Re: [PLUG] Laptop recommendations

["Lee H. Marzke" <lee@marzke.net>]

So far I just keep buying used  Thinkpads on Ebay after  a little research.
X61 tab, x201s,  X230 tab.       Most important items work, and they last.  

I install a large SSD, and run VM workstation ( for Windows when I need it - like for vSphere )
The x230 works with 16GB RAM - which has been fine for now.

The only think I really use on the tablet is document signing - if someone sends me a form / contract
while traveling.  I can sign the PDF and return it without printing/scanning etc.

But I can't live without the trackpoint, do any new ( non Tpad  ) computers have it ?

Anyone have any experience with any newer small Thinkpads that support at least 32GB RAM ?

Lee




----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve Litt" <slitt@troubleshooters.com>
> To: "Philadelphia Linux User's Group Discussion List" <plug@lists.phillylinux.org>
> Sent: Friday, March 3, 2017 2:07:14 AM
> Subject: Re: [PLUG] Laptop recommendations

> On Wed, 1 Mar 2017 12:42:15 -0500
> "K.S. Bhaskar" <ksbhaskar@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> I don't see the point of paying money (a) for something I won't use,
>> and worse
> 
> You'll pay a hell of a lot more for no-os software on new equipment,
> especially laptops. With no guarantee it will work with Linux, unless
> it comes from pricy system76, Penguin Computing and the like: Typically
> 50% to 100% premium over same hardware as a commodity sporting Windows.
> 
> 
>> (b) which will go towards attacking free / open source
>> software. The days of calling Linux a cancer or a communist plot may
>> be gone, but today's attacks are more insidious.
> 
> That's certainly valid, but just understand the true cost of your
> principles.
> 
> By the way, just today I went to Refresh Computers
> (https://refreshcomputers.net/site/). They said I could come in with a
> Linux DVD and fire it up on their equipment to see if the video and
> networking work. Prices for used equipment are about 70% of the prices
> of modern equipment that's probably 50% better performance, but there's
> no "Microsoft tax", you just don't buy a $20 Win10 license, and when you
> get home you wipe the existing win10 right off the box. I doubt
> Microsoft makes any money off a used computer without your purchasing
> the license.
> 
> For laptops I typically go to Costco, with their 90 day "anything goes"
> warranty, bring it home, squeeze the hard disk, install Linux on the
> remainder, and bang, I'm good to go. Or else I return it and say "it
> didn't work out. The reason I keep the windows is you can't get
> warranty service without the windows-centric diagnostic tests they put
> you through. The second the warranty period is over, you can just use
> the entire disk for Linux.
> 
> But given your reason B, you're probably better off with a used
> computer than a Costco computer or one of those double-priced System76
> computers.
> 
> SteveT
> 
> Steve Litt
> February 2017 featured book: Thriving in Tough Times
> http://www.troubleshooters.com/thrive
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-- 
"Between subtle shading and the absence of light lies the nuance of iqlusion..." - Kryptos 

Lee Marzke, lee@marzke.net http://marzke.net/lee/ 
IT Consultant, VMware, VCenter, SAN storage, infrastructure, SW CM 
+1 800-393-5217 office +1 484-348-2230 fax 
+1 252 627-9531 sms ( 252 MARZKE1 )
___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --        http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
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