Windows/Linux WITHOUT OSX?

Hi, all. This is my first post here, so don't rip into me too hard, but I've got an unusual question.

I love the Macbook Pro laptops, but I don't like OSX. I'm a technically-inclined Linux junkie, and I need Windows for ease of gaming, but OSX just isn't my thing. I would like to get a new Macbook Pro 13", and I would like to dual-boot Windows and Linux and remove OSX entirely. I'm looking for a little technical detail regarding this.

As I understand it, and correct me if I'm wrong:

Macbooks have an EFI instead of a BIOS.
Macbooks' hard drives do not have a conventional partition table, but a different type (the acronym for which I forget)
If you format a Mac's boot sector/partition table to a conventional MBR format, the EFI will still read it and boot to it.

SO, is it safe to conclude that one could change the boot sector/partition table to MBR format, then boot off a Windows or Linux disk and install those OS's in the same manner one would with a conventional PC? Can anyone shine some more light on the issues here? I've also read up on a few other forums, but nobody seems to want to get rid of OSX, so there's almost no info other than how to use Boot Camp.

Oh, and one last question. A "genius" at my local Apple store informed me rather snobbishly, that installing Linux will void my warranty. Is this true?

 

Thanks guys! You've told me more in 5 minutes than I came up with all day on Linux forums. So it definitely is possible; good to know, though keep any technical details on HOW coming!

One more question: When you buy a Macbook Pro, do you get an install disk for OSX with it? If I did do the whole format-the-hdd-then-install-Windows-and-Linux thing, could I later reinstall OSX?

@jtmx29: I'm a real Linux geek and open-source evangelist, but Apple makes the hands-down best laptop. Where else can you get a 13" machine with that kind of horsepower, let alone so awesome of a design? (Plus I beat the crap out of my hardware, so a solid metal design is nice...I have a Voodoo Envy 133 right now, but it's getting scratched up and I can't really game on it)

 

But are they restore disks that can install to a totally formatted hard drive? I've heard of PC laptops where the restore disks will not work if you format the entire drive (because they aren't full Windows install disks and rely on a recovery partition), so I'd like to be sure that's not the case here.

 

Good information, thanks!

I've done more research, and I think I've developed a workable process. Can anyone comment on whether or not this will work?

1: Boot an Ubuntu live CD, create an MBR partition table, remove OSX's partitions entirely and create partitions for Ubuntu and Windows 7. Do not install Ubuntu yet.

2: Boot a Windows 7 disk and install it to the partition I've set up. (I assume that drivers for Windows on Mac are available on Apple's site?)

3: Boot to the Ubuntu disk again, and install Ubuntu and GRUB.

4: Even though I've erased the GPT partition table, EFI will be smart enough to see that there is an MBR and load up GRUB. GRUB should function as normal, and give me a menu to choose whether to boot Ubuntu or Windows.

5: If I can boot into OSX from a CD or external HDD, I can do something called "blessing" the drive, which will allow me to boot faster?

 

Install OSX on flash drive?

So. I'm brand-new to the Mac world, and have a couple questions.

I already posted a thread in the Windows on Mac section, but basically, I'm trying to figure out how to remove OSX entirely from a new Macbook and just boot Linux and Windows. (and if you have any info to share or perspective to give on that thorny issue, please post it up!)

Problem is, I want to still be able to get into OSX if I need it for a firmware update. Can I use the disk that comes with the Macbook to install OSX to a flash drive then boot it off that? (for example, in case I want to do firmware updates)

 

Oops...looks like I somehow got my tabs confused and posted what was to be a new thread as a reply in this one. Guess it was later last night than I thought, lol

And VPrime is exactly right...I much prefer Linux as my OS, but I need Windows for gaming. I don't like, and don't want to learn OSX--but Apple makes the best laptop I can find--see my previous post.

Anyway, thanks for the answers! Anyone who has more technical info, please post it up!