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Central Computers, Silicon Valley's local computer store chain, has many Windows 7 laptops. Some are listed with "Windows 7 Downgrade Option.

Central Computer will do a "no crapware" install for you if you ask. They actually printed "no crapware" on the invoice for the last machine I bought.

Ordinary "netbooks" like the EeePC 1000 are quite competent computers for $275. How much computer do you need to carry around? I run Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice, LTSpice and Autodesk 123D on mine. It will play video. What more do you need?

The last time I ordered a desktop PC, it was from Central Computers, a computer chain with a clue. I ordered it without crapware, and the invoice actually said "no crapware". Very nice.

Central Computers, though, is a local SF bay area chain, based in Silicon Valley. They do mail order, but they assume you know what you want. The order menu starts with "select AMD or Intel", and the operating system menu has "No operating system" as an option, which reduces the price by $109.95,

For $139, I can buy a copy of XP. Why pay Dell $150?

I bought a new WhiteBox desktop PC in the summer of 2007. I bought it specifically to run desktop Linux with no intent to ever run Windows. So, rather than looking at any of the name-brand vendors, I had exactly what I wanted, built to order by Central Computers in Santa Clara California. The good news is that I did NOT have to pay the Microsoft tax. Better still is that the price was right.

When I lived in Santa Clara (until 2001) I had good experiences with Central Computers. So, I had no reservations about buying a built to order box from them via mail order (really: online). They shipped all the parcels such that a casual observer would not know the contents were high value electronics. [I don't know if that is their policy or just luck of the draw]. Ubuntu installed and ran out of the box. No magic or hand waving required. I'm very happy with the outcome.

I have bought 2 laptops from Dell in the last 2 years for household members. In both cases I had to pay the Microsoft tax. Rumor has it that Dell makes getting the Microsoft tax refund time consuming even if you know the magic incantations. So, I didn't even attempt it. On both laptops I had to research and download drivers for non-standard crappy parts; product differentiation is a bitch. Ugh! In the end I was left with further resentment of Microsoft and Dell and a personal vow that if ever there is a reasonable ($) vendor for laptops that does not charge the Microsoft tax, they get my business.

Are you kidding? I got ripped off by CompUSA trying to charge me a restocking fee for a DOA router and I walked two blocks over to Central Computer and never set foot in CompUSA again.
http://www.centralcomputers.com/

Don't forget that these are only the OEM copies which are going to be phased out by the end of the year. You can't just go out and buy 4 or 5 OEM copies of windows,