OT - Care to share your opinion?

[Matthew Page]

This is not flame-bait.

I am soon going to be going to graduate school to get myself a little
more edumacated.  I plan on following a parallel programming/data
visualization track.  (Just as background information for my question.)

The question:
I plan on running Linux on a laptop, so my question to you is this...
Is there a compelling reason to buy a Powerbook and put Linux on it
instead of ordering a fat-bob x86 laptop and putting Linux on it? 

I have about $3000 in the budget and the laptop should be able to last
me through a PHD without having to be replaced.  (If possible...  I'm
not talking about theft here...)

Any opinions are welcome!

- Matt