[sf-lug] seeking laptop recommendations to upgrade from thinkpad t61p

Sun Jun 1 18:15:33 PDT 2014

On 06/01/2014 04:47 PM, Michael Shiloh wrote:
> Thanks Bobbie and my apologies for not thinking of searching for the
> obvious.

    You are completely welcome and I am pretty good with thinking
of the obvious.  Sometimes it works and sometime it won't.
       
    bliss
>
> On 06/01/2014 04:19 PM, Bobbie Sellers wrote:
>>
>> On 06/01/2014 03:52 PM, Michael Shiloh wrote:
>>> Another thought:
>>>
>>> Perhaps there is a compromise: What is the latest/fastest Thinkpad
>>> that still has the keyboard and pointing device I so love?
>>>
>>> Michael
>>
>>      it looks like the Thinkpad W540 Portable Workstation at the
>> following URL
>> <http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/w-series/w540/?sb=:00000025:00003954:>
>>
>>
>>      I searched on Lenovo Thinkpad lastest with Touchpoint.
>>
>>      bliss
>>>
>>>
>>> On 06/01/2014 03:36 PM, Michael Shiloh wrote:
>>>> I too love my old thinkpads, but I'm afraid that after I spend some
>>>> $500
>>>> (SSD, RAM, processor) I'll still have a machine that is too slow for
>>>> modern use.
>>>>
>>>> The alternative, though, probably involves spending at least double
>>>> that
>>>> and losing the red pointing stick (or whatever it's called) and they
>>>> keyboard I so love. I hope I'd get used to whatever I end up with but
>>>> fear I'd always feel it's inferior.
>>>>
>>>> Money aside, I guess it boils down to speed vs. keyboard and
>>>> pointer....
>>>>
>>>> Pondering, pondering ...
>>>>
>>>> Thanks, as always, for your suggestions and observations.
>>>>
>>>> On 05/31/2014 03:03 PM, Kenneth Dombrowski wrote:
>>>>> Hi Michael,
>>>>>
>>>>> Sorry for the late reply, somehow I didn't see this until cleaning
>>>>> out
>>>>> my inbox just now.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've had good luck with Lenovo's refurbished laptops too, but last I
>>>>> checked their "outlet" site was in pretty bad shape.  We've been
>>>>> having
>>>>> a lot of issues with them @ work lately too; everything from OS &
>>>>> hardware issues, to support & billing issues.
>>>>>
>>>>> With my other thinkpads, I've always loved how easy self-maintenance
>>>>> is;
>>>>> it's always been easy to find part numbers, order replacement parts
>>>>> directly from IBM/Lenovo, and follow the instructions to replace it.
>>>>> I've replaced fans, keyboards, a CPU, and hard drive & memory
>>>>> locations
>>>>> were always designed for easy access.  I haven't opened up the
>>>>> carbon,
>>>>> but it doesn't feel like that experience will be the same.  I heard a
>>>>> rumor that the SSD is not replaceable at all.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'd be curious about the results of your research though -- I love my
>>>>> x61s, but I think it is soon going into semi-retirement as a file
>>>>> server
>>>>> for my apt.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 14-05-23 16:07 -0700, Michael Shiloh wrote:
>>>>>> Thanks Kenneth. I will study your Carbon notes. I read elsewhere a
>>>>>> pretty unfavorable review of the Carbon although I can't recall
>>>>>> which generation or what specifically they didn't like.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I've had very good luck with Lenovo's refurbished computers. I might
>>>>>> be able to get a gen 1 X1 that way. I'll check.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> M
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 05/23/2014 09:09 AM, Kenneth Dombrowski wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi Michael,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> As another Thinkpad fan, you might be interested in my notes about
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> Carbon X1, which I have been using @ my new job since February:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> http://wiki.ylayali.net/doku.php?id=hardware:carbonx1
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I really like it, love the keyboard, the weight & battery life are
>>>>>>> amazing, the screen is great, in fact, I have been keeping an
>>>>>>> eye out
>>>>>>> for a gen 1 to replace my x61s as my primary personal laptop.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The gen 2 is difficult to recommend though, without recognizing
>>>>>>> some
>>>>>>> caveats:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The virtual function key thingy is useless -- basically be
>>>>>>> prepared to
>>>>>>> never rely on having function keys available (which is especially a
>>>>>>> drag
>>>>>>> on linux, when it's nice to drop out of x into a terminal) -- my
>>>>>>> co-worker uses ubuntu+gnome & his always works, but I use
>>>>>>> ubuntu+enlightenment & it dies an hour or so after booting.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I also never got used to the pointer setup, the trackpad is
>>>>>>> horrible,
>>>>>>> very sensitive & too big, I keep meaning to edit my config to just
>>>>>>> disable the annoying thing, and the thinkpad stick is pretty
>>>>>>> difficult
>>>>>>> to use too.  Also there are no actual buttons by the trackpad,
>>>>>>> and no
>>>>>>> conception at all of a middle-click, I actually need a usb mouse
>>>>>>> to get
>>>>>>> by, which is pretty sad.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The gen 1 did not have these flaws, it had real Fn buttons, and
>>>>>>> left,
>>>>>>> middle, and right buttons below the trackpad, if you can find one
>>>>>>> (unfortunately they were discontinued the week I was hired)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Maybe over the long weekend I will try out debian unstable with a
>>>>>>> recent
>>>>>>> kernel, I generally use debian everywhere & find ubuntu kind of
>>>>>>> annoying, but I had to get set up quickly
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 14-05-22 14:08 -0700, Michael Shiloh wrote:
>>>>>>>> I love my trusty Thinkpad T61p, but it's getting quite old.
>>>>>>>> Time to
>>>>>>>> upgrade, but to what?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I've owned many Thinkpads and loved them all. What are the Lenovo
>>>>>>>> steps up from the T series?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Or is it time to try something non-Lenovo?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I strongly support what ZA Reason is doing, and would be
>>>>>>>> inclined to
>>>>>>>> go with them if one of their selections fits my needs. I know at
>>>>>>>> least one of you uses a ZA Reason laptop and would love to hear
>>>>>>>> your
>>>>>>>> experience.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Considerations:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> - What's a reasonable amount to spend? I expect to pay more than
>>>>>>>> $1000 but need to keep it below $2000.
>>>>>>>> - Some SSD for speed. Could be all SSD, or some SSD and some
>>>>>>>> spinning disk.
>>>>>>>> - I carry my laptop everywhere, so weight is a concern.
>>>>>>>> - I use the laptop constantly, so a really good screen is
>>>>>>>> important.
>>>>>>>> - Nice keyboard. I'm spoiled by Thinkpads.
>>>>>>>> - I love the Thinkpad joystick thingy between the GHBN buttons. I
>>>>>>>> don't think I could get used to a trackpad. I've tried often and I
>>>>>>>> hate them.
>>>>>>>> - I travel quite often and long battery life is somewhat
>>>>>>>> important,
>>>>>>>> although on the one hand in-seat power is becoming more common and
>>>>>>>> on the other hand some time away from the computer is a good thing
>>>>>>>> too.
>>>>>>>> - I speak publicly very often so flawless external monitor
>>>>>>>> hookup is
>>>>>>>> critical
>>>>>>>> - I don't do many CPU intensive things. Mostly lots of web
>>>>>>>> pages (I
>>>>>>>> typically have 30 open tabs) and Thunderbird. Lots of Arduino
>>>>>>>> compiles but that's pretty fast anyway. I mostly used git,
>>>>>>>> Inkscape,
>>>>>>>> OpenSCAD, Fritzing, vi, etc. I suspect lots of RAM and the SSD is
>>>>>>>> more important that CPU speed, but I could be wrong.
>>>>>>>> - Style is not terribly important to me (thank goodness)
>>>>>>>> - Obviously something that works well with Linux (standard Ubuntu)
>>>>>>>> without having to jump through too many hoops is important
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thoughts? Suggestions for and against? General discussion?
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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