Date: Fri, 8 Nov 2002 20:33:41 -0500 From: Eric Gebhart <saseag@unx.sas.com> To: "Brian T. Schellenberger" <bts@babbleon.org> Cc: Kevin Oberman <oberman@es.net>, Bakul Shah <bakul@bitblocks.com>, mobile@freebsd.org Subject: Re: using a laptop as a main machine Message-ID: <20021108203341.N15749@unx.sas.com> In-Reply-To: <200211081135.56524.bts@babbleon.org>; from bts@babbleon.org on Fri, Nov 08, 2002 at 11:35:56AM -0500 References: <20021108160115.60AC65D04@ptavv.es.net> <200211081135.56524.bts@babbleon.org>
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I have had my IDell Inspiron 8000 for over a year now. I have not had a single problem with it. Other than they shipped it with the wrong video card. I frequently carry my laptop on my bike or in a back pack. I even crashed once and broke the wireless card in half. I don't leave it plugged in when I carry it around anymore. The resolution on my screen is 1600x1200. That does cause some problems when it comes to doing presentations on old projectors. I also run it with two batteries which last a very long time. Eric ----- Brian T. Schellenberger's Original Message ----- > > > On Friday 08 November 2002 11:01 am, Kevin Oberman wrote: > | > From: "Brian T. Schellenberger" <bts@babbleon.org> > | > Date: Fri, 8 Nov 2002 09:25:44 -0500 > | > Sender: owner-freebsd-mobile@FreeBSD.ORG > | > > | > > | > I switched to a laptop as my main (only) computer when my Amiga > | > 1000 bit the dust in 1995 or so (I checked and my first posting to > | > FreeBSD list was in 1996, so I think that 1995 is right since I > | > used Linux for the first six months or so). (I've had *a* laptop > | > since 1992ish -- a Bondwell B200.) > | > > | > > | > So I have some experience with this . . . > | > > | > > | > I'm surprised that nobody else has mentioned this. > | > > | > THE most important feature on a laptop BY FAR is a good warrenty. > | > > | > I insist on a three-year warrenty, which is why I buy Dells. Their > | > service is excellent. I didnt get "on-site" service, but they pick > | > up and deliver via Airborne Express, and if I ship it on Friday I > | > have it back by Tuesday morning, so never without it for more than > | > three days. > | > > | > I do have a desktop at work. It runs Windows and it's old an slow > | > and the display is muddy but it will do in a pinch, so I can > | > survive three (miserable) days without my main machine. > | > > | > If you use your laptop -- really use it, and I carry mine > | > everywhere; in and back to work every day, on my lap with the > | > wireless card outside while watching the kids play, in my car while > | > waiting for people; I even carry it around the house with me from > | > room to room -- then it *will* require service. > | > > | > If it just sits on your desk 90% of the time, maybe not. > | > | I have been using ThinkPads for about 7 years and just got my third > | one. I expect a laptop to last 3 years. By then the technology is > | just too far behind the power curve for new applications and I get a > | new one. > | > | All of my ThinkPads are still functional and (when running FreeBSD) > | reasonably usable. None has every needed service except to replace > | the battery. (They seem to last about 2 years.) The only other > | failure was a dead row on the LCD of the oldest ThinkPad. More > | notably, my entire group (7 people) use them and I am only aware of > | one failure (keyboard dies) and that was after three years while we > | were waiting for the new ones to arrive. > | > | They have always simply worked...on my desk, at home on wireless (at > | least the last two), on travel at conferences and on planes. If you > | don't think I take it everywhere, just ask my wife. Our honeymoon and > | a 6th anniversary trip to Hawaii were probably the only tow time I've > | been separated from my laptop since we were married. > | > | I think you need to look at more reliable laptops. > | > | R. Kevin Oberman, Network Engineer > | Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) > | Ernest O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) > | E-mail: oberman@es.net Phone: +1 510 486-8634 > | > | To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > | with "unsubscribe freebsd-mobile" in the body of the message > > > Wow. That is indeed an impressive testimonial. > > I have owned the Bondwell (which lasted quite a while, actually), a > Hyperdata, a Chembook (under some other brandname as I recall but it > was the same hardware), Two Dells, and (briefly, because these two > failed within the first week so I just sent them back and got a refund) > an IBM Ambra and a Compaq. Each of them had to be serviced or replaced > at one time or another within their first two years of life. (Within > the first year, in fact, if my memory isn't playing tricks on me, > though I can't swear to that.) > > I've never owned a "mainline" IBM laptop, always finding them to be a > little bit too expensive for what you get. But perhaps this has been a > mistake. > > By now I've just figured that laptops are like this, period. > > Regardless, though, I'm make sure I got a good warrenty. As I said to > start with, I look for a three-year warrenty; you are correct that more > than that is pointless since you will definately want to replace your > machine by then anyway. > > > I will seriously consider IBM for my next laptop, though. I'm really > quite impressed at what you are telling me; it sounds like you use your > laptop just as heavily as I use mine. I'm sure that most people do not > use them quite so heavily. > > > > -- > Brian, the man from Babble-On . . . . bts@babbleon.org (personal) > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-mobile" in the body of the message To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-mobile" in the body of the message
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