I have to agree with this 100%. The tech school I attend issues a laptop to it's students that we get to keep after graduation. Mine is a Celeron 800 and runs Linux just peachy. I do have to dual boot with MS Advanced Server 2000 for labs, as we train for MS certs at this school.

Games, P2P, and other useless pursuits will deter you from your goals. I cannot count how many students fail the program at my school. They are the same ones who use their laptops in the lounge as boom boxes.