From: adam@address.invalid   
      
   Moe Trin wrote:   
   > On Thu, 28 Jun 2012, in the Usenet newsgroup alt.os.linux.mandriva, in   
   article   
   > , Adam wrote:   
      
   [laptops around US $100?]   
      
   >>> older units probably will be needing a new battery sooner than not   
   [...]   
   > Battery life is a sales propaganda feature - some claim that   
   > the battery will last 300-600 charge cycles, others claim N years,   
   > and combinations thereof.  Buying "NOS" on the interweb is nearly   
   > always a bad idea as Li-ion batteries deteriorate with age, in-use or   
   > not. Heat (over 40C/104F) also reduces battery life.   
      
   I don't have experience with Li-ion batteries... yet.  The better of my   
   "new" digicams uses a small one.   
      
   >> Maybe "Freecycle" is my best bet. ;-)   
   >   
   > The 386SX was actual dumpster salvage [...] so it was "free".   
      
   Occasionally older laptops (or desktops) do show up on my local   
   Freecycle.  They get taken pretty fast, though.  Maybe I should act   
   faster. ;-)  I do get the impression that pretty much anything older   
   would be capable of running some version of Linux.   
      
   [college wifi]   
      
   >> I don't /need/ a laptop... I just thought it might be fun if it's not   
   >> too expensive (for me, that means around US $100).   
   >   
   > I think it will be a while before "new" prices get that low.   
      
   Yeah, I realize that -- apart from OLPC, which I'm sure I'd find too   
   limited anyway.  It wouldn't have to be new, just working, and that's   
   around US $100 "total" ($10 computer + $40 battery + $20 AC adapter   
   would be okay, if I knew everything would work beforehand).   
      
   > Used units may be on the 'iffy' side   
      
   I'm beginning to think that maybe for me, a laptop might cost more than   
   it would be worth for me.  There would be very few occasions I'd want to   
   use it away from home.  Oh well.   
      
   >> OTOH I still do my final revisions in longhand.   
   >   
   > Reason?   
      
   To quote Woody Allen on exactly that point (why he uses a typewriter for   
   movie scripts but pen and paper for short stories): "It's a finer   
   instrument."  I start off on the computer now (generally with a short   
   outline which I just keep expanding), but if I need to shift sections   
   around for the best order, or get individual paragraphs and sentences   
   just right, I'm still more comfortable looking at printouts.  I'm   
   referring to more formal writing, not casual email or newsgroup posts.   
      
   Adam   
   --   
   Registered Linux User #536473   
      
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