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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-13-2005, 03:14 PM   #121
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Sorry Wab, but at the time you made that claim no other laptops were available from Dell for under $650.

You've firmly convinced me to not bother sharing any more deals that I think are good enough for members consideration. Its not worth the trouble to have the suggestion torn down by someone with no first hand experience with the product and then argued with endlessly.

Your mission is accomplished.
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-13-2005, 03:19 PM   #122
 
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Quote:
Originally Posted by th
Sorry Wab, but at the time you made that claim no other laptops were available from Dell for under $650.

You've firmly convinced me to not bother sharing any more deals that I think are good enough for members consideration.* Its not worth the trouble to have the suggestion torn down by someone with no first hand experience with the product and then argued with endlessly.

Your mission is accomplished.
If you see any super deals TH - e-mail me! - Thanks!
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-13-2005, 03:35 PM   #123
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Hey guys, we learned from both of you (Wab and TH) about what computers are good for what stuff. Sometimes some of us Luddites just want to buy cheap. So keep it up TH. I have benefited from TH's personal shopper assistance. And Wab you can pitch in too, for those who might be looking for a step up or two.
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-13-2005, 03:42 PM   #124
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Re: Super cheap laptop

I have to second Martha's post, I've been mostly lurking/learning on this thread, great points by all.

As an aside re: Dell quality, my work has 2500 Dell desktops/laptops at this site alone. We run the Optiplex desktops and the Latitude D400/D600 laptops, solid as a rock, fantastic machines. In fact, I would say Dell has hurt their own revenues with our company because we can flow down desktops that are 4-5 years old to admins/finance/accounting (basically anyone who isn't an engineer) and keep them running, they are so reliable. Now we used to have Compaq and they were just horrible!
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-13-2005, 04:02 PM   #125
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Quote:
Originally Posted by th
Sorry Wab.
Apology accepted. I'm glad that we can finally move past that unpleasant Inspiron 1000.

FWIW, I do have first-hand experience with many of Dell's models. Most of them are made by Compal, and the quality has improved quite a bit with the latest generation. Many of the previous generation (and that includes the 600m, which they still sell) suffered from heat problems, flimsy cases, and flimsy keyboards. I'd hate to see somebody buy one of those models when there are improved replacement models available at the same or lower prices. Dell has gotten somewhat of a bum rap due to those earlier models, and it pains me to see people cross Dell off their list when they have better stuff available now.

All in my humble opinion, of course. (This is from someone who has owned on the order of 100 portables since 1981, so take it with a grain of salt.)
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-13-2005, 04:53 PM   #126
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Re: Super cheap laptop

I'd imagine a portable in 1981 was anything but...
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-13-2005, 05:01 PM   #127
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Quote:
Originally Posted by wabmester
I'm glad that we can finally move past that unpleasant Inspiron 1000.
I'll call my mother in law later on and tell her to stop enjoying hers per your orders.

I can see why the 'blow me' started courtesy of your 'humble' efforts.
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-13-2005, 05:46 PM   #128
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Quote:
Originally Posted by Have Funds, Will Retire
I'd imagine a portable in 1981 was anything but...
You might be surprised.* *There was, of course, the suitcase-sized Osborne, but there was also the slim Epson HX-20 (similar to the TRS-80 Model 100 that appeared in 1983).

In fact, the clamshell design that we associate with laptops today was originated in 1982 (GRiD Compass).
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-13-2005, 05:48 PM   #129
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Quote:
Originally Posted by th
I can see why the 'blow me' started courtesy of your 'humble' efforts.
Damn, I was *sure* that I could elicit one from you too! You're made of tougher stuff than I thought. All I could get from you was "I'm going to take my ball and go home now."

I love you, man.
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-13-2005, 05:58 PM   #130
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Nah, i'm staying here with my ball. Just not going to bother to let anyone else play with it.
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-13-2005, 06:37 PM   #131
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Re: Super cheap laptop

I got him the Dell 9300. The least expensive one. He will be composing music on it....so I thought I'd get him a pretty good one and after that......he's on his own. I did the same for his older brother when he started college last year. I hadn't planned on having an annual laptop budget, maybe I better revisit that. I might want a new one NEXT year. Thanks for all the info...
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-14-2005, 06:04 AM   #132
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Not a bad machine and its kind of amazing what you can get these days for your $. I still have a $3800 IBM stinkpad from ~5 years ago and a $1200 toshiba from ~4 years ago that cant hold a candle to even the weakest offerings out there today.

Hey Wab...one last thing. Remember your sage advice on the SIDS monitor that you said was a 'worthless piece of junk'?

Saved my kids life tonight. Alarm went off at 1:30 for the first time. When I went flying in he wasnt breathing and his nose was stuffed up. He's fine now. In the meanwhile its kept us from worrying about him all night long for 4+ months now.

This by the way is working just fine in his new full sized crib, regardless of where he sleeps in it. I could drop a pea on the corner of the mattress and it would detect the movement. Its worked in a portable crib with a foam mattress, a pack 'n' play, and a regular crib. Pretty versatile and problem free.

But thanks anyhow for your input on this 'waste of money'.

Unfortunately I'm wide awake now, and I've got jury duty in a couple of hours... :P
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-14-2005, 06:27 AM   #133
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Quote:
Originally Posted by th

Unfortunately I'm wide awake now, and I've got jury duty in a couple of hours... :P
Let me guess... Your motto is "Bring in the guilty b*stard, give him a fair trial and hang his *ss!"

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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-14-2005, 06:38 AM   #134
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Any bets on TH actually getting on a jury?
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-14-2005, 06:52 AM   #135
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Re: Super cheap laptop

The lady logging us in on the jury pool computer - put me in as retired - NOT RETIRED ENGINER. She said with my address - Odds were, I would never be called. "fishermen enforce their own brand of justice." Neither the defense nor the prosecution wants you.

She was right.
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-14-2005, 07:22 AM   #136
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Last time I was invited to a jury pool was for a capitol murder case. Defense lawyer in voire dire asked me if I was jury foreman for a case I had been on several years before. My reply was "No, but I'm running for office." I was asked to leave! Man, was I happy?

I've also heard that if you bring in a copy of Rush Limbaugh's books and/or the Bible to a criminal case, you get excused. What do you think, Martha? Of course, all of this was when I was working and you really didn't want to be on a jury. Now, it could be interesting and I do have all day!
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-14-2005, 09:54 AM   #137
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Quote:
Originally Posted by th
Alarm went off at 1:30 for the first time.* When I went flying in he wasnt breathing and his nose was stuffed up.* He's fine now.* In the meanwhile its kept us from worrying about him all night long for 4+ months now.
That's great that it worked for you. It didn't work for us. In fact, the whole of idea of a crib in a separate room didn't work for us, but everybody is different, and there's lots of variability in the manufacturing of consumer products.

I've never heard of a kid who stopped breathing due to a stuffy nose. He should automatically go to mouth breathing. You might ask your doc about that episode, but the kid was probably just holding his breath because he knew it would freak you out. Ours does stuff like that all the time.
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-14-2005, 01:54 PM   #138
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Wab, my daughter caught a cold that spread to her lungs, went into acute respitory distress, I had to call 911 and we did the whole ambulance thing down to Children's hospital ( I never thought my first ambulance ride would not involve my health!). Long story short, had to intibate her, spent a week in the hospital (I wrote this all out before). Point is, she got the cold from me, all it did to me was make me a little under the weather. Babies are so much more fragile, what is a minor annoyance to you can be life threatening to them as their little bodies are over taxed.

Th, are you taking Jr. to the doctor? Any prognosis? Hope all is well.
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-14-2005, 03:34 PM   #139
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Yikes. There is certainly a lot of scary stuff that can happen to kids, but the SIDS stats and stories definitely make parents paranoid. I would constantly poke our kid to see if she was still alive. Their breath is so shallow that it's really hard to tell if they're breathing at that age. And they actually stop breathing for about 5 seconds at a stretch as part of their normal cycle.

Now that our kid is two, we stop poking her. Except for acts of revenge.

Back to "super" deals on laptops: if your employer has a Dell EPP program, Dell has a 33%-off coupon that stacks with the usual EPP discount (usually 12-16%). This is a pretty good deal if you want something like their top-of-the-line XPS2 (it'll save you $1000+ off list).

Coupon code: $TKJWTR58PPDBN (good only on the EPP site)
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Re: Super cheap laptop
Old 06-14-2005, 10:31 PM   #140
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Re: Super cheap laptop

Mom is "the doctor". Certified annually for 13 years for neonatal resuscitation. In this case she said he urped up a little and that clogged his nose. He probably choked a little and may have started mouth breathing. When I jerked him up out of the bed, that may have cleared his breathing path. Cleaning out his nose with the saline and squeeze bulbs we have splattered all over the house kept him happy.

All in all I'm pretty happy with that $99 spent.

Wab, you probably missed the point even though you confirmed it. Consumer goods ARE all over the place, as are needs. A point I've kept repeating. It would have been as easy to agree with that as opposed to crapping on a recommendation I made (which I still stand by for the purpose stated), along with the further baiting and crapping.

My mistake was being baited and continuing the conversation. But you're good at that. So let me close by saying BLOW ME!

'nuff said about that.

Well, as far as the jury thing goes, its still undecided. Its a huge case. Think one other major court case we discussed in a thread recently and you have the approximate scope. Of course I cant talk about it.

They brought in ~120 people for the jury pool of 12+ alternates. We plowed through about 45 today and its back to 11 regular and no alternates. Nobody wants to be in on this thing as it may run as little as 8 days but as long as several months.

Last goddamn thing I need now that my wife just went to day shifts. We have no day care and last thing on earth I want is to leave my kid with strangers. If I'm going to get any sleep before a day in the jury box, we'd need to get overnight care. Under that setup, Gabe would be in care all night and all day and my wife wouldnt see him at all for 2-3 days at a time until she was off shift.

Guess what. That aint gonna happen.

I have one of these "stop me when you want me to go home" speeches already lined up. I'm about to go from "You Dont Know Me" to "You Dont Want Me".
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