Comments on: The Frugal Laptop

By: Chuck

Chuck — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:12:24 +0000

Just last week I set up a Ubuntu file server on my old Dell desktop. Then proceeded to reinstall Vista on my Inspiron 1501. I am now able to dual boot Vista and Ubuntu on the Inspiron.

Wireless was no problem, neither was network printing.

Great idea!

By: Linux Laptops

Linux Laptops — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:38:02 +0000

Great idea! Linux has always been a great option and it keeps getting better. The Linux laptops are noticeably lower cost and many of the great free utilities out there are the best tools for a tech!

By: No Debt Plan

No Debt Plan — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:42:03 +0000

Ubuntu rocks. I ran it on my old T42 Thinkpad for a while before I had problems connecting to my MBA program’s secure wireless. Had to switch back to XP.

Thankfully I finish my program in August and can switch back to Linux then. I’ve had the laptop 6 years and it is still going strong.

By: Josh Moore

Josh Moore — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:48:52 +0000

What a clever idea!

I would really like to setup a home computer and downsize from my current 14 inch laptop to something like the 7-10 inch eeepc. This would provide me a longer battery life for surfing the net and basic office programs (ie: openoffice) for working while on trains, trams, busses, etc.

The best benefit for me though would be the weight reduction (the 7 inch eeepc only weighs .92 kilos, my current laptop sits over 2.5! Might sound like a small difference but makes a tremendous change on your back over long distances.

By: Lakita

Lakita — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:45:02 +0000

Thanks for the tip! I read this when you first posted it and my Dell Insp 6000 hard drive was already on its last legs. I was planning to get a new HD and dual boot XP and Ubuntu. Since I couldnt find my XP CD last night, I am 100% Ubuntu.

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:37:06 +0000

This is a good article and highlights the choice consumers have between a new netbook or an older laptop. They both have pros (netbook is new, laptop is bigger) and cons ( netbook has scrunched up keyboard, laptop is older and could fail) so it is really up to the individual whether they should buy an older laptop or newer netbook. Here is an article I wrote about the choice of a desktop vs. laptop.
http://savemoneyoncomputers.blogspot.com/2009/02/4-things-you-should-know-before-you-buy.html

By: Christophe Keller

Christophe Keller — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 07:55:33 +0000

Funny when you mention the “old” laptop, I have exactly the same model that I use as my main PC. It’s only 1 1/2 year old and runs flawlessly. However, being my main PC, I seldomly use it unplugged, so the battery is still fine.

I also had the foresight to buy it with Windows XP instead of Vista and to order it with 2 Gb of Ram. That may explain the difference on perception we have on this machine.

By: Kas

Kas — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 05:14:37 +0000

Thanks for this info, Trent.
I have another suggestion on alternative ways to purchase a laptop.
I live near the University of California, Santa Cruz, and they have a surplus store (like many large universities) that sells excess and used products that are no longer needed. You can purchase a macbook for under $250 if your timing is right. I’ve been wanting to have a computer specifically for my music experiments. I’m also planning to run the Ubuntu operating system and all open source programs. It’s a cheaper alternative for my needs.

By: Kira =]

Kira =] — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 04:55:01 +0000

Did you check with Dell first to see if your old laptop battery was on the recall list? One of my dead batteries was and they send me a nice new one for FREE! =]

check it out: http://www.dellbatteryprogram.com/

By: SAB

SAB — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 01:14:20 +0000

THIS is why I read this column! I wouldn’t dare or wouldn’t think of buying a Dell battery from an alternate source on my own. But hearing a trusted blogger advocate for it gives me the gumption to try. I did it today. Thanks!

By: GoEverywhere Team

GoEverywhere Team — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 04:30:51 +0000

I really enjoyed reading your post but kept thinking is this really happening to save $300? Granted most of the time was spent loading software but I would assume you still had two hours or distraction and from reading your blog I would say your time is worth more! I also agree with a few of the comments above, having a netbook for simple stuff like email, browsing, and calculations is so much better than lugging around an old laptop! For all those netbook users we just wrote a post on the GoEverywhere blog about getting the most out of your netbook by using a webtop. Of course we have a fantastic webtop currently in beta for you to explore! Anyway I still enjoyed the post and the comments thank you to all!

By: Derek

Derek — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:31:42 +0000

Here’s another tip: RAM! These old laptops came with 256 or 512mb and almost any modern OS is going to choke on that. Get a 1GB or more stick if you can. Installing it is super easy, it’s cheap, and you’ll notice a difference instantly.

By: Dana

Dana — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:28:30 +0000

I have had the same Dell Inspiron Laptop since I cashed in my Walmart stock in 2003 to buy it. It still runs, with some added RAM and HD space; I almost can’t believe it! I am fearing the day it finally chokes…

By: Noble Duncanson

Noble Duncanson — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:20:19 +0000

Awesome! I love projects like this. Restoring things you thought were obsolete, and getting to be resourceful and creative in the process.

By: onaclov

onaclov — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:19:37 +0000

I’m torn,
My Laptop has the same Battery issue,if I could find a “code editor” app, as well as a plugin keyboard, I’ll gladly use my ipod touch,
Unfortunately I can’t so with a failing battery and a heavy laptop I am considering a netbook, I just hate lugging that thing around especially to school, and flights. At home it doesn’t bug me too much.

By: Melinda

Melinda — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:58:19 +0000

Interesting. We have an 8yo Dell laptop that we passed on to our daughter when I upgraded last year. It takes ages to start up and is very slow. All she needs is some word processing, email and internet so this would probably work quite well for her. Portability isn’t an issue here thankfully, since the laptop weighs a ton!

By: jack

jack — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 18:52:13 +0000

“By the way, you can’t sell a laptop that is a few years old for “several hundred bucks”.”

Actually, you can…sometimes. Macs retain their value pretty well compared to other computers. Ramsey’s “Drive Free, Retire Rich” strategy works for computers, too. :) So, “Compute Free, Retire Rich?” I sold a 3-years-old iMac for less than the asking price on Craigslist and EBay, and it still funded 70% of my (refurbished) MacBook Pro purchase.

By: sean avery

sean avery — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:26:41 +0000

My retired father has been running PCLinuxOS-KDE3.5 on his desktop for the past 2-3 years so Linux wasnt a problem when we wanted to get my mom a netbook this Xmas. The Acer One was going for under 300$ but after she tried out a friends EEE she noticed that she didnt really need mobility as much as a large screen.

So I ended up buying the 5yr old low end Acer laptop of a coworker for 150$ instead. Built like a tank which doenst bother my mom who leaves the laptop either in the kitchen or living room, its 15in screen are the one option mom cant do without. Thought about getting a battery but mom said no, she doenst travel with it. So I got a 2GB stick of ram for 29$.
I reformatted the bug ridden XP that was lurking on the HD and installed her Mandriva w/ KDE4.2 desktop (I dare you to put Mandriva, Kubuntu and a few other distros side by side and tell me that there is any difference except for some wallpapers and icons. Its the same desktop, theyre just customized differently. Desktop choice matters more than distro choice.) and she loves having the huge icons and the kWin desktop built in zoom features which makes it easier on her eyes. She can Skype with her friends in europe without having to get my dad off the internet, she IMs with Kopete with her grandkids and even follows two on Twitter. She also thinks my sister’s Dell Mini 9’s interface looks ‘depressing’.

The netbook, while useful to soccer moms and hockey dads around the world, wasnt right for her. But at no time was the thought of buying a new laptop (overkill) and having to pay for Vista an option. There is a place for Windows, Linux and Mac in the same world but Linux allows us to breath new life/prolong old hardware and is a sane choice when trying to cut unnecessary expenses..
As someone whose youngest sports a blazing Puppy Linux on his P3-800 and whose decade old T21 laptop (w/ 8meg of video ram) still hums beautifully under Linux, I’ve grown to appreciate what I can still do with old hardware. I’d rather have older computers that you can do plenty of stuff without costly upgrades and spend the money on a good gaming console/TV combo.

I also installed XP through Virtualbox on mom’s laptop so my 7yr year can play Chessmaster when he is over and run mainly Gentoo on my work machine, a Macbook Pro which triples boots Vista/OSX/Linux, so its not a religion thing with me, just dollar and sense.

I respect that free software is free as in freedom/libre but I especially like the fact that its free as in beer.

By: DIYJoe

DIYJoe — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:19:49 +0000

Also, you can upgrade memory on most modern (3-4 years old)laptops for around $30 per Gig of ram.
The process is usually (depends on the model) not much more complicated that swapping the battery. If the laptop is older than 3-4 years old, you run the danger of the laptop using older, hard to find memory.
Also, I have an Asus Eee 900 (Should have waited for the 901). It is my constant companion in my backpack.

By: Derek

Derek — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:17:20 +0000

I have mixed feelings on this. Yes, you revived an old laptop for very cheap. However, you haven’t gained much, if any, portability. I have an HP Mini 1000 (my only laptop, I have two desktops) and it’s great. Arguably the best keyboard out of all the netbooks and I can fit it in my coat pocket. It also runs Windows 7 like a dream. You can get a version that comes with a custom HP-designed install of Linux but I’ve used Linux and for overall consumer-related use, I’ll stick with Windows. The fonts on Linux are just awful and make my eyes hurt, as well as everything else just feeling sluggish compared to Win7. If you know what you’re doing, you don’t need anti-virus and even if you want it, there are plenty of free packages out there (AVG, Avira, ClamAV)

No upfront cost =/= Total cost of ownership when you factor in the time and frustration it takes to get some things done in Linux that are trivial in Windows.