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Catharsis (83 comments)
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Catharsis

in Corporate Whores by phillip

Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 06:41 PM

I hate windows.I have really bad luck with windows machines. My previous laptop, or rather my previous previous laptop, was a Dell, and after three motherboards, two hard drives, two CD drives, four keyboards, and about 18 hours listening to their on-hold music, I decided that their half life was somewhat unacceptable and I should get a new laptop. I then bought a VAIO, and except for a dead hard drive at 11 months, it was a decent machine, until today. It seems to have suffered a somewhat catastrophic hardware failure, and I am now in need of a replacement.

As I have said in the past, I hate windows, but I need to have it only because I need Quickbooks, and the Mac version sucks. So I'm looking to you for recommendations for the cheapest, smallest laptop on the market today. I will not buy another Dell machine, their support was too crappy for me to deal with again, but anything else is fair game. I need small, because until I can get the Powerbook I want, this is the computer I'll be bringing to conventions with me, and I need cheap because I hadn't budgeted for a new windows machine yet. So please enlighten me as to my options, or recommend a really good computer repair facility.

smallflightlessbird
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 2, Informative)
posted Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 07:46 PM (#25584)
I recently spent four days in a row on the phone with Dell, working my way through at least eleven different toll-free numbers, trying to prove that I did, indeed, buy a laptop from them.

Selected highlights:

"No, this is DFS - Dell Financial Services. You need DFS Direct."

"No, the people who received your fax do not have a phone number you can reach them at."

- Chris

i also have a website [blogspot.com]
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Lonely Goatherd
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 0)
posted Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 08:01 PM (#25586)
Take a look at the IBM thinkpads - they have a pretty good reputation. Oh, and stay AWAY from Compaq. POS's all.

- I forgot my login info or I'd have an actual username on my post.

E.J.
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ShutUpEJ
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Knackolyte

From: Imperial Bedroom

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Re: Catharsis (Score: 0, Redundant)
posted Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 08:05 PM (#25587)
Like I said... Compaq = suck monkey balls.
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zamphir
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 2)
posted Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 08:58 PM (#25589)
In Response to Lonely Goatherd (#25586):

Take a look at the IBM thinkpads

He said cheap.

Look at Acer laptops. They won't be rock-solid, but they should be a) higher quality than Dell or Gateway, b) less expensive than Sony, IBM or HP.

You should get a usable machine for the usable life of the processor.

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Lonely Goatherd
Lonely Goatherd
Re: Catharsis (Score: 0)
posted Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 09:44 PM (#25593)
I am a PC tech, and I will tell you after years of experience that although some companies go above and beyond in providing you with a product that sucks all kinds of animal testcles, generally anything that is "affordable" or "budget" or "entry-level"is also "crap". I would agree with E.J. and say go IBM, they are by far and away the best quality, and you could get into one of their base models for just about $1000, and you won't have the holdline hell scenario if something does go wrong. Acer....meh. Not as bad as Compaq (in full agreement with the other posters there), but that's like saying "I'm tired of getting venereal diseases from going bareback, so I think I'll use this sheepskin condom I found under the floor mat of my 79 Subaru Brat." You want to avoid the problems that come with a cheap laptop? Get an expensive one.
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3mj4y
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 1)
posted Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 09:49 PM (#25594)
In Response to zamphir (#25589):

EJ
Take a look at the IBM thinkpads.
Zamphir
He said cheap.

So? Under 4lbs for under $1,500 [ibm.com]; heaftier models for under a grand [ibm.com].

I've used many laptops, and the IBMs were always my favorite. Hell, last year I installed FreeBSD on an old P75, and everything just worked. I'm typing this on a Thinkpad 600E, which is rather long in tooth itself -- the battery has flaked out, but otherwise runs like a champ.

I'm never voluntarily buying another Windows computer again... but if I had to have a Win laptop, it'll be an IBM.


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jon
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 2)
posted Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 10:26 PM (#25595)
All you Compaq haters should know that my Presario x1000 has been running perfectly for almost a year now, no problems.


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mcgrue
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 2)
posted Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 10:27 PM (#25596)
In Response to 3mj4y (#25594):

When I check out "cheap" laptops, I usually aim for 600-800 after rebates. I have an alert set up for deals on laptops over at www.fatwallet.com [fatwallet.com], but I haven't moved on any yet. Taking my time with ye olde desktop replacement.

Sadly I seem to've gotten a fetish for the Aviator CQ6, and that doesn't seem to come in such lovely deals. But man is it's resolution and battery life sexy.
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zamphir
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 2)
posted Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 10:51 PM (#25599)
In Response to jon (#25595):

All you Compaq haters should know that my Presario x1000 has been running perfectly for almost a year now, no problems.

My "same model, different name" HP laptop seems to have lost the stereo connection on the headphone jack.

Oh. Darn.

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tor
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 2)
posted Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 11:10 PM (#25600)
In Response to zamphir (#25599):

So, you're a tech, it's probably a dry solder joint. Grab your multimeter, find it and fix it.

Honestly, the kids these days.

No one has mentioned Toshiba. I'm not going to because I ceased working with them about 4 years back and don't know the current stuff's quality (I hear rumours: not so good). However if this was a number of years I would have recommended the Libretto for a "portable, not much use" type machine, damn that thing was cool. Shame it was discontinued.
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zamphir
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 2)
posted Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - 11:17 PM (#25602)
In Response to tor (#25600):

So, you're a tech, it's probably a dry solder joint. Grab your multimeter, find it and fix it.

I'm pretty sure I'd have to crack the case to get at it.

Honestly, the laptop cases these days.

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scratch
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 3, Super-Genius)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 12:11 AM (#25604)
Jon, I think I found the problem with your VAIO, it appears to have a hammer in it.

As you may have realized, hammers are largely incompatile with most modern laptops and may lead to hardware failures and/or data loss.

It is my advice that any future laptops you may purchase should avoid contact with hammers.
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Lonely Goatherd
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 0)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 12:26 AM (#25606)
I'm a different goatherd from the ones above me.

Anyway, a couple of years ago, I would have answered "IBM, Toshiba, or Fujitsu". However, since I moved out of the dorms, I don't have a good source of statistics for laptop reliability any more, although I assume things didn't change too much.

Also, Dell corporate support is excellent. If you manage to buy a Dell through a business or a university department, the Dell people will actually treat you like a human.
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ShutUpEJ
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Knackolyte

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Re: Catharsis (Score: 1)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 12:46 AM (#25607)
Jon, your Compaq must be the exception, then. My Presario laptop took about 10 minutes to boot up. My current Frankenputer works fine, though.
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bobismyalium
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 1)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 01:18 AM (#25609)
My Compaq Presario Desktop computer had been working quite well for, I think...4 1/2 years now...but I'm no expert so maybe the quality of the laptops differ?
Anyway...I'm going to have to agree that your future laptops should avoid contact with hammers.
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grjohnston
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 1)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 02:27 AM (#25610)
What is Quickbooks, and why can't you replace it with the incredible Mac version?
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grjohnston
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 1)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 02:33 AM (#25611)
I forgot to mention something. Dell laptops' problem is that they're not built for desktop replacement. If you use them frequently/continuously, they will get too hot too much, and fill with dust, and crap out rather quick.

I like how Macs don't have fans (that is, the spinning kind that makes CPUs not hot), and yet they don't burn out nor fill with dust. Are they... perhaps... better?
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Lonely Goatherd
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 0)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 02:33 AM (#25612)
Hp makes great laptops, as long as they dont say compaq before the name, the only exception to this is this old compaq laptop I have with a 150mb hardrive, and 16mb of ram. As for Hp's even when they do die (which in my place of residence is usually cause by blunt trauma, or liquids) alls you gotta do is tell them that the defect is their fault adn they need to replace it, theyll roll over, take it up the butt, and fix it for free. And as for windows, (insert vulgar word/s here) windows, its all about the Mepis, ProMepis.
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grjohnston
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 1)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 02:34 AM (#25613)
In Response to grjohnston (#25610):

By incredible Mac version, I meant the equivalent of the program, only not ported to the Mac but actually a different program, doing the same thing only better because it was made for Macs.
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Lonely Goatherd
Lonely Goatherd
Re: Catharsis (Score: 1, Insightful)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 02:59 AM (#25614)
In Response to grjohnston (#25613):

Quicken is a financial management program, and since people who own Macs clearly don't care about money, the program type has not been developed very well for that platform
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Lonely Goatherd
Lonely Goatherd
Re: Catharsis (Score: 0)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 05:07 AM (#25615)
I'm pro-Windows fellow, myself. That said, another option is to get a PowerBook and Virtual PC, running a Windows install on Virtual PC. This would allow you to use Quicken, and assuming you make ocassional (rather then constant) usage of Quicken, should work out alright. Well, in theory - as I said, I'm a Windows person, so I don't toy with Macs much. :P

Too bad WiNE isn't up and running for OS X yet, as that would've been an easy recommendation. Though it looks like some folks are giving it a go [opendarwin.org].

Alternately - do you really need to have access to Quicken on the go? If not, it's worth considering getting a cheap desktop for a Windows + Quicken install. Then, get whatever laptop your heart desires. It's so much easier keeping a desktop alive then a laptop...

      C=64
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Shepherd
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 1)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 05:31 AM (#25616)
My useless one-man anectodal story is that my HP laptop is running perfectly after over 7 years... I jammed some extra memory in it when I bought it, but everything else is exactly as when I got it. Obviously, I pretty much only use it for word processing when I'm on the road now, but I've been impressed with how rugged it is. It was my only computer for the first four years, and my occasional computer for the last three.

So I have no hard data on laptop lifespans, but if I had to get another one HP would be high on the list for me.
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Lonely Goatherd
Lonely Goatherd
Re: Catharsis (Score: 0)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 05:52 AM (#25617)
Ouch, that's some seriously bad luck. You might want to invest in a power conditioner or UPS if you have that many component die. If you're looking for an IBM laptop they've got some nice new or refurb ones for 1k through the employee&friends program if you know how much machine you need.

www.ibm.com/shop/us/epp
I can toss you the login info if you're interested.


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rfuchs
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 1)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 06:29 AM (#25619)
Just a general comment - the first mistake you made was you bought a Dell - their higher end workstations may be da bomb, but their laptops suck goat ass. My girlfriend is in law school at UPitt, and she has countless stories of Pitt Law students with Dell laptops overheating, randomly crashing, and their craptacular customer service - a girl had her laptop replaced THREE TIMES by them, and each time something else went wrong with it. It's unfortunate you can't buy a Powerbook at this time - seems like it'd be the best option for you...
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phillip
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Re: Catharsis (Score: 2)
posted Thursday, March 03, 2005 - 07:06 AM (#25620)
In Response to scratch (#25604):

I think that the problem was not the hammer, per se, but that I failed to use a hammer with appropriate Sony approved DRM.

Instead of the normal open standards hammer, they prefer the use of the Sony SteelStick™.
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