Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 12:47:06 -0600 From: dmmcf@uiuc.edu (D. Michael McFarland) To: Martin Cracauer <cracauer@cons.org> Cc: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Experiences with HP, Compaq? Message-ID: <87fzfavys5.fsf@lomond.aae.uiuc.edu> In-Reply-To: <20031224105010.A79893@cons.org> (Martin Cracauer's message of "Wed, 24 Dec 2003 10:50:10 -0500") References: <87zndjidfr.fsf@lomond.aae.uiuc.edu> <200312231650.30382.cbehanna@panasas.com> <20031224105010.A79893@cons.org>
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Martin Cracauer <cracauer@cons.org> writes: > I looked at some rebated HP/Compaq models at BestBuy yesterday. The > cheap celeron models I was looking at had no firewire and only USB > 1.1. You want to make sure those you are looking at have 2.0. Good point. Unfortunately, it eliminates both my original choices. >> For about that same price, Best Buy has an eMachines laptop w/17" >> widescreen (1280x768) LCD, the same Athlon-M, and the same ATI video >> chip. > > I looked at that part yesterday.[...] > Anyway, I had a closer look and the whole thing feels so flimsy and > cheap mechanically-wise that I am pretty much put off it. I might > have a second look these days but I really wouldn't like to buy a > notebook with a keyboard that breaks. I looked at the M5312 (the Athlon version), and was mildly impressed. Then I tracked down a somewhat Linux- and FreeBSD-savvy tech (Who'd've thought?), who expressed some concerns about eMachines hardware. I came away thinking that if I wanted to run Windows, that notebook would be a great bargain, but for what I have in mind it might add another layer of annoyance. I've since raised my sights a little (aye, there he goes, right down the slippery slope), and am looking at the Compaq 2580US, which is a little newer than the models I started with (e.g., USB 2) but looks similar enough in most of the hardware details that I can believe I could get most features to work. But feel free to contradict me---I hate spending money, even on computers. :-) Michael
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