This was certainly a timely notice. I have been shopping around for Linux laptops. Yes, let’s face it ubuntu is ready for the masses so why not sell it to the masses?

I have looked around at a bunch of mom and pop linux companies. God bless them, but I’m willing to go with DELL for a few reasons:

• Quality – 12 years ago, DELL computers were a joke in the business community. Now many corporations rely on DELL for their desktops and laptops. I have had 3 DELL laptops [D610, D620] over the past 6 years and they have all been rock-solid.
• Support – DELL has support. Joe blow’s Linux shop may have it, but it is probably not 24×7.
• Stability – DELL has no signs of going bankrupt.
• Ligitimacy – Buying Linux from DELL sends a message to the corporate world that yes, Virginia there are Linux users out there who don’t build their hardware from scratch.

My biggest home computing infrastructure issue is to simplify. I’ve been maintaining 3 computers. Well, 4 if you count the Misses’s laptop. I want to only have a laptop since I no longer need to be tied to my basement work center.

I have a 1U rackmount, a workstation and a laptop. All are past their prime, but still useful. I’m trying to sell them for nominal fees on Craigslist, but I may end up donating them or recycling them.

I plan to replace the storage in the workstation with a NetDisk and then access it through my secure wireless LAN.