I'm seriously considering buying a laptop preinstalled with linux from a company called linuxcertified. com - does anyone here have any experience with this company? I feel kind of nervous about spending a lot of money on something from a company I don't know much about. Their lc2430 is the one I am considering, sounds really good, to me anyway, but I'm far from being an expert on this. [added: I tried to post the url to this model but was unable to since I'm new here - but I swear I have no affiliation to them - it goes something like /linux-laptop-lc2430. html though, if anyone cares to take a look at it. ]

At first I had been considering buying a Dell or IBM and installing linux myself, but I really don't have the time for learning all that now, I need to be up and running soon and getting work done. So I decided to check into preinstalled linux.

I'd appreciate any information anyone has about this company.

Thanks,
Trisha

IMHO, you would be doing yourself a disservice by not installing and configuring the pc yourself... USING linux does require some understanding of what is going on underneath the hood, and you will need to know sooner or later. plus nearly all hardware is now supported in linux (unlike the early days), so you can buy with little fear of having hardware incompatibilities...

those look pricey too.... I hate to say this, but I would just go buy a dell.

Under other circumstances I would take the time to learn how to install it myself. However, I need to get up and running with a laptop soon. We recently found out my dad has cancer and I will need to spend a few days each week for quite a while at my parents house to drive him to where he needs to go for radiation treatments. My parents don't have a computer. I need to be able to get some work done while I'm there though, I can't afford not to. I could have just gone out and bought any laptop with windows on it and left it at that, but I have really wanted to switch to linux for a long time now. With getting one preinstalled I can have a functioning laptop right away. I can learn the other stuff as I need to when I have the time. Plus, I have been stressed about everything the past 2.5 weeks that I haven't been able to think very clearly or concentrate that well, it just isn't a good time to try and figure out all the installation stuff myself.

I've heard that most hardware should be compatible, but then I've heard about problems with things like modems too, which I will need, just too much for me to learn all at once now. Even preinstalled linux will be pushing it right now for me.

that's different. sorry to hear about your situation and good luck... please come back if you have any questions or need any help