Shopping Help

[etherial]

Thoughts on buying a new computer. What I need:

• a laptop model
• a full adult-sized keyboard
• a non-Vista operating system requiring one click or less to install
• the ability to run multiple web browsers at once (as well as a game or two)
• cheap (free) anti-virus protection
• DVD drive

I've only bought one computer before. That was easy: Go to apple.com, fill out the information for the educator's discount, buy a top-of-the-line model with all the upgrades. Unfortunately, I have not the budget for a top-of-the-line anything. So, any suggestions on sellers, manufacturers, and models?

Edit: I really do mean non-Vista. XP is a version of Windows I'd be willing to use. 7 seems to have all the usability of XP with all the pretty of Vista, but that's just my first impression. *nix is fine, and the one click is just a metaphor, but I remember the days when it took months to *nix working properly on a PC, and I want a guarantee that it'll be fully functional in half an hour.

Comments

[daedaleandeus.livejournal.com]

Dell's outlet store sells refurbished / returned never used laptops for extremely cheap. I bought Alex a very very swank Win7 laptop with several bells and whistles there for around $800. I saw models as low as $400 and they all generally come with a year of worry-free.

[dirkcjelli.livejournal.com]

Lenovo does something similar, and I've had a good experience with their higher end stuff via work. (K/x)Ubuntu is easier to install than any other OS I've used.

[dirkcjelli.livejournal.com]

Note: Lenovo comes with windows. That was two suggestions.

[evan712.livejournal.com]

(K/x)Ubuntu is easier to install than any other OS I've used.

This. Ubuntu has really turned into a fantastic OS. It's easy to make a live cd/usb if you want to try it before you install it.

And you know it's true if dirk and I both agree 100% :-)