Laptop Recommendations

[pete]

Macs are a niche product. Like or hate it but Windows rules the business world.

[dahamsta]

I'm afraid he's right. I'm a linux consultant, developer and sysadmin, but I simply have to run Windows on my workstations for compatibility, communications, ease of use, etc. As much as I love desktop linux, it doesn't sync with my mobile, it doesn't work with my bank, and it's still buggy. It is getting there very fast though.

Wouldn't touch a mac with a barge pole, for the same reason I wouldn't buy an iPod or any other Apple product if I can possibly avoid it. Apple is a closed-minded, closed-source, self-serving and suppressive company that doesn't deserve the support of anyone that believes in open standards, open source and open society.

Don't even get me started on Vista. If it wasn't for Office, Microsoft would be in big trouble right now.

adam

[tetsujin1979]

This strip pretty much sums up what I think of Mac users: http://www.pvponline.com/2007/04/06/apr-6-2007/
As you might have guessed, I'm not a fan.

[OneRedArmy]

This strip pretty much sums up what I think of Mac users: http://www.pvponline.com/2007/04/06/apr-6-2007/
As you might have guessed, I'm not a fan.So you just ignored all the posts above?

Hugely open minded. Since you're so keen to pidgeonhole, I'll put you firmly in the nerdlinger category.

Macs are for people that use computers to do things, not people who use computers because they like to.

[tetsujin1979]

So you just ignored all the posts above?Nope, I've been reading the thread with interest since I posted on the first page


Hugely open minded. Since you're so keen to pidgeonhole, I'll put you firmly in the nerdlinger category.Sounds about right, I've owned a few PC's, and I've Linux on 2 of my machines at home at the moment, and one one of my work machines. Like Adam, I only use Windows out of necessity.


Macs are for people that use computers to do things, not people who use computers because they like to.Are you saying that people who use PC (Windows or Linux) don't use them to do things? If that's your point of view, it's not mine but I respect it.

[GavinZac]

Macs are for people that use computers to do things, not people who use computers because they like to.Computers are for people who use computers to do things. I've yet to hear of anyone getting hot under the collar for sitting at a keyboard.

I don't know if you're implying that linux users "use computers because they like to" but I cant really think of anything that Mac users would be doing that linux users wouldnt, except perhaps paying for all of their software.

From what I've seen, mac users tend to want to be different, and yet still conform to something. Has anyone been bold enough to try the live cd?

http://ie.releases.ubuntu.com/gutsy/ubuntu-7.10-desktop-i386.iso

[tetsujin1979]

For the record, I do have an iPod. I had 2 creative Zens before that, both of which died on me, so I went with the iPod. I really hate iTunes though, so I stuck rockbox - http://www.rockbox.org/ - on it. Problem solved.

[GavinZac]

it doesn't work with my bankWhich bank? from complaints on ubuntuforums.org, it seems as though some banks are blocking non-windows access, possibly in a misguided attempt to increase security (linux? isnt that what hackers use?). a suggested fix is the user-agent switcher for firefox (built into opera, also) which lets you pretend to the server its a vista box. of course, send a complaining email to the admin anyway.

[soccerc]

Picked up a great bargain today in PC World.

Got an Apple Mac mini for only €249, a saving of over €300 on normal retail.

For anyone interested they also have Netgear DG834PN ADSL MIMO wireless modem routers with USB adapter for €79.99!!!!

[SÓC]

Dragging this old boy up again.

My old beauty of a Dell Inspirion 1100 which has been on the go for years is starting to show its age to an extent. Having trouble with network both on the work on via ethernet (it keeps saying network cable disconnected etc etc) and on wifi it seems to lose the signal all the time.

I work in a British University which has an attached IT shop for students and staff so I went in and had a look around and this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASUS_Eee_PC) caught my attention. At first I thought it was a toy but it seems to have quite the cult following. Tiny little laptop with 7" screen, 4gb ssd and Linux Xandos installed. Been mentioned to be that Ubuntu would be better to use on it.

All I ever do is write word documents, internet and read pdf so the supplied firefox, mozilla and open office would seem to do the trick.

Am I mad to be considering this?!?

Ideally what I'd like to do is some how fix the Dell laptop (thinking maybe a usb ethernet adapter might do the job?) and then get the eee pc as a mobile yoke. I've been using a second hand jornada 680 (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/_archives/jul99/Jornada.htm) for on the go stuff but its suffering from poor health too and the tiny keyboard isnt really an option for writting papers etc.

[dahamsta]

A few people I know are raving about them. Personally I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, but then I'm a power user that believes in Big Monitors.

adam

[GavinZac]

Been mentioned to be that Ubuntu would be better to use on it.No it wasn't :p Ubuntu would be better, but for this PC, i'd imagine the pre-installed distro would be the best option; otherwise they wouldn't have picked it ;) I just find Ubuntu's downloading/ubuntu system (the same as debians) to be the easiest; In fact it now frustrates me a lot when i have to go manually download things in Windows rather than just typing what i want into a search bar and having the latest version pop up immediately.

[sligoman]

Someone I know is looking for a laptop, it'd mostly be used for playing games and maybe typing stuff the odd time. Very rarely used for internet. Any suggestions? Budget around 4/500.

[Battery Rover]

Someone I know is looking for a laptop, it'd mostly be used for playing games and maybe typing stuff the odd time. Very rarely used for internet. Any suggestions? Budget around 4/500.

Plenty round for that price if it is for typing and internet etc but if they are planning on playing games then their budget would have to be 2k plus especially if it is any of the latest games as most of them would reqquire dedicated graphics memory, couple of GB ram

[drinkfeckarse]

Lads I'd appreciate your opinion if you don't mind. Thinking of getting a laptop soon. Just general usage, e-mails, browsing, downloading music etc. I'm not computer illiterate but most of the lingo would go over my head.

I'm happy for any suggestions but I was on the Dell website and saw an Inspiron 1525 with this spec for £399. I just want to know whether that's good value or not or whether you can get better. It seems a decent offer to me anyway...

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T5750 (2.00 GHz, 667 MHz FSB, 2 MB L2 cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium SP1 - English
15.4" Wide Screen WXGA (1280 x 800) Display with TrueLife™
Integrated Intel® Graphic Media Accelerator X3100
2048MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x1024]
250GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive
8x DVD+/-RW Optical drive, including SW
1Yr Limited Warranty - Collect & Return

[Pauro 76]

Lads I'd appreciate your opinion if you don't mind. Thinking of getting a laptop soon. Just general usage, e-mails, browsing, downloading music etc. I'm not computer illiterate but most of the lingo would go over my head.

I'm happy for any suggestions but I was on the Dell website and saw an Inspiron 1525 with this spec for £399. I just want to know whether that's good value or not or whether you can get better. It seems a decent offer to me anyway...

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T5750 (2.00 GHz, 667 MHz FSB, 2 MB L2 cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium SP1 - English
15.4" Wide Screen WXGA (1280 x 800) Display with TrueLife™
Integrated Intel® Graphic Media Accelerator X3100
2048MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x1024]
250GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive
8x DVD+/-RW Optical drive, including SW
1Yr Limited Warranty - Collect & Return

I cant see too much wrong with that one myself. You said you download music, those specs will serve fine I think.

[drinkfeckarse]

Thanks Pauro.

[A face]

I dont know if this was mentioned but Laptops Direct (http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/) can be good

[drinkfeckarse]

Thanks also A Face.