[COLUG] Seeking recommendations for Linux distro for ancient laptop

[Thomas W. Cranston]

Andrew J. Barr wrote:
> On Thu, 2007-03-29 at 14:22 -0600, Thomas W. Cranston wrote:
>   
>> Be careful about new laptops(& PC's), especially ones preloaded w/Vista. 
>> I am hearing rumors that MS has convinced manufacturers to use chipsets 
>> that will only work w/Vista. Would appreciate confirmation of said rumor.
>>     
>
> I _highly_ doubt it. Linux has drivers for most modern chipsets or will
> shortly--I have a current-generation Core 2 Duo machine that has never
> seen a copy of Windows and never will--even though the motherboard is
> advertised as being Vista ready.
>
> MS cares about sales--which they've already made in the OEM case. What
> do they care what chipsets OEMs use? And what's more, often the chipset
> vendors are the ones writing the Linux drivers just in the normal course
> of product development--it's not like MS hasn't been bullying the
> hardware industry for years anyway--this hasn't stopped them from
> writing Linux drivers before, why should it now?
>
> That rumor screams urban legend to me. _Everything_ that is widely sold
> these days is preloaded with Vista. We'd be hearing about it if Linux
> didn't work on machines available on the market _right now_.
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>   
> We'd be hearing about it if Linux
> didn't work on machines available on the market _right now_.
I am hearing about it from people that are not able to install linux on 
some new computers (Gateway). It is conceivable that the new chipsets 
could have just come online. On the other hand, some manufacturers are 
offering new computers w/Linux pre installed.

Might be an urban legend, however when it comes to dealing w/Bill Gates, 
discretion is greater than valor.