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michael
Member
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Posted Mon Mar 22nd, 2010 4:18pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
Hiya! this fall i may need a new computer.
and netbooks look attractive because a)i don't need to do much beyond writing up papers, presentations, internet, photos, etc. b)they are cheap c)i have a desktop pc from 2002 that still works okay d)they are portable and that would be really good
and e) i have heard that there are some really eco-friendly ones, as they use less power than most laptops.
do any of y'all use one? or have you heard of some nifty-looking, quirky cool options for a cheap computer?
"HELLO I'M TACTILE !" is an anagram of my name
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TobiasMonk
Moderator
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Posted Mon Mar 22nd, 2010 5:01pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
They can be really slow for videos and stuff due to their limited bandwidth, and their hard drives can be pretty small, but if you're just wanting/needing something with the bare bones then I guess a netbook is ok. I'd lean more toward a laptop myself, but you might want to check out CNET:
http://reviews.cnet.com/best-netbooks/?tag=mncol;pm
I cannot be awake for nothing looks to me as it did before, Or else I am awake for the first time, and all before has been a mean sleep.
Walt Whitman
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michael
Member
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Posted Mon Mar 22nd, 2010 5:14pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
i guess if i could (safely) get a used laptop for really cheap, that would be fine too.
a nice thing about the smaller netbooks is, since i go so many places by bike, it might be easier. laptops get lightweight, but not sure i could afford a new lightweight one.
in the past i'd told myself i'd pay for a smartphone and data plan before getting a new computer with internet... but the video stuff coule be bothersome, i don't know...
i'll have to think about it... just curious 
"HELLO I'M TACTILE !" is an anagram of my name
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gjhsu
Moderator
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Posted Tue Mar 23rd, 2010 8:35pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
Netbooks are definitely portable, which is a plus.
I borrowed a friend's for a few weeks (an HP MINI, with the slightly older Intel Atom chipset), and my impressions were as follows:
Pros:
Very light, very portable
Sufficient for general web browsing, but easily gets caught up on Flash applications
Good for word processing
Cheap
Cons:
Screen too small for my bad eyes. Also conducive to a LOT of scrolling, and that trackpad is tiny, you'll want a mouse
Not powerful enough for any sort of Flashy webpage, as mentioned above
Not powerful enough for photo editing, though viewing is fine
Not powerful enough to edit videos. Youtube works ok.
Overall, I would probably pass on one, mostly because of the screen and the amount of scrolling necessary to navigate a website. But if all you care about is cheap portability, a netbook is hard to beat!
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Nitro
Member
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Posted Wed Mar 24th, 2010 6:22pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
Measure current costs against future disappointments Michael.
Netbooks have been heavily consumed and it's a competitive niche market - the CNET recommendation is golden btw..peruse the editorial reviews - but *most* buyers of netbooks are like yourself: they have a heavier backup at home. If you didn't have that, I'd agree putting out for a laptop is a better idea. But..Life's short so enjoy it where you can and getting a netbook might be worth it even if it doesn't have the usual 'muscle' of other hardwares. If you get one I would be v interested in your experience if you care to let us know.
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michael
Member
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Posted Thu Apr 22nd, 2010 2:54pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
turns out that a class i might be teaching uses photoshop quite a bit...
that's making me lean to a new, real, laptop more!
"HELLO I'M TACTILE !" is an anagram of my name
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gjhsu
Moderator
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Posted Thu Apr 22nd, 2010 7:53pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
michael said:
turns out that a class i might be teaching uses photoshop quite a bit...
that's making me lean to a new, real, laptop more!
That also means you can get your employer to buy you the laptop!
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michael
Member
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Posted Thu Apr 22nd, 2010 9:23pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
that'd be nice! not sure that'll happen though, as it's a state university and i'm not a real professor. (i'm like... a step above an adjunct...)
"HELLO I'M TACTILE !" is an anagram of my name
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Nitro
Member
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Posted Wed May 12th, 2010 1:32pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
So are you a TA?
Save your receipts on *anything* work related, because those expenses are tax write offs. Including gas to and from school and any other biz-related trips. And you're also allowed to write off a certain amount of space in your house or apartment where you keep office equipment ( 'puters count ), printer, light bulbs, paper etc etc...
Photoshop is space intensive if you keep all your copies and edited stuff on the hard drive. An external hard drive can help keep it free'd up Not to mention is a good, portable backup.
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michael
Member
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Posted Thu May 13th, 2010 3:12pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
it's called a "lectureship", which is kinda comical... considering i'm teaching drawing!  adjuncts make an amount per class, i get a salary for the year + benefits. weeee!
yeah my partner is a teacher and she saves receipts for all kinds of stuff. books bought for research, etc etc. guess i should get organized too!
it ends up that my partner is getting a new computer through the school, and wants it to be useful for me, too. will probably be a mid-range mac...which i wasn't considering before cos i couldn't afford it! i've always had pc's in the past. but each newer version of windows seems more troublesome than the previous.
external hard drive is a really good idea too, thanks!
"HELLO I'M TACTILE !" is an anagram of my name
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corkytoadhall
Member
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Posted Fri May 28th, 2010 11:55am Post subject: do you have a netbook?
You may have already found one, but if not have a look at the 'ASUS 1201NL' it has a dual core processor so multimedia work is much better. It also has a 12'1 screen so it falls mid way between a laptop and a netbook. Might be worth looking at and is priced quite reasonable.
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olivertWisted
Member
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Posted Wed Jul 14th, 2010 1:02pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
Have my little as(u)s & very happy
This is your home now, Joe.
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LilliumLupin
Member
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Posted Mon Aug 9th, 2010 2:58pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
I've had my netbook for about a year and I like it. They're neat little compact things and they can take a spill or two (I ride my bike to school and many other places as well). I've got a Lenovo that I found on http://www.newegg.com and so far the only problem I've had is the limited hard drive space so I've bought an external hard drive and scrolling lots is an issue with the smaller screen. I have a few movies and a couple games and it works just fine. 
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amyl_nitrate
Member
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Posted Thu Aug 12th, 2010 5:27pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
Both have their pros and cons. It depends on what you are using them for. Netbooks are good if you're travelling around a lot. I use mine for work and for watching videos on the move should I be bored. My use of the internet on it is minimal and use it mainly for things like checking train times while on the move and looking up places to visit when I'm on holiday. As space is minimal you shouldn't use them as your main computer or as a back-up. Netbooks are much lighter than laptops too. You'll get tired of lugging around a laptop pretty quick (especially if you commute). For doing more fancy stuff like video editing, photoshopping, web design etc a laptop would be a better choice, also because of the screen size. I imagine if you were doing something arty having a tiny screen would not help!
Assuming direct control...
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Nitro
Member
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Posted Fri Sep 3rd, 2010 3:14pm Post subject: do you have a netbook?
Hey michael, just noticed you may be getting a Mac soon. Yay for you!!
I'd rather use an old version of OS X over a new version of anything microslop any day. I hope you enjoy it!
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