ideal laptop recommendations?

[Jesse D. Guardiani]

mc at hack.org wrote:

> "Jesse D. Guardiani" <jesse at wingnet.net> writes:
> 
>> Here are the systems I am considering currently. The Dell comes with a
>> wireless router and Bluetooth, but it doesn't have the VAIO's screen
>> size, and the IBM is entirely too expensive and doesn't include a DVD
>> burner
> 
> Earlier you stated that you are a developer, so I can't really
> understand why you need a DVD burner on your laptop.

One word: Backup.

It would be nice to burn photo DVDs too. I have a Kodak DC3400 digital
camera and over 2G of jpg photos right now. CDROMs can't store enough.

> 
> I've been perfectly happy with the very thin and light Thinkpad 570s
> and X20s myself, neither of which have any DVD burner, nor any DVD or
> CD ROM drive, or, indeed, any built in disk drive what so ever. What's
> the need if you're a developer?  Perhaps it would help if you told us
> what /kind/ of developer you are?

I don't see how that is important, but I am a software developer.
I develop software for various server systems using C, C++, Python,
Perl, etc... etc...

I also administrate a number of server systems.

I _could_ get by with a much lighter laptop, but I don't want to.
I want to replace my desktop with this laptop, and it has always
been my experience that buying the most powerful laptop I can
afford generally keeps me satisfied for the longest amount of
time.

I don't travel much, but when I do, 10 lbs isn't a burden. My son
is more than 25 lbs and I lug his little butt around with me all
the time.


> 
> If I was to shop around for a new laptop right now, I would most
> likely go with a Thinkpad X30 or X31, the younger brother of my older
> systems. Very thin, very light (~1.4 kg), awesome battery life and an
> incredibly good keyboard, especially for a laptop.

Yes, the keyboard is important. I'm going to have to take a trip to
Circuit City and do some play typing to figure out if I can live
with a Sony's keyboard. Too bad Dell doesn't have a retail store
nearby.

If I fall in love with an IBM, then I may just have to wait a few
months for the prices to go down and DVD burners to become available
or something...

Battery life is low low low on my list. I'll probably be jacking
into the wall everywhere I go. I only need the battery to last
between stops.


> 
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-- 
Jesse Guardiani, Systems Administrator
WingNET Internet Services,
P.O. Box 2605 // Cleveland, TN 37320-2605
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