[wellylug] What new laptop < $1000 is compatible with Ubuntu 8.04

[Carl Turney]

Hi Folks,

I've just spent 3 hours going in little circles and can't find the answer
to a simple question...

Are there any new laptops, being sold in Wellington for ~$1000 or less,
that are highly compatible with Ubuntu 8.04?  I want to buy it and bring
it to the InstallFest on Saturday - for a fresh total install.

Scouring and cross-referencing these different info sources have given me
nothing but a migrane and no real answer...
wiki.ubuntu.com
www.google.com
www.pricespy.co.nz
www.linux-on-laptops.com
ubuntuforums.org

Whatever fits the price range and is locally available doesn't seem to
have been tested on Hardy Heron, and the makes/models of whatever seems
highly compatible to HH are not currently available locally or are too
expensive.

Could any of you who are coming on Saturday, with personal experience in
making a currently-available lower-end laptop work with Ubuntu, please
point me in the right direction?  THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

(BTW...  I certainly don't want one of those non-hard-disk extremely cheap
and tiny notebooks.)

Cheers,

Carl

p.s.

If they don't have an internal NZ-compatible dial up modem, do they have a
serial port?

If they don't have a parallel port, will they talk to my Lexmark E230
through my parallel to USB converter?

Can I successfully connect my PS2 keyboard and mouse via a USB converter?

Is it difficult to swap hard disks in the thing?

Once again, thanks for all your help.