How To Buy a Laptop for $200

[days_unfolding]

After an e-mail exchange with Erik about whether or not I should upgrade my laptop (it's running XP), I decided to buy a new laptop as cheaply as possible. I just bought a Toshiba Satellite laptop with Windows 8 Pro, 2.20 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 300 GB hard drive, and Microsoft Office for $199.00 plus shipping.

The catch? Yes, it's used and it's missing the F1 key. I found a Web store that just sells laptop keys (what a great idea), and I should be able to replace the key for around $5 plus shipping.

Now all I'll have to do is reinstall everything (le sigh....)

I'm planning to install Linux on my old laptop along with Apache, PostgreSQL, and the Evergreen integrated library system because I want to use the laptop for an experiment in the usability of different levels of detail in library cataloging. (Trust me, if you were a cataloger, you'd find it fascinating -;)) It also would teach me valuable skills. Anyone have a distro of Linux that they like (and why)?

So. Freaking. Tired.

Comments

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a great buy! Don't know anything about Linux, but that's a good use for the old machine.

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that I have a use for the old machine because it's still in good shape. Damn Microsoft for ending service for XP....

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

I also have a laptop with XP that's in great shape. I bought it and mostly still use it for road trips and when the power goes out, so I really don't care that much if it happens to get infected with something. I don't have much on it, so I can always scrub it and start over. That's probably what will drive me to a tablet at some point - just to have a more modern backup if my main machine develops problems.

[platofish.livejournal.com]

I no longer have a preferred flavor of linux...... Ubuntu is my default linux instal. That said, its not better or worse than the other option. Is gurdonark on your FL? If not you should friend him. He is possibly the nicest lawyer in the world, and knows a LOT about running linux on older machines (he is a big fan of minimal installations).

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

I'm leaning towards Ubuntu because there's a book about Ubuntu Server that's getting great reviews on Amazon.com. (I know that it sounds weird to choose based on a book, but I'll probably need all the help that i can get.)

gurdonark isn't on my friends list, but I'll check him out.

[platofish.livejournal.com]

i got somewhat bored with linux as it moved closer and closer to being 'windows-like'.

For a linux machine I prefer a very austere aesthetic. Just some terminal windows and no 'flashiness'.

Old school? Yes, I am.