BleepingComputer.com: Linux Netbook Recommendations

Looking for something that travels well, is inexpensive and just plain old works. I used to think that'd be ASUS and its Eee line of netbooks, but they've begun dumping Windows on it (news to me only because I recently started seriously shopping for one), instead of linux. Although, to be fair, I heard Xandros was a bit of a bear when it came to being supported or having hardware compatibility.

I trust ASUS hardware. It's what I built my desktop on, essentially. But I don't want to pay an extra $25-50 (a lot when your price range is $3-400) for an OS that I never intend on using. Not when all I'm going to do is messengers, surfing (email, social networks, youtube), and light office work (small spreadsheets, word documents).

I hear Dell is putting linux (ubuntu, even) on some of the netbooks. However... Dell is notorious for a serious amount of suck. Along with HP, Gateway and several of the other big OEMs. I know I will *never* buy Acer portable technology after seeing what happened to my friend's laptop. That was a nightmare in and of itself.

So... What does a person do when they want a linux netbook that ( a ) comes with linux, ( b ) comes with a supported linux, and ( c ) comes with quality hardware? Am I stuck buying a Eee and installing Ubuntu NBR on it? Or are there other alternatives that I just haven't been enlightened to?

This post has been edited by DnDer: 17 June 2009 - 10:53 AM

Asus still offers Linux on the Eee, AFAIK: http://eeepc.asus.com/global/getstarted.html?n=1

I agree with you that Asus kicks backside, and that's what I've built my desktop on as well. Also, Dell IS full of suckiness, IMHO.

A late reply, but checkout 'The Register's' review at http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/06/09/wh...x_for_netbooks/