[ubuntu-uk] Question about Ubuntu installed Dell Laptops....

[John]

I am sorry if this has come up before, also about cross posting, but I 
havent been able to find anything about it, so wanted to as about it.

I am a from the UK, and because of my laptop not being up to Ubuntu 
specs, I have been looking into buying a laptop with ubuntu already 
installed. I have a friend in the USA that has just bought what he says 
is a really good Dell laptop with ubuntu in it for just over $400. I 
have been looking at the UK Dell site to fimd that the very basic Ubuntu 
Installed laptops by Dell, start at £300 plus Vat almost double the 
pirce in the USA.

How come there is such a huge difference in cost? I know Dell is 
separate company to Ubuntu, but surely Ubuntu must have gone to 
discussions about their software being installed on laptops in this 
country.

Being a new user, I really like Ubuntu, but I'm finding it extremely 
frustrating not being able to use it, admittedly mainly due to my lack 
of experience with it, but if I could find a laptop with it already 
installed at a cost like they are in the USA I would dump Windows 
altogether, and be able to concentrate on learning Ubuntu without having 
to get around the problems I'm finding using it in a dual boot environment.

Right now, I lost the use of my laptop in the Ubuntu boot, after trying 
to install the update from 8.04 to 8.10. I find it really frustrating 
that to get my Ubuntu back, I have to tell ubuntu not to load compiz, 
which takes up a lot of what Ubuntu is. Which means I'm missing out on a 
lot of the functions of Ubuntu.

So why, if Ubuntu is trying to get more people to use their products are 
they making it so difficult and costly for people like me who are on the 
lower incomes, to be able to use their products? Is Dell the only 
company selling laptops with Ubuntu already installed? Does anybody know 
of any other company that sells them cheaper, or would I have to get one 
from the USA. If I do have to buy from the USA, will it work in the UK?

Its really frustrating.