Date: Tue, 7 Oct 1997 14:55:35 +0930 From: Greg Lehey <grog@lemis.com> To: Poul-Henning Kamp <phk@FreeBSD.ORG> Cc: freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.ORG, faq@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: stick this in the faq/handbook ? Message-ID: <19971007145535.48992@lemis.com> In-Reply-To: <2535.876130346@critter.freebsd.dk>; from Poul-Henning Kamp on Mon, Oct 06, 1997 at 11:32:26AM %2B0200 References: <2535.876130346@critter.freebsd.dk>
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On Mon, Oct 06, 1997 at 11:32:26AM +0200, Poul-Henning Kamp wrote: > > I'm getting a lot of questions on this lately, so maybe this should > go in the faq and/or handbook ? Looks good. I'll add some of my viewpoint. > I'm sorry but SGML is not my strong side, I hope somebody can DTRT > to get it SGMLified. > > Poul-Henning > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > First decide if it's going to be your primary machine or not, this may > sound weird, but you may soon find that you spend much more time with > your portable that with your stationary machine (Think "bed, beach, garden, > airport, plane, bus, train, office..."). If it's going to be your primary > machine, you may want to choose slightly differently. I have definitely decided I don't want a laptop to be my primary machine. But I *was* surprised how much more I use it than I expected to. The main consideration here is that you can take your environment with you. Even if much more powerful machines are available at the destination when you travel, they're not set up the way you like it. > Next determine what order your parameters come in: > > Power: > > If you always have an power outlet handy, battery life is not important > if planes are always late for you, it is. I haven't seen an airport yet where I haven't been able to find a power socket. Just make sure you have adaptor plugs if you're travelling internationally. > If Battery life is important make sure that you can charge the > batteries while they're not in the computer (very handy in planes >> -) JOOI, where do you recharge them in planes? > Display: > > You seem pretty determined about this one. wording? "You should take this one seriously"? > Be aware that on an LCD you can use far smaller fonts than on a CRT. > I run a 5x7 font most of the time with no problems. (I cant wait > until I can aford a LCD screen for my desk too :-) Bigger screens > means bigger powerdrain, and they are more fragile (although they're > pretty damn robust these days. Your hard disk will croak first I > bet). You should mention that you can usually get 1024x768 out of just about any laptop when connected to an external monitor, and that just about all monitors nowadays will run 1024x768 interlaced. After about 20 minutes, you get used to the image :-( > Floppy disk/CDROM drives: > > If weight/portability is important, consider getting a machine with > external floppy and CDROM. My floppy drive is at home all the time, > I never use it. Do you use the CD-ROM? I don't have one, but I haven't missed it. > Keyboard: > > It is about the most important thing on the machine, if you can't live > with it, forget it. Try it out, even the same manufacturer makes many > different keyboards. The layout of the keys should be examined too. In particular, you can remap most keys, but not the "Fn" key. If you want an Alt key below the left shift key, and there's an Fn key there, you won't be able to do it. > Pointing gadget: > > Consider carefully and try out, if you intend to work "in the field". And note that most laptops will accept a mouse, probably both serial and PS/2. > Service/Support: > > Some are backed by worldwide service organizations (DEC, HP, IBM), others > are all but impossible to get repaired (Carry in service in Singapore...). You've obviously never tried the service in Singapore :-* > Variuos advice, based on experience: > > Carry you computer in a knapsack on you back, it takes far less > bangs and shakes there and is generally under the umbrealla if you are. > Never use a shoulder bag, they bump into everything all the time and > are prime targets for theft in airports. Nobody steals a knapsack, > it's likely to contain a weeks worth of laundry :-) If you travel, > pack your t-shirts around it, it looks like laundry and it protects > against bumps. Doesn't compare with my experience. I put mine in my briefcase. I don't know how useful this information is: it looks like personal preference. > Always make sure the hard-drive is level when it runs. Even a 5 degree > slant from horizontal is deadly for the bearings. This is news to me. Most manufacturers specify any location. And 5° tolerance is almost impossible to achieve when you really have it on your lap. Greg
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