buy an Asus, and definitely never buy it at Toys R Us.

These EEE PC's actually are getting some serious buzz here in NoCal. From what I've seen, these things look like an excellent portable/travel laptop option

Now that is a cool little device. I wish I had seen that before I went to all the work of setting up a remote display for the helm of my boat. In the past I used a Sony Viao, which is too big, for the display of my charting software while underway. Now I have the Sony below decks with a cable to the helm where I have a FP Display and a mouse. I really need something smaller and this would have been perfect.

Hmms... as much as I dislike Microsoft this is just wrong. Microsoft isn't the company that puts this crapware on your pc; It's been either Compaq or Walmart or both. Anyway congratulations with your 10000000% speed and stability gain by removing Vista

What distro do you use and how well does it perform on this laptop? HP is known for great Linux support and so I am very interested in how this Compaq Laptop supports Linux.

PS: What are the hardware specs?

First, the blame to microsoft. The software I am complaining about, at least in one case, all the games, id all intertwined with the microsoft games, so it is microsofts fault.

Second, The distro of Linux I was going to use. My plan was Freespire/Umbuntu, but it wont install! I tried both running it live and Installing and both hang up with a blank (dark gray, not black) screen at just the point when the opening screen should be appearing. I tried "Puppy" Live and it also seemed to be going fine till when the opening screen should appear and then I got a frozen BLACK screen. In all three cases the computer was frozen and required removal of the battery to turn it off for a restart. So for now, I dont have Linux installed!!!

Third, the specs. HP Compac Presario F500 Widescreen, 1024MB DDR2 RAM, 120GB HD, AMD Athlon 64x2 1.7ghz, DVD/CD +/- R/RW DRIVE, 15.4" WXGA, 802.11 b/g wireless (integral), 10/100Base-T (RJ-45), 3 @ USB 2.0 ports. $565usd

Impressions: Like ALL laptops, the "open" button for the CD/DVD is difficult to find and would be better placed on the top instead of the side. Having three USP ports, one on the right and two on the left is nice as is having ALL ports on the sides and front and none on the back. The lack of a PCI slot may not be bad since everything seems to be built in anyway.