Recommend me a laptop for Linux

qwip, do you think OS X and an X windows session would work with processor intensive stuff like real-time audio?

There are any number of resources for info on http://www.linux-laptop.net/. To approach this in an easy fashion, buy a laptop that is a little out of date - i.e., the manufacturer started selling it in January 2005 instead of October 2005, or something along those lines. And use the latest version of your chosen Linux distribution that you can. That way, you're not the pioneer trying to be the first to install on the Dell 9782XYZ, and you can google for "linux dell 9872XYZ" to find the OTHER guy who was the first one to do it and put up a webpage about doing it. Further, you can do this googling before you buy the machine and see if there is anything that truly isn't supported (which should be quite rare these days, if you use the newest distributions available).

Yes, I would imagine it would work just fine, as I don't think it is being "emulated" like running Virtual PC. Underneath all the eye candy, OS X is basically a form of BSD. If fact, you can run many "Linux" programs that have been ported directly in OS X. You have to use the command line, but it works great. Look into using http://fink.sourceforge.net/ to manage and install most of these programs. The best thing about using Fink is that if you want to get rid of it, you can just delete the /sw directory and it is gone.

Although it's down right now, http://www.ubuntuforums.org/ has a laptop area... there might be some good resources in there. I've had good luck with my hp and ubuntu, but it's been something of an education into how linux works to get it all functioning properly. If you want something simple, the 12" ibook is pretty nice. Depending on your location, you might be able to try out your specific app at an apple store, if you ask nicely. Once you sort it all out, though, linux on laptops can be pretty fun... For instance, you can do things, especially with the wireless cards, that you wouldn't normally be able to do.

The http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/notebooks/0,39023985,10000055,00.htm is getting long in the tooth (I have one, and it's still going like a champ) but can http://search.ebay.co.uk/c400_W0QQfltZ9QQfromZR8 for pretty cheap and there http://www.google.com/search?q=c400+linux&sourceid=mozilla&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 stories and guides to getting it to run linux. Only 1 USB port but I just stuck a mini USB hub on it. Only complaint is that the optical drive is external. Very light, very small, reasonably attractive.

The T series Thinkpads were designed with Linux in mind. I run Libranet (which is Debian based, like Ubuntu) on a T21 with no problems. If you go that route, I'd suggest a T22 or later. Then you can boot from USB. Earlier models have a more limited bios.

I have a C400 that's also going like a champ, and I've been dual-booting windows XP and linux on it for about a year now. The thing's really getting beat after a year of daily work use, and it badly needs more RAM, but it's perfect for linux. I did, however, have major problems getting the Intel 2200b/g internal wireless card to work well with it. However, that being said, the IBM T-series laptops are the gold standard for having a penguin on your lap.

I gave up in disgust at trying to get Linux stable on my old Dell; different distributions would fail to fully support the trackpad while others had trouble hibernating. After many dead batteries and mush time wasted I got my first ibook and haven't looked back; command line, Cvs, Vi, and Apache all came installed out of the box. MySQL was a trivial install. For my money, Mac Zealots are a bit quick to say "it just works" (wireless was more of a hassle than I'm used to and I still can't print to my Airport freaking Express) but if you want *nix on a laptop you're missing out if you don't have someone bring up the command line for you down at the Mac store.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I shall certainly check out the post T21 ThinkPads and an iBook. I've just decided to go and do an MSc. so I'll be extra cautious in choosing my computer.