[ubuntu-uk] Choice of laptop

[James Tait]

On 06/11/14 21:01, Barry Drake wrote:
> On 05/11/14 15:22, Bill B. wrote:
>> We also need to [always], whether we know the answer or not ask 
>> one question when dealing with "big companies". "Does in work 
>> with Linux"?
> 
> Our local PCWorld has a policy (official) that staff must say: "We 
> don't support Linux".  I complained to head office and was told: 
> "This is because we don't sell anything with Linux installed."

A little over four years ago, I had reason to buy a decently-spec'd
laptop at very short notice, and PC World was the only realistic
option.  I was expecting exactly this kind of attitude, and was ready
to rebuff any offers of "help" that would try to steer me towards and
over-priced machine with Windows and all the add-ons.

A young lad came and asked if I needed any help, and I initially gave
him the brush-off with "just browsing for now, thanks."  He did
persist, though, so I explained that I was starting a new job on
Monday, would be working from home, and wanted a fairly powerful
laptop with a full HD screen, but didn't care about the software on it
because I'd be wiping it and installing Ubuntu as soon as I got it home.

Far from "we don't support Linux", his eyes lit up and he started
asking what I was going to be using it for, where I'd be working, etc.
 I came away with a knock-down deal on a Sony Vaio that, while it gave
me some initial teething problems with the nVidia graphics, served me
well until my laptop refresh last year, and is now providing solid
Facebook service to my wife.

I suppose the moral of the story is, regardless of PC World's
"official" policy, sometimes it just comes down to the particular
member of staff you end up dealing with.

JT

P.S.

I now have a System76 Gazelle Pro, which I bought just over a year
ago.  Great display (I went for the IPS upgrade), excellent
performance, but the keyboard (even with the proper Ubuntu key) is
terrible.  Having heard about PCSpecialist on this list, I configured
a similarly-spec'd laptop, and the price came in roughly £500 cheaper,
and obviously without the £200 import tax.
-- 
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James Tait, BSc                        |    xmpp:jayteeuk at wyrddreams.org
Programmer and Free Software advocate  |        Tel: +44 (0)870 490 2407
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