Buying desktop machines mostly, they come a lot cheaper without MS-W installed, which suits me ;-)

No issues yet, openSUSE installs quickly, then they up and running.

Sadly I think this varies by country -- it seems virtually impoissible to buy a desktop or laptop with Linux pre-installed in the UK unless you go for the premium-priced Dell machines or a high end system from some of the Linux laptop vendors. I'm in the market for a laptop myself at the moment and it's depressing to say the least.

Hi,

I have purchased several Refurbished Dell Laptops over the years and have no trouble getting Slackware to run on these dependable machines. I always update the memory & then storage to 'SSD'. Optimize Slackware to get a great reliable machine.
Hope this helps.
Have fun & enjoy!

. I have only refurbished compters since my last "new"one in 2003 which was a home build .. reused win 98,98SE.XP rev 1,2,3 . & dual booted the other side - for Linux w/swap . . Various no go s , although PCLinux gets mention for running 64bit 1st and problem free [ i did not know how to use it tho ]
..[serious thought- linux finally has what it needed in 1998 - load a basic dvd/cd player that works , browser , away to save and get to things][gaming still in play ]
. I would not have even done xp if my ubuntu was working back then
. I used to collect [ trash , side of road , hand-me-downs , scraps , broken-down and given & , trades]comps and then repaired ,re-built , maxed out the specs and gave excesse away
.ran out of 98, xp # 's so started playing with the small Linux Versions for years , but I am not an expert with Linux and could not find a way to use them when loaded . usually a sound &/or [conectivity issue - solved with trend net pci card using RTL81695 chipset !, bought 10 at one time ] required a 98 load .
. Now , all versions seem to load ;-) and work ; but ubuntu [2012LTS] was intuitive enough to work me onto the net and down load a workable DVD player . [ ok i got practice lownloading crap from reloading crashed comps and freebie hardware for windows driver hell[s]]
. So have done everything
BUT totally erase a New computer with an operating system
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . but will dual boot it

I just ordered some parts to build my first system in a decade, I've always used/bought laptops. Don't plan to put Windows on it.

Desktop -> Build my my own PC. And load Linux as an OS.

Laptops -> Remove Windows and install Linux.

Hi,

interesting wording choices. Consider

vs
Anyway, can't answer since the options are presented as a radio button but aren't mutually exclusive.

Evo2.

for laptop i get it empty w/o os then install with linux , much cheaper

That may well be. While I built my desktop from scratch (without consulting any HCL, just ordering no bleeding edge newest technology) I got a netbook with a (badly) pre-installed asian linux for 30 or 50 euros less than the windows version from a German outlet. I did have to search, though. Linux machines seemed sort of hidden. So you might try a vendor who is shipping his wares all over europe if you don't let you get fazed by another language. I found that one usually can easily convert technical terms even when one doesn't actually speak a language.

Oh, and I wiped the original linux and replaced it with openSuSE. It is now booting besides that chakra, fedora, mint, FreeBSD, ubuntu too .

For me, I usually design a system that I can build that works with Linux, BSD, and Windows all equally.

I tend to stick to hardware like Nvidia graphics, C-Media audio, AMD CPU, and other such generally well supported cross-platform hardware.

I bought my laptop last autumn because of the secure boot issue I had the supplier to install linux.
I didn't like the set up ,so I re-installed with mint.
If I want windows I'll call a local double glazing company !

Living in South Africa, we can walk into a just about any computer shop and purchase a PC without an OS, it's only the big retailers that don't allow you to customise your purchase.

I first ask the price on a new PC and they assume I want M$, so they give me the price for the whole package. I then ask them to remove M$ from the deal and I ask for better hardware. In every case, they have obliged me. A sale is a sale and they're happy to swap out as per my request. Therefore, I never have to pay the M$ tax on a new PC.

In the UK and other parts of the world, I see that you're not so lucky as I. Laptops are another story though.

While I've done everything in the list except for buying a computer with Linux pre-installed, I've mostly bought a new PC then install Linux on it. I always leave Windows as a dual-/multi-boot, but generally don't use the Windows side of it for years, except to keep it updated.

Assuming it's an Intel PC, you could've just disabled secure boot from the BIOS.

Fit pcs I believe can be bought in many countries , if one bought a fit mintbox

and didn't like it one could always install another linux variant

Btw fit pcs are fanless !

http://www.linuxmint.com/store_mintbox.php
http://www.fit-pc.com/web/
PS re. this 2nd.edit,
On the original post I used two words linux + d.i.s.t.r.o
and it turned into a link to a.m.a.z.o.n which was not my
intention hence this edit !