Suggestions for laptop purchase for Fedora Core 3?

[David A. Wheeler]

I want to buy a new laptop to run Fedora Core 3 (& successors)
that will give a SIMPLE straightforward install with no/few proprietary
modules/wrappers. Can anyone suggest a particular CURRENT laptop model?

I'm capable of recompiling kernels, installing wrappers, etc., but
but I'd rather buy a model to make my life easy.  It doesn't need
to be NO tweaks, just RELATIVELY simple.

I'ved looked through the existing (helpful!) websites like:
  http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/
  http://tuxmobil.org/
    (including http://tuxmobil.org/howto_linux_laptop.html)

But comparing most current models to their info isn't
getting me to an easy "machine X will do it!"
There's very little info on HP Pavilion z8110us or zv6015us,
(there's a Debian report on HP zd8000 that suggests wireless
is extremely painful to get working; great.).
There's a MandrakeSoft Dell Inspiron 9300 report, noting
hard drive unfound at first, no sound at first, pains in
getting DVDs to work (DMA problems), and the proprietary
NVIDIA driver (ugh). (It appears the 9200s had fewer problems.)
Toshibas seem to be loaded with problems.

My desires are pretty common, so I suspect the same
answer would help a lot of people. I'm looking for 802.11
wireless (b&g at least, WEP at least but really want WPA2),
DVD and CD r/w, modem (separate PC card less desirable
but okay if winmodem unworkable), 15.4"-17" screen with some 2D/3D
acceleration, Ethernet (10/100 at least), and monitor copy
so I can project slides. Oh, and 1G RAM and 100GB hard drive,
though I don't expect that to affect any choices.
I really prefer OSS drivers (so ATI > NVIDIA > anything else),
so that I can upgrade my system.  I also prefer brand-name,
though maybe that'll have to be abandoned.

There are a few people who sell Linux preinstalled, but the ones
I found seem to have a $600+ premium.  I'd pay a $100 premium, but
their premiums seem really steep to me.

Suggestions?

--- David A. Wheeler