Pc Laptop

[drathzel]

Hey everyone i need a pc laptop to run my database on as they dont do it for macs does anyone know where i can pick up a cheap (really cheap) pc laptop?

[Dreadful Scathe]

why do you need a laptop ? what sort of database ? why not use a virtual machine and run windows software on the mac ?

a desktop machine will cost you £200 , a laptop will be at least £300 and will not be as powerful - comes with a nice screen though not that you need a screen if you are only using it for a database

[drathzel]

Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe

why do you need a laptop ? what sort of database ? why not use a virtual machine and run windows software on the mac ?

a desktop machine will cost you £200 , a laptop will be at least £300 and will not be as powerful - comes with a nice screen though not that you need a screen if you are only using it for a database

i have a desktop but my bt hub is wireless and altho i can hook up broadband i cant get a cable long enough. Its for my ceroc database. You know the one at venues where you swipe in

[ducasi]

Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe

why do you need a laptop ? what sort of database ? why not use a virtual machine and run windows software on the mac ?

It's an Access database, I think. Danielle's Mac doesn't have an Intel processor, so running windows in a virtual machine will be sub-optimal.

[drathzel]

Originally Posted by ducasi

It's an Access database, I think. Danielle's Mac doesn't have an Intel processor, so running windows in a virtual machine will be sub-optimal.

altho i am running excel and word

[Lee Bartholomew]

Sell all your mac stuff. Hopefully you'll get enough to buy a laptop bag.

try this one on www.ebuyer.co.uk

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/103124

[Dreadful Scathe]

aha I see - other than ebay for 2nd hand - how about this or even this

[straycat]

Originally Posted by drathzel

Hey everyone i need a pc laptop to run my database on as they dont do it for macs does anyone know where i can pick up a cheap (really cheap) pc laptop?

Port the database to Filemaker?

Or even to mysql and add a web interface if you want the free option

[Robin]

Hi D

suggest that you buy one from dell - they do some good special deals now and again, and whilst it won;t be as cheap as a secondhand model, it works out not to badly and you can choose to have additional warranty - which might prove important banging it around to venues.

last deal they had earlier this week was £299 inc vat and delivery but methinks thats gone up to 329 now.

[Lee Bartholomew]

Personally, and many people think this not just me, Don't touch Dell !!!!!!!!!!

[Dreadful Scathe]

Yup, DELL bad. You will only get the £329 price mentioned by Robin if you downgrade some of the options on their web page, and there is the possibility the laptop may blow up in your face

[ducasi]

Originally Posted by straycat264

Port the database to Filemaker?

Or even to mysql and add a web interface if you want the free option

And then persuade all the rest of Ceroc to do the same...

[DavidY]

Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe

Yup, DELL bad. You will only get the £329 price mentioned by Robin if you downgrade some of the options on their web page, and there is the possibility the laptop may blow up in your face

Does anyone know where to find quantitative information on laptop reliability?

I bought a cheap laptop from ebuyer a couple of years back, but it's flimsy (just had a Blue Screen of Death this morning because I had the affrontery to pick it up and carry it downstairs). Must admit that I'm tempted by Dell because they at least claim to have done something to make their laptops rugged.

I guess that lots of folk have been on the internet saying "my Dell is broken". But Dell sell loads of laptops, so if, say, 1% of them go wrong, you'd still get lots of people with broken Dells. The Dell battery stories were followed by other manufacturers quietly issuing their own recalls because the same type of batteries are used in various other makes of laptop.

I guess smaller manufacturers (who sell far fewer laptops) probably have far fewer complaints. But there could still be a higher proportion of broken ones.

So just 'cos lots of people complain about Dells, doesn't mean they're any more likely to break than the competition...

Is there any real reliability information out there...?

[Dreadful Scathe]

Originally Posted by DavidY

So just 'cos lots of people complain about Dells, doesn't mean they're any more likely to break than the competition...

Is there any real reliability information out there...?

I agree with what you say, but the best critics are people who use the things . Ive had a few flimsy Dells in my time and each one has had a different thing wrong with it at one point. I now mainly use ACER and know many people who do too and I've yet to hear a major complaint. I actually had a major repair under warranty and it was about a 2 week turnaround - the service was great too. I also like IBM thinkpads as they are extremely sturdy.

However my tongue was in my cheek when I said "DELL bad" - I'm sure they are no worse than many others but I do object to their bargain prices, which only exist if you downgrade the default options when you go to their website to purchase. So I suppose a bit of bias crept in there. I would have no qualms about buying a DELL if it was a good deal.

For independent advice - i think this is good.