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I'm looking to buy a ~10inch screen netbook that works with Ubuntu. That's probably the easy bit. There are dozens of good options available.

Unfortunately, everything I look at is shackled to its own copy of Windows. I don't believe in paying for something I'm not going to use (unless it's cheaper than any other option).

So far the only thing that really checks the boxes is the Lemur UltraThin from System76 but it's a US company and while they do deliver to the UK now, it would likely rack up import taxes, VAT, etc... Paired with an exchange rate that can go either way, and it looks like it could be a bit expensive.

So I'm looking for UK-based options. Around £400. 7-13" screen (as long as it's small). Either running Ubuntu (or something that can be replaced by Ubuntu) or naked. Obviously with good Linux support... And modern hardware that will last a couple of years.

Oli
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    Acer aspire one is my solution. It comes with windows in most instances out of the box, but for a sub $300 laptop at WalMart I can't beat it(all hardware also works out of the box for me). Some folks have commented that they are having problems with XYZ driver. It all works fine for me with Ubuntu desktop and Ubuntu minimal with XFCE. – RobotHumans Nov 29 '10 at 21:34

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I'm not up on gear prices in UK, but this meets the "no farking windows" requirement: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2010/11/jolibook-goes-on-sale-in-the-uk-for-279/

msw
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    It checks that box but as the post says, you can get those specs (and better) in other netbooks with Windows and pay less. I'm only militant enough about this if it saves me cash :) – Oli Nov 29 '10 at 13:57
  • have you looked at MSi? – theTuxRacer Nov 29 '10 at 14:04
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I already made my point in the question mentioned by aneeshep why you don't necessarily pay for Windows, though Microsoft will get paid a little bit (7 Starter has an almost symbolic low price for OEMs). It simply is less expensive for hardware manufacturers to sell one OS systems only.

From Ubuntu ooB support I have made very good experience with the good old Samsung LC10. It has not a lot of fancy features (lack of HD Video playback IMO the most missing). However it's affordable - but still high end from design and robustness, comes with an excellent keyboard, a bright non-glare display, and a very long lasting power supply.

If however you're interested in modern hardware that meets your needs for "several years" as you say, you might need to wait for the new netbook processor generation (e.g. the AMD Bobcat) that will come in 2011.

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Takkat
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Similar post: Can you get computers with Ubuntu preloaded in the UK?

Have you checked this?

Hope this helps

Community
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aneeshep
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  • I had looked at Dell, yes. They only have a 15" laptop and that's not cheap. The rest are not specific to netbooks. Linux Emporium, for example, only have quite old or very expensive hardware in their netbook range. – Oli Nov 29 '10 at 14:16
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I have a 10" MSI U100 that I run Linux Mint on (Ubuntu variant) and it works great and can be had very inexpensively. There are many days when I use this as my only machine, even though I have a more expensive Thinkpad X61. Yes the U100 came with XP on it, but easily wiped and I don't think that license really adds anything to the cost.

Check eBay UK for something like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MSI-U100-Wind-Laptop-Computer-Notebook-160GB-10-White-/200545278237?pt=UK_Computing_Laptops_EH&hash=item2eb16e191d#ht_961wt_702

Thinkpad X61 machines (12") are not sold as netbooks, but aren't that much bigger than your typical netbook. Since these machines are not the latest model, they can also be had very inexpensively... this is what I have as a primary machine and run Ubuntu 10.04 on it.

Kendor
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