kadymae
July 4th, 2006, 04:40 PM
Got up this morning prepared to fix my bork'd Opera install by hand and decided, nah, let's set up Gil-Estel as a dual boot machine and, for the adventure of it, let's install Xubuntu and see what that's like.
Plopped in my 10.4 dvd and that's when the DVD player decided to die on me. It won't read any disk dropped in the drive.
Facts
Gil-Estel is a 6 year old PowerBook. In addition to the dead DVD drive, the screen is also starting to die. But other than that he runs like a champ and, damnit, has the best laptop keyboard ever. Also, he runs cool -- doesn't burn my lap or fry my fingers.
ETA: Gil-Estel is running Ubuntu 6.06. Boots just fine.
Options
<s>Steal iBook back out of husband's cold, dead, hands and set it up as a dual boot.</s>
1) Buy a replacement DVD drive from PBfixit or a reputable eBayer. Cost -- about $100.
2) Tap savings and get a new laptop from System 76* -- about $900 with the options I want.
If #2:
a) Suck it up and take the money out of savings.
b) Get a no-interest loan from my employer and pay them back $100/mo.
(Also, System 76ers, how's the Pangolin on heat and how good is the keyboard for typing?)
---
* System 76 or other independent Linux Laptop seller. I want to support the little guy and the pre-installed Linux movement. (While I certainly have the technical know how to go to Frys, get a laptop, download and burn my Ubuntu ISO, then wipe XP off, I try to support Mordorsoft as little as possible.)
Plopped in my 10.4 dvd and that's when the DVD player decided to die on me. It won't read any disk dropped in the drive.
Facts
Gil-Estel is a 6 year old PowerBook. In addition to the dead DVD drive, the screen is also starting to die. But other than that he runs like a champ and, damnit, has the best laptop keyboard ever. Also, he runs cool -- doesn't burn my lap or fry my fingers.
ETA: Gil-Estel is running Ubuntu 6.06. Boots just fine.
Options
<s>Steal iBook back out of husband's cold, dead, hands and set it up as a dual boot.</s>
1) Buy a replacement DVD drive from PBfixit or a reputable eBayer. Cost -- about $100.
2) Tap savings and get a new laptop from System 76* -- about $900 with the options I want.
If #2:
a) Suck it up and take the money out of savings.
b) Get a no-interest loan from my employer and pay them back $100/mo.
(Also, System 76ers, how's the Pangolin on heat and how good is the keyboard for typing?)
---
* System 76 or other independent Linux Laptop seller. I want to support the little guy and the pre-installed Linux movement. (While I certainly have the technical know how to go to Frys, get a laptop, download and burn my Ubuntu ISO, then wipe XP off, I try to support Mordorsoft as little as possible.)