Reliable laptops around $1k?

Fri Jul 23 17:45:55 PDT 2004

Quoting Nick Christenson (npc at gangofone.com):
...
> The second is an Apple iBook.  Don't be so quick to reject this idea!
> It's 5 lbs., runs OS X or you can put Yellow Dog Linux on it, costs ~$1100,
> battery life is pretty good, and seems reasonably sturdy (as long as you 
> have a recent model without the bad screens).  So, technically, this one
> matches everything you asked about... .

Ummm, how do I put this?
"Holy crap! Hell has frozen over"?

I'd suggested this offlist actually, but then I've carried Powerbooks
for 10 years.  I *kinda* miss MachTen.  I *do* miss the duo and
docking it so nicely.

I've got a 1999 Powerbook.  One of the  batteries lasts 10 minutes
(I can carry it into the kitchen or upstairs and plug it in) or
sleep for at least a day - enough to get home.  It's old.  Batteries
die and need to be replaced.

Dual head with OS X and a 20" monitor attached.  I like that.

5 years and going ain't bad.

I'll note that with an OpenBoot Prom and a wired net, "boot net"
works just wonderfully.  It was how I checked out NetBSD and OpenBSD
on it without risking commitment of the disk to an unknown OS.

I keep leaning towards a BSD on it, just because OS X is *so**bloated*.

On the GirlF's 17" with 1GB of RAM, it's not a problem.  But with
192 in a machine that refuses to take more (it should, it doesn't),
it's a little piggy.

No native OpenOffice (no, I don't avoid word because it doesn't
work on my platforms; I avoid word because I don't like it or it's
parent.  I'd take Word 3.1 or maybe 5, but last I looked, it was
demanding 200MB of RAM or something silly.  My work is about the
same as what I did with the "huge" 8MB FrameMaker).

But for a "normal human" to use, it runs consumer apps like Quicken
(a need for my partner) and such, and it runs a unix.   Just get
the AppleCare and make sure you get to get the new versions of the
OS as they come out.

(applecare took care of a first model airport that died of capacitor).

And understand that the favorite apple customer is the one who's about
to buy.   The laptop I'm on arrived the day Steve Jobs said "And today,
all G3s will come with 20GB harddrives!"   (this has an 8).
I still resent their inability to do *transition* (usb added? ADB and
serial removed).

You can make me an offer on an Apple //+.  I think I still have quicken
for it.  And visicalc.  Not sure of the floppies' conditions though. 
Anyone have NFS for ProDos?