What laptop to get to replace my 15" macbook?

[Stephen]

what did you end up getting?

On Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 6:18 PM, Nathan England<nathan at paysonlinux.org> wrote:
> On Wednesday 19 August 2009 02:24:49 pm Josef Lowder wrote:
>> 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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>
>
> When I bought my current laptop I went to Best Buy and Fry's and asked to try out their machines with a Ubuntu disc and no one had a problem with it. In the end I tried a bunch of laptops and bought the one with the best support in the store. I do not run Ubuntu, but it was a great trial run to see what could be made to work!
>
> nathan
> --
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Nathan England
> (928) 951-5116
> nathan at paysonlinux.org
> http://www.paysonlinux.org/
>
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-- 
A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from
rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

Stephen