What laptop to get to replace my 15" macbook?

[Eric Cope]

how much are you selling your macbook for? Which one is it?

On Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 8:58 AM, Bob Elzer <bob.elzer at gmail.com> wrote:

> How much did you spend on the Macbook, and how much do you want to spend on
> a new laptop ?
>
> What are your preferences, what does it have to have, or not have, and what
> do you want to do with it ?
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: plug-discuss-bounces at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
> [mailto:plug-discuss-bounces at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us] On Behalf Of Josef
> Lowder
> Sent: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 2:25 PM
> To: plug-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
> Subject: What laptop to get to replace my 15" macbook?
>
> Based on the very positive and enthusiastic comments from so many people
> (including several of my good plug friends), I recently purchased a 15"
> Macbook, thinking that it might be "the way to go."
>
> While the Mac is a very appealing product in many ways with many
> outstanding
> features, I have finally come to the conclusion that the disadvantages (to
> me) far outweigh the positives.  So I am now thinking of selling it and
> looking for something more sensible in the real world.  Therefore, once
> again, I am seeking input from the collective wisdom of this esteemed
> group.
>
> The simple, but (to me) major drawbacks of the Mac (not to mention their
> proprietary impositions that seem to be even worse than M$), are as
> follows:
>
> 1. The keyboard layout that forces that screwy Mac/Apple X key on users in
> lieu of simply using the CTRL key ... and then positioning that weird mac
> key in such a terribly awkward place.
>
> 2. Putting the "FN" key where the "CTRL" key should be (and is on every
> other computer keyboard) is really stupid.  Bottom-farthest left is the
> *only* place (from an anatomically logical standpoint) where the CTRL key
> should be (imho).
>
> 3. Failure to totally eliminate the "caps-lock" key (of course I guess all
> keyboard mfrs still remain guilty of this ridiculous failing, at this
> point).  However, I seem to accidentally hit it more on the mac than on my
> other keyboards ... I guess because on the mac it seems to be slightly
> oversized.  Why?  Duh!
>
> 4. The absolutely ridiculous limitation of being forced to the bottom right
> corner of every window as the *only* way to resize windows.
> That might be the most stupid of all Mac contrary-to-all-common-sense
> "features."  And apparently no way that I can find to "maximize" a window.
>
> 5. The needlessly glitzy but cumbersome "dock."
>
> 6. The lack of a simple text editor ... one that doesn't force the use of
> html or rtf.
>
> 7. Most of the *nix command-line commands and utilities that I am used to
> using do not seem to work on Mac OS-X
>
> 8. While I like the slot drive rather than a DVD drive that slides open, I
> do (not) like having it on the front. Has that changed on newer models?
>
> 9. And as for being "intuitive" ... I've tried for a week to get the hang
> of
> using a Mac and almost everything that I am used to doing on my "normal"
> computers, I find almost impossible to figure out on a mac.  The 529-page
> "How to do everything Mac" doesn't ... and if mac is so "intuitive" why
> should it need a 529-page book to explain how to use it?
>
> In any case, I am now looking for a new (or used) laptop to replace this
> mac
> and get back to the real world.
>
> One that intrigues me is a new, single-core, lower-powered Asus that claims
> to have 8+ hours of battery life.  It is also the only one I have seen so
> far that has lighted keys (the letters light up on the keys like the mac --
> one of mac's truly great features).  That seems to me to be a very
> desirable
> feature.  Only problem is that that feature seems to be available only in a
> larger format Asus unit with a number keypad (that I do not want).
>
> So what do y'all recommend?
>
> I like the slot drive (on the right side), built-in camera, lighted keys,
> lightest and thinnest possible, a "normal" keyboard (no 10- pad), at least
> a
> 15" screen, preferrably matte not glossy, and long battery life. I want to
> install Linux as the base OS and use whatever virtual ware will allow me to
> install win98 (I do *not* want the all-intrusive, pop-up crazy winXP).
>
> PS: Anyone interested in trading for or buying a 15" macbook with 4-gig of
> ram?
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-- 
Eric Cope
http://cope-et-al.com
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