[ubuntu-uk] buying a laptop?

[Yorvyk]

On Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:08:23 +0000
alan c <aeclist at candt.waitrose.com> wrote:

> On 17/01/11 09:53, Barry Drake wrote:
> > On Mon, 2011-01-17 at 09:29 +0000, Scrase, Eddie wrote:
> >>  Although I haven't bought a laptop from them, from past experience I can
> >>  recommend the Linux emporium (linuxemporium.co.uk).
> >
> > I've heard very good reports about them, but looking at their website, I
> > thought they were a tad expensive.  Is their stuff higher spec than your
> > average Computer World items?
> 
> I priced them - for my type of mid/low range laptop, as about 50 
> pounds above the best I could get elsewhere. I still used them for 
> three laptops for friends who wanted a retail purchase. For me, it 
> would have been an extra price I was happy to pay to support an 
> excellent business  to support the beliefs I hold. I would dislike to 
> pay a 50 pound 'donation' to a large software company for an OS I did 
> not want to be associated with, even if the price overall was lower.
> 
> The retail experience of my friends was unsurpassed. One mentioned 
> poor eyesight, and Emporium installed also, by arrangement, Vibuntu 
> (for poor sight), no charge. One of the video aspects of Vibuntu gave 
> trouble at installation of vibuntu and they sorted that anyway. The 
> other two friends used the phone support during the warranty. One 
> needed serious  work. It sounded like the file system had got bad, not 
> sure. The user was a novice and was using a usb internet dongle and I 
> guess that there were problems from intermittent connections, 
> including with updates, but I am guessing. All problems were sorted 
> online.
> 
> When the time came for me to take over support as a friend, Emporium 
> answered questions about their machines and gave detailed advice, and 
> offered more, about how to upgrade versions etc.
> 
> That is a pretty good 50 pounds worth! And of course, they (and I) had 
> the knowledge that Ubuntu and webcam and all, would -work-.
>
This is the reason I tend to use a couple of local shops.  Although slightly pricier than online or the likes of PC World, I actually get customer service.

I'm surprised http://www.system76.com/ haven't been mentioned, unless I've missed it . 


-- 
Steve Cook (Yorvyk)

http://lubuntu.net