I bought a Windows XP laptop today for Linux use

I bought a Windows XP laptop today for Linux use

I sure wish an OEM would offer a low-end OS-free or Linux loaded laptop that's in chain stores. I wanted a laptop today for cheap and ended up with a good deal on a Compaq. I'll use the XP Home OS on here for about another day (I'm using this system to download ISO images right now) and then it'll get plowed over by Linux. Since I don't need to even be using XP right now (I have other systems with burners but I want to play with my new toy) it would have been nice to save an extra $100 or so and not have this unnecessary product. Unfortunately, I haven't seen a Linux laptop that compared to the deal I got on this, not even close.

Now I understand what people are complaining about in regards to the Windows Refund days. It's easy to buy a decent cheap desktop PC but the rules change when buying in the Laptop arena, or so it appeared to me.

I'd like to have purchased a Linux Laptop, but I didn't have a choice locally, plus this one was $699 after real rebates (no MSN bundles, etc.) and it has a DVD/CD burner drive plus an extra battery.