If you purchase a laptop knowing that you will be running Linux and doing a little bit of research up front, it is every bit as simple as running a laptop with Windows or OS X.

Exactly, if you accept that you have to buy a Mac to use osX and call that simple, you must also judge Linux by buying a System 76, Entroware, Dell dev edition or a Librem laptop. Alternatively, you can also judge osX by installing it on non-Apple hardware ;)

Har har guys this was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Let's not turn it into a flamewar. I'm a happy Linux Docker user but I'm happy to hear that things are becoming really simple and easy for Mac OS X and Windows devs, too.

Until you, say, want to print something, or run one of the bajillion pieces of useful software that aren't available for Linux.

> Until you, say, want to print something,

CUPS and Amahi work great for me. I've had more pain setting up printers on Windows and OS X (the latter started sending print jobs on each probe).

> run one of the bajillion pieces of useful software that aren't available for Linux.

Examples? I can't think of any software that I need that isn't available for GNU/Linux.

I have actually had printing fail more frequently on Windows than on Linux. Printers are quirky.

As a long time Linux user, I don't know about useful software that won't run on Linux. All the useful software I need runs just fine.

Edit: Oh, and I don't understand the comment about printing. Cups works.

cups is only one part of the puzzle; every application has to manage its own method of rendering and talking to some printing agent.

It may also work for your particular device scenario, but there are thousands of scenarios (networks, devices, etc) in which its functionality may be limited or practically non-existent.

Before purchasing any equipment, I always spend time researching how well in works with Linux. Doing this, other than the occasional bad update, I have never had a hardware compatibility issue with Linux. And I do mean never and I don't throw that word around lightly. It does limit my decisions, but there's still plenty of good hardware that just works with Linux.

Well, for that, obviously you have to also buy a printer.

Until you start to deal with things like graphics cards, and switching between integrated and gaming graphics cards for different tasks.

Or when you want a distro like arch on a laptop...

Dell Precision laptops now ship with Linux.