interested in buying cheap linux laptop

Jerry Feldman gaf at blu.org
Fri Jul 25 11:09:19 EDT 2003


On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 09:41:56 -0400
Erik Price <eprice at ptc.com> wrote:

> Hi folks,
> 
> I don't have much familiarity with PC hardware, but I'd like to
> purchase a cheap (used, etc) machine to run Linux on.  Since it's for
> [personal] development only, my only performance requirement is that
> it be capable of running a relatively recent Linux with X11 and the
> development tools (GNU, Perl, Python, J2SDK), and hopefully Eclipse
> (but I can use emacs if Eclipse demands too much).  I'm emphasizing
> affordability over performance.  Specifically I'd like to try out the
> Oracle 9i for Linux that was distributed on CD ROM at the quarterly
> meeting this week, and the Oracle application server that came with
> it.
> 
> I prefer a laptop simply because space is scarce and I move around a 
> lot, and also so that I can bring it to work (one thing I'd like to do
> 
> is see how easy/difficult it is to migrate my JBoss/Postgres-using 
> project to Oracle).  Again, this machine would service no clients
> except maybe from one other computer for testing (so it doesn't need
> to have the hardware to actually run as a server).
> 
> Are there any recommendations for area stores that sell decent used 
> merchandise, or other hidden deals?  I'm hoping I can find something
> for only a couple hundred bucks, but let me know if that's simply
> unrealistic.
I have two Compaq Presario laptops (1900XL and 1800 XL) I got with an
employee discount at the Compaq factory store. Both run SuSE 8.2. The
only issue was the Linmodem. I installed the LTmodem rpm and tested it
for an upcoming trip. The 1800 has a 15in display. Make sure you check
the Linux Laptops howto before you buy. http://www.linux-laptop.net/
The 1800 has an onboard NIC that works fine. (The 1700 series onboard
NIC was problematical). 

-- 
Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org>
Boston Linux and Unix user group
http://www.blu.org PGP key id:C5061EA9
PGP Key fingerprint:053C 73EC 3AC1 5C44 3E14 9245 FB00 3ED5 C506 1EA9
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