notebooks

[Erick Stohr <visuale1@earthlink.net>]

Can anyone recommend a good notebook that is pretty compatable with
linux that is under $2400 or less? I have heard that Sony Viao is good
and I have spoken with Dell, but I am wondering about a cheap e-machine
that I can get pretty damn cheap or some other brand. Any
recommendatoins?

Also, my friend has an old IBM thinkpad, like a p100, if even that, and
it has no cdrom.I am up for a good challenge, I figure there a two
options, 1. buy and expensive external cdrom and try to install linux
that way, or 2. somehow get online with it and download linux or 3. is
there a way to get linux on floppies?

I have never dealt with linux on a notebook comp. anyone have any
experinces to share?

Thanks.

Erick