I'm new to the whole Linux thing

1. the only way to know for sure is to try it;
   but based on my own experience with (open)SuSE 10.x, the latest ATI driver should support this, even though there is always a part of "pioneering" involved in getting Linux working on a portable PC :-/

   get the ATI driver from
   http://www.ati.com/support/driver.html…
   choose Linux Display Drivers and Software
   choose Notebooks with ATI Graphics
   and check out https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206/0/w…

   beyond this, you'll have to post questions for specific issues you are bound to run into, no matter which distro you choose;
   SuSE has been very keen on staying on top of the Video Driver releases and ATI usually offer (good) defaults for SuSE (up to and including 10.1) whereas (K-)ubuntu is not supported.
   SuSE betas neither, so stick to the (kind'a) proven stuff, for that one…

   good luck

2. If the laptop is not delivered with Linux, I'd advice Ubuntu Linux instead.
   DSL modem installation might be a bit a puzzle (depends on several factors).
3. running SuSE 10.x on a PC (Desktop) equipped with ATI (9800);
   tried quite a few distros; none came even close to SuSE support for ATI
4. Well, I don't know do you ? Buy the laptop and then you will know

Tags: linux wallpaper, linux os