Out to Lunch
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10 Oct 2016.
Windows 7 Laptops Ridiculously Cheap Right Now
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ampguy
Veteran
cool
cool
a friend of mine, Chip Rabinowitz wrote a utility like that back in the day, you basically were prompted to hit space, and in a few seconds your floppy was formatted, ready for another disk to be inserted.
I wrote a replacement for the dos cd command, called d.exe which let you change directories, but also displayed your ram and disk stats.
Another utility I wrote was chkdsk.exe, more robust version that came with dos.
I use mac's and pc's. macbook air when traveling, PC's around the house. Both are good. I have an old 14" dell from 2006 that still runs well, and has a native 1440x900 that mac's didn't have back then, but I don't think they make them like that anymore.
I'd go for a light notebook with ssd, whether windows or mac, over a larger standard drive system. Also, for me, I like a lot of pixel density, 1440x900 or FHD on 13 or 14" or smaller, please.
cool
a friend of mine, Chip Rabinowitz wrote a utility like that back in the day, you basically were prompted to hit space, and in a few seconds your floppy was formatted, ready for another disk to be inserted.
I wrote a replacement for the dos cd command, called d.exe which let you change directories, but also displayed your ram and disk stats.
Another utility I wrote was chkdsk.exe, more robust version that came with dos.
I use mac's and pc's. macbook air when traveling, PC's around the house. Both are good. I have an old 14" dell from 2006 that still runs well, and has a native 1440x900 that mac's didn't have back then, but I don't think they make them like that anymore.
I'd go for a light notebook with ssd, whether windows or mac, over a larger standard drive system. Also, for me, I like a lot of pixel density, 1440x900 or FHD on 13 or 14" or smaller, please.
Using a Leica camera is closer to using a computer by programming it in assembly language than using an Apple, or other "Windows-Icons-Mice-Pointer" type computers. The latter is akin to an Autofocus Point and Shoot, press the button- the camera does everything for you.
With an M8, M9, and M7- maybe closer to using a computer with a Compiler, when you use auto-exposure. Take it off of Auto when required, back to assembly. Picture out of focus, miss the exposure, blame yourself.
Probably why I use Leica's and other manual focus, manual exposure cameras.
Computers have changed in the last 65 years, that's for sure.
I miss heavy metal.
And the Z80.
Just remembered- I still use an original Microsoft Mouse at work, bought in 1986. $150. Works great. I wrote my own device driver for it.
With an M8, M9, and M7- maybe closer to using a computer with a Compiler, when you use auto-exposure. Take it off of Auto when required, back to assembly. Picture out of focus, miss the exposure, blame yourself.
Probably why I use Leica's and other manual focus, manual exposure cameras.
Computers have changed in the last 65 years, that's for sure.
I miss heavy metal.
And the Z80.
Just remembered- I still use an original Microsoft Mouse at work, bought in 1986. $150. Works great. I wrote my own device driver for it.
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tyrone.s
Well-known
Utor a computer proinde EGO sum?
Seeing as the chipsets are the same, this is a difficult argument to push. 🙂
People do value aesthetics and build quality, the market has proven it to be so. This doesn't mean everyone wants or needs either, of course.
ampguy
Veteran
Brian
Brian
You seem to me, the type that would build their own box from parts from Newegg, or wherever, and tweak the heck out of it! 😉
Brian
You seem to me, the type that would build their own box from parts from Newegg, or wherever, and tweak the heck out of it! 😉
Do that at work, and they pay me for it.
At home- tweak the lenses for close-up/ wide-open, baby.
The M8/M9 use a Renesas processor, info courtesy of JAAPV. 16-bit, RISC-like architecture. Nice instruction set.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Brian,
If we weren't both so happily married to our respective wives, I think I'd fall in love with yours...
Cheers,
R.
Thankyou, Roger.
You should have seen the "Honey-DO" list that I would get. Mostly supplying her with FORTRAN subroutines. She did give me co-author on her publications, things like "Comparison of Wavelet and Fourier Analysis on Truncated Chromosone Sequence Recognition". That "Chick-Stuff"...
You should have seen the "Honey-DO" list that I would get. Mostly supplying her with FORTRAN subroutines. She did give me co-author on her publications, things like "Comparison of Wavelet and Fourier Analysis on Truncated Chromosone Sequence Recognition". That "Chick-Stuff"...
Timmyjoe
Veteran
My "road" computer is a previous generation 11" MacBook Air, with Aperture 2 installed. After a shoot, I dump the cards into Aperture, do some minor adjustments, export them in the two different sizes my editor wants, Zip them, and off they go to the paper.
When I want to do serious PP on images I use my desktop MacPro (or whatever it's called), which also has Aperture 2, along with CS3 Photoshop and a few other goodies.
Best,
-Tim
gavinlg
Veteran
Hmmm... I actually like things that are built and designed well - 98% of windows laptops and desktops are built like a sardine can - rickety and rattly pieces of junk!
I liked the original Macs that burst into flames because they did not have a fan, which were considered "noisy". They overheated, and the power supplies went up. Really smelled bad when this happened. One of the departments at work still uses one of these- as a door stop.
People- this is getting stupid. I have Windows Laptops bought 14 years ago that survived field trips and Nikki's hospital stays. Still running, and not the "ToughBook" variety either. I still have two Micron Trek II's in full operation. And some Pentium Pro Towers. I used to buy Panasonic Toughbooks 5 at a time. They are as rugged as a Nikon F. Every key on the Trek II's still work, the touchpad, everything.
People- this is getting stupid. I have Windows Laptops bought 14 years ago that survived field trips and Nikki's hospital stays. Still running, and not the "ToughBook" variety either. I still have two Micron Trek II's in full operation. And some Pentium Pro Towers. I used to buy Panasonic Toughbooks 5 at a time. They are as rugged as a Nikon F. Every key on the Trek II's still work, the touchpad, everything.
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Brian, where can I get a Toughbook for $600? 🙂
This thread is going all over the place. A cheap laptop doesn't necessarily mean it will fail, even after 14 years. But I did happen to see a Yugo actually driving (motor running) on the street the other day. 🙂
I don't recall a Mac laptop that didn't have a fan. The Cube definitely did NOT have a fan but it was a desktop. I do recall some Mac laptops that ran hot; just like I remember Windows laptops with exploding batteries.
This thread is going all over the place. A cheap laptop doesn't necessarily mean it will fail, even after 14 years. But I did happen to see a Yugo actually driving (motor running) on the street the other day. 🙂
I don't recall a Mac laptop that didn't have a fan. The Cube definitely did NOT have a fan but it was a desktop. I do recall some Mac laptops that ran hot; just like I remember Windows laptops with exploding batteries.
Bob Johnson's Computer Stuff.
http://bobjohnson.com/
I have bought at least 30 Panasonic Toughbooks from him.
Great to deal with. I needed Win98se on them, no-problem! I use a Panasonic CF-50 with a Pentium-IV, works great-priced right!
I'm realy sick and tired of the Apple vs DOS, Mac vs Win debate.
Windows machines are cheap because of the Tablet style computers and do-everything Phones.
At some point, the MAC computers will come down in price to compete with Pads.
Computers are like Barbie Dolls. Sell the doll cheap, make money off the clothes for Barbie and Software for computers.
They should be in vending machines next to the cokes and twinkies. Insert a $20 bill, get a computer.
http://bobjohnson.com/
I have bought at least 30 Panasonic Toughbooks from him.
Great to deal with. I needed Win98se on them, no-problem! I use a Panasonic CF-50 with a Pentium-IV, works great-priced right!
I'm realy sick and tired of the Apple vs DOS, Mac vs Win debate.
Windows machines are cheap because of the Tablet style computers and do-everything Phones.
At some point, the MAC computers will come down in price to compete with Pads.
Computers are like Barbie Dolls. Sell the doll cheap, make money off the clothes for Barbie and Software for computers.
They should be in vending machines next to the cokes and twinkies. Insert a $20 bill, get a computer.
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Roger Hicks
Veteran
And why not? It's a Fiat Panda/Seat Marbella clone, an incredibly simple motor car. Well, at least the one I had was. I wish I'd never crashed it. Look after it, and it should last half way to forever.
Cheers,
R.
OK, used. 🙂 Got me there, Brian!
Looking at new, the cheapest 'semi rugged' are $1900+ outfitted with Bluetooth and backlit keyboard and smartcard reader (outfitted similar to the cheapest Macbook Air, which also has SSD.)
I bought a Dell laptop in January 2008 for $2500, sold it a year later on ebay and it got $800. One good thing about $600 Windows laptops, is the most they can depreciate is $600. 🙂
Looking at new, the cheapest 'semi rugged' are $1900+ outfitted with Bluetooth and backlit keyboard and smartcard reader (outfitted similar to the cheapest Macbook Air, which also has SSD.)
I bought a Dell laptop in January 2008 for $2500, sold it a year later on ebay and it got $800. One good thing about $600 Windows laptops, is the most they can depreciate is $600. 🙂
It's not really a debate, just a discussion.
As I said before, Apple machines are built to a standard, and Windows machines to a price. This is of course speaking in general...there are always exceptions, like Toughbooks. Or, the Mac Mini, which is a $600 box...even at $600, though, it has real aesthetics (and Thunderbolt to boot.)
And one has to admit, Brian, that you are not the typical user. Most users do not have the background and skill that you do. You could use any machine; this is not the case for many millions of others.
There is no need to spend more than $600 or so for a good computer these days, unless you just like spending lots of money. Figure they are good for the warranty period, then replace them. Cheaper than leasing.
Technology changes that quickly. And it doesn't, read an assembly language manual and you see that things have not changed that much in 30 years. Clock-rates are much higher, but computer architecture has not changed much in decades. The most sophisticated computer "architecture-wise" that I ever used was a multi-processor vector computer which could process entire images, even sub-images within an image, with one assembly language instruction. Built in 1971. I never made the cross-over to the Cray after programming the ASC (Advanced Scientific Computer).
It also cost $8M.
Macs were originally advertised as the "computer for the rest of us". That group does not include me...
coolness factor of the ASC: fetch memory operands 25 clock cycles before presenting them to the arithmetic pipelines. Fetch 8 words at a time with a 256-bit wide memory bus. triple-buffered memory input, dual-buffered memory output. I'm always in awe of that machine.
Okay. If anyone else is in half-awe of this, you are a computer-geek.
Technology changes that quickly. And it doesn't, read an assembly language manual and you see that things have not changed that much in 30 years. Clock-rates are much higher, but computer architecture has not changed much in decades. The most sophisticated computer "architecture-wise" that I ever used was a multi-processor vector computer which could process entire images, even sub-images within an image, with one assembly language instruction. Built in 1971. I never made the cross-over to the Cray after programming the ASC (Advanced Scientific Computer).
It also cost $8M.
Macs were originally advertised as the "computer for the rest of us". That group does not include me...
coolness factor of the ASC: fetch memory operands 25 clock cycles before presenting them to the arithmetic pipelines. Fetch 8 words at a time with a 256-bit wide memory bus. triple-buffered memory input, dual-buffered memory output. I'm always in awe of that machine.
Okay. If anyone else is in half-awe of this, you are a computer-geek.
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gdi
Veteran
When I was pricing high end laptops, I found that a MacBook Pro would cost almost double the price of a good quality Win 7 machine with better specs in some components. But the monitor on the Mac is the best I've seen.
I like Macs - and nothing compares style wise, so I was still tempted to temper my requirements to justify the Mac. But I have some professional requirements that demand a native Windows machine.
Compare a good builder's (maybe XoticPC) price on a high end Asus, for example, to a Macbook Pro. So windows 7 laptops are a pretty good deal.
Time is money...this is why I no longer can assist friends and family that run into problems with their Windows boxes. And being in the computer industry (designing circuit boards) for 20+ years, and providing technical support to the end users, I get asked...often.
This is why a $600 laptop is not the right decision for many, many people. It's a false economy. For those people that know what they are doing, no problem...but millions don't.
My mom is 88 years old and uses a Mac Mini. There is absolutely no way I would ever inflict a Windows machine on her...the pain would be mine.
This is why a $600 laptop is not the right decision for many, many people. It's a false economy. For those people that know what they are doing, no problem...but millions don't.
My mom is 88 years old and uses a Mac Mini. There is absolutely no way I would ever inflict a Windows machine on her...the pain would be mine.
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