Would you purchase a computer from a Linux system maker?

[TaterChip]

True, very true. I am using the Lemur Pro on this one, and if they could put the battery from the Lemur into the Galago, the Galago would be the worlds most perfect laptop: lots of ports, good size, good processor, very nice screen. As it is the battery life detracts from my enjoyment.

I would be really lucky to get an hour from the battery on my laptop and it's a large battery. Then again, the computer is a beast. I run it on AC and consider the battery to be a really good UPS.

I'm kind of in the same boat. I bought a MSI 17" Gaming laptop with two drives for my photo editing, and it can drain a battery in short order. In contrast, My Acer 14" laptop can go almost all day.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

More than just having no use for them, I don't trust them since they can be hacked. When I get a notebook or laptop, I remove any software associated with the webcam then put a plastic label over the webcam and the microphone holes.

I use black tape, but yeah, I make it impossible to be used.

I had one of those fuzzy pads that comes with put together furniture to keep the doors from banging. I slapped that over my webcam. Is there a way to easily disable the mic in linux?

All I can suggest is look for software that is associated with the mic and web cam and remove it.

[TaterChip]

I have been wanting to ask just WTH you do that needs so much data space?
I just last month, filled up a 1TB drive of important paperless documents, downloaded ISOs, PDFs on equipment, from 20 plus years of saving stuff like that....

to solve that problem, I just put in a 4TB drive to let me keep it all in one place for the rest of my life. I have two 8TB SeaGate USB Hub drives for archiving stuff.

When I first started ripping my DVD collection, I though a 4TB would be way more than I need. Now that the ripping is done, I have realized there is no more room on an 8tb to add more in the future. I feel Jeanie's pain on needing space.

[TaterChip]

...I have been wanting to ask just WTH you do that needs so much data space?
I just last month, filled up a 1TB drive of important paperless documents, downloaded ISOs, PDFs on equipment, from 20 plus years of saving stuff like that....

to solve that problem, I just put in a 4TB drive to let me keep it all in one place for the rest of my life. I have two 8TB SeaGate USB Hub drives for archiving stuff.


4tb space.jpg

We all have different needs. Purchased movies, TV series, etc. as well as books and music take up a tiny fraction of the physical space required to store CDs, DVDs, BD, and dead tree books when kept on a computer instead on the original media (I'd need to add a room or two to my home to store it all). They also can be backed up. If something, like a fire flood, theft, whatever takes out your entire media collection as well as all your paper documents, you are pretty much SOL. If it all has been digitized and backed up in more than one place, your chances for not losing any of that data are pretty darned good. It's also far more portable.

I'm not the only one who keeps large amounts of data but most of those people keep most of it on servers, especially when multiple people in a family will need to access it. For me, it's far more convenient (and less expensive with less hardware to maintain and be taking up space) to have it in one place I can lug around.

I'm sure I'm not to your level yet, but I'm getting there.

[TaterChip]

... opportunity to downsize with me getting rid of a bunch of clutter that you seem to accumulate over the years. ...

I feel your pain. We had to decide what would get moved from a 2000+ sq foot house, and be moved into a 288 sq ft RV. Talk about a shock to the system.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I have been wanting to ask just WTH you do that needs so much data space?
I just last month, filled up a 1TB drive of important paperless documents, downloaded ISOs, PDFs on equipment, from 20 plus years of saving stuff like that....

to solve that problem, I just put in a 4TB drive to let me keep it all in one place for the rest of my life. I have two 8TB SeaGate USB Hub drives for archiving stuff.

When I first started ripping my DVD collection, I though a 4TB would be way more than I need. Now that the ripping is done, I have realized there is no more room on an 8tb to add more in the future. I feel Jeanie's pain on needing space.

It can be a pain! I'm up to 13.5TB worth of movies spread between two 8TB drives. I still have room on one of them and will be adding another 4TB soon, at which point, I'll be tapped out until 16TB M.2 NVMe drives come out (then I'll need the 16TB 2.5" SATA drives Sabrent keeps teasing us with, then postponing, for backup drives ).

[Lady Fitzgerald]

... opportunity to downsize with me getting rid of a bunch of clutter that you seem to accumulate over the years. ...

I feel your pain. We had to decide what would get moved from a 2000+ sq foot house, and be moved into a 288 sq ft RV. Talk about a shock to the system.

Ouch!

[TaterChip]

It can be a pain! I'm up to 13.5TB worth of movies spread between two 8TB drives.

**bows down before the queen **

[AZgl1800]

Most of my System 76 laptops are either well made plastic or some metal but the one I love the most is the Lemur Pro. You can take it from my cold dead fingers, this laptop is the best I have ever had. I am so glad the wife and kids got it for me years ago. If I need to get another laptop at some point, it will be a Lemur Pro again.

way to small for me, I need a 17" screen and a ten-key pad,
plus a LOT of USB ports... everything has HDMI now, but only one port

for the price, I will go with Penguin

How did you find a 17" screen? All I'm seeing is one 15" on thinkpinguin.com

I called them on the phone, and he said they can provide a 17" screen by special order

[TaterChip]

I called them on the phone, and he said they can provide a 17" screen by special order

thanks

[trike lady]

All my laptops are used and refurbished, the main requirement is an optical drive because I watch movies on the computer as I have no TV. Finding one that meets my needs is impossible brand new. I have enough stuff to knock off the desk as it is and don't want an external optical drive to hit the floor. All 4 of the laptops I have came with one. If I like the laptop being sold, I get it and throw Windows10 out the window and let Linux Mint take over. When something works I'm happy to have it.

[MurphCID]

I solved the no DVD player issue with a couple of external DVD players that plug into a USB port. My wife has one on her NUC, and the oldest has one on her desktop. Best Buy had them for around $40 and they are LG brand. They have blue-ray but those are $80+.

in fact they have a price drop right now: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-8x-exte ... Id=5852919

[MurphCID]

I have become very impressed with the Intel i3 processors in the two NUC units I have, and System 76 has their Meerkat which starts with an i3 (13th gen), and it has a reasonable selection of ports, and expandabilty which is very nice having space for a 2.5" SSD. So as long as you keep in mind what those NUC units are meant for, they can be very capable systems.

[AndyMH]

As a longtime thinkpad user, I've become a fan of lenovo's tiny thinkcentres, currently have an M720Q (cos I'm cheap and buy second-hand) but their latest models are based around AMD or 12th gen intel. About the size of a paperback and because it's lenovo, they "just work" with linux.

[MurphCID]

Those little units are very handy. If I was not going to game on it, I probably would replace my desktop with one. With Linux Mint of course.

[Eggnog]

I bought an HP Dev One, but that doesn't exactly count I suppose. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

[AndyMH]

My instinctive reaction to HP would be NO, but having googled it's a laptop shipped with linux! I like the fact that there is no "windows key".

[MurphCID]

I bought an HP Dev One, but that doesn't exactly count I suppose. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

I also have a Dev One, and it is sitting right next to me as I type this, since it stays on the desk with the desktop computer. If the screen was not so glossy, and it had a slightly bigger battery, it would be perfect.

[Tramp 116]

A friend has watched me using Linux Mint and I finally convinced him to take the plunge. He ordered from Dell with a Linux build. I saw the price tag and screamed "You Paid WHAT?!?!?!?" His price was $2600!

Last time I bought new, I got a Windows laptop and converted it. It was a Lenovo "budget" laptop ($300) that I only use for travel and the change over wasn't difficult. More hassle disabling the camera and mic that changing OS. I looked at purpose built systems for a long time. I prefer desktops to laptops because they have more room in the case to work on them and expansion is easier. And we have a shop in Dallas that keeps a good supply of reman business desktops units for great prices. Mostly Dell & HP that have Windows loaded. I can get one of those, even with an I7, and add on what I want and install Linux for way cheaper than buying a new purpose built Linux system. I'm waiting for the reman I9's to start showing up. My all up total on my last desktop was about $400.

Now if I could just find a 60 - 72 inch monitor . . .

[AndyMH]

A friend has watched me using Linux Mint and I finally convinced him to take the plunge. He ordered from Dell with a Linux build. I saw the price tag and screamed "You Paid WHAT?!?!?!?" His price was $2600!

I have never bought a new laptop, all second-hand and all thinkpads. That is over a +20 year period. Currently four T430 but if I was buying now it would probably be a T480, trouble is they just don't break so no need.