Laptop choices

[freebsd-lists at dclg.ca]

>>>>> "Gary" == Gary Kline <kline at tao.thought.org> writes:

>> >> Of course, this is not a Thinkpad clone, but it is a very good
>> laptop >> nonetheless (especially the awesome 15.4" 1920x1200
>> screen).
>> >
>> > That is *outsanding* resolution!!!  I'm looking at some real >
>> good deals on ebay ...  think I'll check the Thinkpads.  See > if
>> they've come down.  Like to find another one without XBill's >
>> stuff.
>> 
>> This is one of the reasons I use Dell (the other is that I prefer
>> them to ThinkPads, the only other machines that support this
>> resolution).  My machine has the 1920x1200 screen.  It's so much
>> better than the standard 1024x768 that you have to see it to
>> understand.
>> 

Gary> 	I wish some EE and ME would design a mouse-pad with a slight
Gary> tilt to steer the mouse; I think that would be a great
Gary> improvment on the current scratch mousepad.  Similarly with
Gary> Thinkpad's tiny joystick.  I've tried my wife's Dell l'top....

Gary> 	Agree that the Thinkpad's screen res is drawback; the
Gary> 1920x1200 is a ++major.

I have the Dell D800 --- which is a frighteningly expensive machine (I
think the 1920x1200 resolution plus a fast pentium-M will run you
$3500 Cdn) --- but it's an amazingly good machine.  So here's my score
sheet:

Pros:

 - 1920x1200 screen w/ nvidia 3D.  One of the best screens in the
   business
 - P4M processor (essential)
 - available dual-battery
 - next day / no questions asked onsite repair for about 10% extra.
 - has both joystick and touchpad
 - GigE (handy in that it has auto-crossover)
 - real serial port

Cons:

 - ACPI suspend still doesn't work (2.5 years on)
 - 7lbs
 - Not cheap
 - Dell doesn't acknowledge FreeBSD exists.

On the warrenty... I'm hard on equipment and I depend on my
equipment.  I've been impressed that if I put my foot down and "say"
that I believe something needs replacing, then without much fuss, they
do it.  The next day onsite service is cool.  Most of the time I get
them to ship me the part, but I did have them replace the moatherboard
once --- a nice guy came and did that ... and didn't even ask about my
rerouting of the ariels in the chassy (to accomodate a different
interal wireless card).

On the whole, the lease is up in about 6 months.  I'd probably get
another.

Dave.

-- 
============================================================================
|David Gilbert, Independent Contractor.       | Two things can only be     |
|Mail:       dave at daveg.ca                    |  equal if and only if they |
|http://daveg.ca                              |   are precisely opposite.  |
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