by I have been keeping a list of "Mail Order Linux Workstation Vendors"
which I post from time to time in this and other newsgroups.
None of the three major mail order companies (Zeos, Dell and Gateway)
that I contacted were willing to install Linux on any of the machines
that they sell so it is unclear which of their machines will run Linux
Gateway 2000 pitched the idea of installing Linux on the machines that
Gateway sells to the managers in Marketing but no decision will be
taken until the third or fourth quarter of this year. All I can infer
from what I have been told is that they haven't said no yet. Many thanks
to all the people (about sixty) who sent email to Kim asking Gateway to
install Linux on their machines.
All of the vendors listed below will install Linux on the machines that
they sell but provide varying amounts of support for it. I have not dealt
with any of these vendors except 20/20 Technologies so I cannot recommend
them to you. Both SW Technology and Fintronic USA, Inc. are listed in the
Distribution-HOWTO and 20/20 Technologies should also appear there soon.
Three vendors (20/20 Technologies, SW Technology and Fintronic USA, Inc.)
sell 486 based notebook computers which run Linux and the X Window System.
In order to get a feel for the prices these vendors were charging,
I asked each vendor to give me a quote for the following configuration:
* 66 MHz 486DX/2 CPU (Intel or equivalent)
* 16MB RAM (upgradeable to 32MB)
* 340MB Local Bus IDE disk
* 1MB VRAM 1024x768 256 color Local bus video (for external video)
* 9.5" diagonal 640x480 256 color active matrix display,
* 2 Type II or 1 Type III PCMCIA slots with Linux PCMCIA drivers
* 14.4kbs internal data/fax modem
* 1.44MB floppy disk drive
* NiMH battery
* AC Adapter,
* 19mm trackball
* Linux installed and configured
20/20 Technologies
1786 Westwood Boulevard
West Los Angeles, CA 90024
Tel: (310) 441-8855
(800) 486-2020
Fax: (310) 441-8869
Price: $4499
Contact: Moujan Ahouraian
SW Technology
251 West Renner Suite 229
Richardson, TX 75080
Tel: (214) 907-0871
Price: $4549
Contact: Marvin Wu
Fintronic USA, Inc.
1360 Willow Rd., Suite 205
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Tel: (415) 325-4474
Fax: (415) 325-4908
URL: http://www.fintronic.com/linux/catalog.html
Price: $4685
Contact: Larry M. Augustin