I'd like to add that I've used Dell's cheapy servers for years at home and have never had any problems with their Linux support. Well put together and quiet, too.
I run Fedora 14 on an E6510 at work and all of my hardware worked out of the box, including the video and the built in camera. Nice laptop overall.
That all said, if you want a well put together laptop, want exceptional battery life, and are willing to work a little bit harder you might look at the lower end Macbook Pros and Airs. I haven't tried to Boot Camp Linux on there, but I've heard of folks having luck. I have a 15" Macbook Pro and it's a wonderful piece of hardware - all other laptops feel like cheap crap compared to it.
Jeffrey
On Tue, Apr 19, 2011 at 9:17 PM, Glenn Robuck
<techravingmad@gmail.com> wrote:
I run linux on my Latitude E6500 (and it runs just as well on the E6510) and it works out of the box.
Those are well outside the $1000 budget that was first stated, but linux runs great on any and all the Dell laptops I've ever used. I only listed their ubuntu page because it's a linux offering.
I know that Dell also sells "no os" or freeDOS machines too but I didn't see any laptops on their site. You could always go through the Dell outlet and buy from there and the discount would put you under or near the $1000 mark.
Regardless, the Dell Latitude line work great as a linux laptop.