[clue] 17" Linux-based laptop
David L. Willson
DLWillson at TheGeek.NU
Thu Oct 11 15:10:03 MDT 2012
My friends are warned that there may be some mild ranting in this post.
I don't think it's unpatriotic to buy things as cheaply as possible, but it may be short-sighted. Have a close look at the food industry. Often it's better to consider what goes into what you buy. Also, some person I listened to somewhere said that we (Americans) had better be good at making something other than money, because the value of money can vary greatly over time. Ask anyone on a fixed income about that.
With regard to "Microsoft Tax", I know that it is offset by the benefits of standardization. Standardizing on Windows is far less expensive for a maker than testing their machines with other OS's. So, even after the maker pays $15 to $100 per license for OEM Windows, the overall cost to the customer is less than a comparably-equipped box with the user's choice of OS.
It really depends on your goals. If you want power/price, buy your machines with Windows, and that'll be good for you, but not interesting to me, off-topic to this list, and off-topic to this thread. ie: You're ignoring an important part of my problem set.
0. I run Linux almost all the time, because it makes me happy. When I run Windows, I want to cry and stab my face. Buying a cheap off-the-shelf laptop is not a good option for me, because of the risk that the hardware won't fully and immediately support Linux.
1. I care about Linux and the whole Free software thing. Helping that to grow is a part of my life's mission. Sending my money to eRacks is an attractive option. Sending my money to Microsoft is not an option.
2. I care about some games, somewhat. I love Minecraft and Descent and I look forward to buying Left for Dead 2 when doing so sends a pro-Linux vote. I don't have time to play every game, and getting the games to run is often more fun for me than playing them. Yes, I know that's perverse, and I don't care.
So, mind the OP, and the Subject, please. I'm looking for a big honkin' Linux-based laptop, not just a laptop. If you're looking for something else, great, but don't hijack my thread.
I ~know~ I'll pay a premium to get ~my~ laptop. I pay extra every time I buy Humble Bundle, and I give money to charities, too. I do it on purpose.
If you have a solution that is better than the eRacks laptop, great, but please don't change the problem to fit your solution. Imagine how annoyed you'd be if you asked how to do something in Exim, and someone told you how easy it is to do the same thing in Exchange, because "they do the same thing" and "the first two letters are the same". Their answer might be interesting to them, but it's distracting noise in the search for an answer to your problem.
--
David L. Willson
Trainer, Engineer, Enthusiast
RHCE Network+ A+ Linux+ LPIC-1 Ubuntu
Mobile 720-333-LANS(5267)
This is a good time for a r3VOLution.
----- Original Message -----
> I also wonder about the actual value of the microsoft tax. I think
> that it is cool that companies sell machines with linux pre-installed
> and I'd go for it if the dollar amount was comparable.
>
> I guess what I'm saying is that I'd rather ship jobs overseas and do
> my own re-partion/install than pay extra for a linux pre-installed
> box. Call me unpatriotic.
>
> chris
>
> On Thu, Oct 11, 2012 at 12:34 PM, Shawn T Perry <shawn at redmop.com>
> wrote:
> > I'm not sure why I'd buy any of those three laptops. They all cost
> > about
> > 200 more than the ones that come with Windows from other vendors,
> > and I can
> > install Ubuntu or whatever myself. Heck, I'll wipe and reinstall
> > Windows
> > after I image it anyway.
> >
> > I'm all for open source, but I fail to see a Microsoft Tax here.
> > Also, I
> > regularly use Windows for both work and games. WINE just doesn't
> > cut it
> > yet.
> >
> > I've also yet to see a pre-installed Linux laptop with battery life
> > mentioned, or specs that I want (13-14 inch, >720p, matte, I7,
> > nVidia,
> > light, 7+ battery which pretty much means Optimus, at least 8 GB
> > ram,
> > replaceable HDD to upgrade to high performance SSD). I'm currently
> > looking
> > at the Asus U500 and the UX32VD.
> >
> >
> >
> > Shawn T Perry
> > Red Mop Computing Services
> > office: 720-319-7627
> > cell: 303-881-2623
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Oct 10, 2012 at 12:24 PM, David L. Willson
> > <DLWillson at thegeek.nu>
> > wrote:
> >>
> >> Now, THAT's the sort of rig I'm talking about!
> >>
> >> http://eracks.com/products/Laptops/config?sku=GAMER
> >>
> >> I looked on Lenovo's site, and found nothing appropriate.
> >>
> >> --
> >> David L. Willson
> >> Trainer, Engineer, Enthusiast
> >> RHCE Network+ A+ Linux+ LPIC-1 Ubuntu
> >> Mobile 720-333-LANS(5267)
> >>
> >> This is a good time for a r3VOLution.
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> > Just for the record -- it's not hopeless out there -- I've had a
> >> > great
> >> > business relationship with eRacks (www.eracks.com) out in Orange
> >> > CA
> >> > for
> >> > several years now. Good products, good people, great support,
> >> > and
> >> > 100%
> >> > Linux-focused (servers, desktops, laptops).
> >> >
> >> > Just adding one more resource to the pool: I recommend them!...
> >> > Choice
> >> > is good. Results count. Relationships are everything.
> >> >
> >> > best regards,
> >> > -- Lorin
> >> >
> >> > On 10/10/2012 10:16 AM, David L. Willson wrote:
> >> > > I have used SLED (SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop), and I liked
> >> > > it
> >> > > fine. I
> >> > > don't think it's backed by Novell any more, though.
> >> > >
> >> > > Do you know a reputable vendor that sells big, powerful
> >> > > laptops
> >> > > with
> >> > > SLED pre-installed?
> >> > >
> >> > > And to your final point, I find brand loyalism much, MUCH less
> >> > > threatening in the land of Free (as in GPL) software, than in
> >> > > the
> >> > > land
> >> > > of free (as in beer and BSD) software or worst of all, in the
> >> > > land
> >> > > of
> >> > > proprietary software. I don't care if people are just crazy
> >> > > about
> >> > > Ubuntu
> >> > > or Red Hat or SUSE. I say God bless 'em and God speed. I do
> >> > > NOT
> >> > > feel the
> >> > > same way about people that are crazy about Windows, OSX,
> >> > > Oracle,
> >> > > Netezza, and MapR. I have one simple reason: I hate vendor
> >> > > lock-in,
> >> > > and
> >> > > I've learned to recognize cages and chains.
> >> > >
> >> > > --
> >> > > David L. Willson
> >> > > Trainer, Engineer, Enthusiast
> >> > > RHCE Network+ A+ Linux+ LPIC-1 Ubuntu
> >> > > Mobile 720-333-LANS(5267)
> >> > >
> >> > > This is a good time for a r3VOLution.
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >> > >
> >> > > You should take a look at something that's backed by
> >> > > Novell and
> >> > > suse
> >> > > if you're serious about brand loyalty. Sled is prolly the
> >> > > only
> >> > > way
> >> > > forward with capitalism and Linux.
> >> > >
> >> > > There's an excellent discussion here about the trials of
> >> > > universal
> >> > > compatibility and conversely brand loyalty. Thoughts?
> >> > >
> >> > > On Wednesday, October 10, 2012, David L. Willson wrote:
> >> > >
> >> > > Hardware vendors and softwarethe vendors are in
> >> > > business to
> >> > > make
> >> > > great products AND make a living. So, when you're
> >> > > spending,
> >> > > be
> >> > > aware that they're watching.
> >> > >
> >> > > Id no longer makes products for Linux, because a whole
> >> > > bunch of
> >> > > people bought the Windows version of DOOM3 and
> >> > > downloaded
> >> > > the
> >> > > Linux binary for free, thereby obscuring their desire
> >> > > for a
> >> > > great game on Linux. Id can no longer justify the
> >> > > effort of
> >> > > creating the Linux port.
> >> > >
> >> > > Fortunately, Valve is making their first foray into
> >> > > Linux-land,
> >> > > and hopefully, we'll have gotten smarter, enough to
> >> > > actually be
> >> > > careful about how our "dollar-votes" get registered.
> >> > >
> >> > > So, I will continue to buy every Humble Bundle,
> >> > > attribute
> >> > > my
> >> > > purchase to Linux, and pay more than the average when
> >> > > I do.
> >> > > And
> >> > > I'll buy L4D2 on Steam on Linux, the day it gets
> >> > > released.
> >> > >
> >> > > And, I will only buy Linux-based computers from now
> >> > > on,
> >> > > rather
> >> > > than OSX or Windows-based, so that I can be sure all
> >> > > my
> >> > > hardware
> >> > > will "just work", and my vendor will know that I want
> >> > > Linux.
> >> > >
> >> > > All that to say this... I want to source a Linux
> >> > > workstation
> >> > > from a reputable vendor, so I can request it at work:
> >> > > Why
> >> > > is
> >> > > this so damned hard?
> >> > >
> >> > > System 76 - Bonobo - gone
> >> > > Zareason - Verix - gone
> >> > > Dell - M6700 - Rumor appears to be unfounded
> >> > >
> >> > > --
> >> > > David L. Willson
> >> > > Trainer, Engineer, Enthusiast
> >> > > RHCE Network+ A+ Linux+ LPIC-1 Ubuntu
> >> > > Mobile 720-333-LANS(5267)
> >> > >
> >> > > This is a good time for a r3VOLution.
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > _______________________________________________
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> >> > >
> >> >
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