Re: What laptop to get to replace my 15" macbook?

>     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@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>     <mailto:plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
>     [mailto:plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>     <mailto:plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>] On Behalf Of
>     Josef
>     Lowder
>     Sent: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 2:25 PM
>     To: plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>     <mailto:plug-discuss@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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