Linux often requires several kernel patches, or even Windows drivers, to work properly on a portable computer. HP originally intended to market their NC4200 notebook with Ubuntu, so they went the extra mile to get the system working with Linux.
Linux users often suffer several rounds of patching, tweaking, and troubleshooting to install Linux on the highly specialized and under-documented hardware of a portable computer. If you’ve ever put Linux on a laptop, you’ve probably dreamed of the day when vendors will simply solve all the problems for you and sell you a ready-made, Linux-compatible system. Veterans of these late-night notebook configuration sessions will be pleased to know that Hewlett Packard has already invested many testing hours in trying out their NC4200 notebook with Linux. HP originally had planned to market the European version of the NC4200 with Ubuntu, and though it now appears that they won’t build Linux into the box, the fact that HP has tooled and tested the system for Ubuntu will make the NC4200 an easy fit for users who wish to migrate.
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