Linux Ready to Go
The Consumer Guide to Preinstalled Linux
Lead image © tapati
In recent years, preinstalled Linux has become widely available; the question now is where to buy.
Just over a decade ago, buying computer hardware for Linux was an exercise in patience. Preinstalled Linux was obscure or nonexistent, and every piece of hardware required intensive research online before being purchased. Databases maintained by volunteers sometimes made the research easier, but often the only guidance was scattered pieces of conventional wisdom that might not be reliable. Happily, in 2023, preinstalled Linux is widely available, but you still need to consider the options carefully. Basically, preinstalled Linux comes in three categories: computers from standard manufacturers, those from Linux specialists, and – the most recent – those from Linux specialists who support software freedom. What follows is a sampling of potential choices in each category. It is by no means complete, but gives some idea of the available choices.
Computers From Standard Manufacturers
This category consists of corporate giants. Such companies make most of their sales from Windows computers, but popular demand has made them pay some attention to Linux – a development that seemed impossible 15 years ago. However, the computer market was saturated long ago, and today no possible angle can be ignored. Preinstalled Linux is only a small part of the giants' businesses, often confined to obscure corners of their websites, but they are definitely gearing up.
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