I need a new laptop. My current machine, a rebranded ASUS that I bought on the cheap a few years ago, has developed a crack in the screen hinge, so it’s only a matter of time.
I have to admit, I’m sorely tempted by the Macbook Air. It’s a beautiful machine — sleek, light, even elegant. But I’ve been 100% Linux for some time, and I’m reluctant to turn my life over to the tyranny of Steve Jobs. Of course, all my favorite apps — Emacs, Firefox, OpenOffice — are still there, and I’ve read one can even install Ubuntu on an Air with only the usual Linux-on-a-laptop aggravations.
My alternate choice is a Raven from Emperor Linux, a.k.a. the ThinkPad X61. It’s more expensive and heavier, but it’s a tablet. I’ve always wanted a tablet, but pen-based software is barely functional even in the commercial software world, so I don’t expect much from open-source equivalents.
Any gentle readers out there with experience using a Linux tablet? Is it worth it?