buying a laptop either bare or with Ubuntu

[Ben Scott]

On Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 3:27 PM, Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org> wrote:
>>  If you buy a Dell, I *strongly* recommend the "Gold Tech Support"
>> package ...
>
> If you buy "Gold Tech Support", what do you get if you buy a laptop with
> Windows installed and install another OS,, like Fedora or Ubuntu.

  I've never had anything less than excellent results from Dell GTS.
I've switched versions of Windows, and while they've remarked that the
system shipped with something different, were still perfectly willing
to help.  I believe their phone menus prompt you for the OS you're
running; if not, they can transfer.

  Back when Dell's Ubuntu support consisted of a gift certificate for
Canonical, it might have been difficult, but I think their support is
better integrated now.  While it wouldn't surprise me to hear you're
still talking to a Canonical employee, I think you can go through
Dell's phone system to get there (but don't quote me on that).

  Outside of the "regular" support avenues, Dell also offers a Linux
wiki and some mailing lists, and quite a few top-level engineers hang
out there.  Often you're talking to the guy who actually wrote the
drivers.  There's an officially supported RPM/YUM repository for the
Dell management tools, and an "unsupported" repo with various firmware
and other utilities.

  If you're running a Linux distro Dell doesn't support/train on, that
may limit how much they can do for you.  However, I've generally found
Dell's Linux people to be quite willing to help.  For example, while
Dell doesn't officially support Debian, there is an unsupported Dell
APT repository with all their firmware and management tools as .deb
packages.  So you can just add that repo and do "apt-get install
smbios-utils" or whatever.  Or so I'm told; I haven't tried it.

> ... Dell [warranty] is 90 days.

  I think it depends on the product line (Latitude vs Inspiron, for
example).  But their standard support is worthless in any event.
Thick accents, heavily scripted, unwilling and unable to help.  That's
why I recommend the Gold support.

  With Dell, customer service is basically an option.  You can pay for
it and get it, or not, your decision.

> WRT: Gateway. We used them in 2 different companies I worked for ...

  I could tell endless horror stories.  New systems shipped missing
parts.  Dust-covered, used parts shipped as new.  Field service guys
arriving without parts or any clue of what to do or even that they're
working for Gateway.  Unrecognized model/part numbers, and thus no way
to get drivers.  Component changes in models that they didn't know
about, and thus getting the wrong drivers.  Cats and dogs living
together.  Mass hysteria.  You get the picture.

-- Ben