Re: Review: Sony Z505NR notebook, and recommendations for new laptop requested

From: Mark South (marksouth_at_null.invalid)
Date: 12/29/04

  • Next message: Tom ***: "(newbie) Infrared + Nokia 8310 phone" 
    Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 18:20:04 +0100

    On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 15:18:06 +1000, Brian Eable wrote:

    > Mark South <marksouth@null.invalid> writes:
    >>
    >> On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 16:25:50 +1000, Brian Eable wrote:
    >>
    >> > couple of years until I changed to Debian. I didn't have any major
    >> > problems with any of these installations.
    >>
    >> If you liked LFS maybe you should try Lunar Linux?
    >
    > Maybe I should write a perl script to do all the installing and
    > compiling for me.

    I meant that Lunar has the same idea as LFS but the structure is designed
    to permit long-term upgrading/maintenance. And it doesn't all depend on
    one guy like Gentoo.

    Don't I recall that someone like RH or SuSE provide a scripter that will
    remember your installation answers and you can rerun the install over
    again?

    >> > The laptop is thin and light, which makes it portable unlike some
    >> > of those "desktop replacement units", which look like you'd need
    >> > a forklift to take them anywhere. With the extended battery, the
    >> > computer can operate for a few hours without mains power.
    >>
    >> How many hours, roughly?
    >
    > Three or four, about.

    That's pretty nice going, it would cover a reasonable train trip.

    >> Productivity is measured in units like documents written and projects
    >> completed, not in MHz. Most Linux systems seem to be memory bound rather
    >> than CPU-limited, unless one is actually rebuilding the kernel a lot.
    >
    > Oh yeah, I compile a new kernel every day. Don't you?

    Normally I don't do it a lot, but I've built about 40 kernels this week so
    far.

    >> > - quite difficult to take the computer apart to replace the hard
    >> > drive - it's like a jigsaw puzzle
    >>
    >> How's that? All the portables I've taken apart had standard slots for
    >> HD units, but maybe I've led a sheltered life.
    >
    > To change the hard drive on a Sony Z505, you first need to remove the
    > about fifteen little screws underneath. Then you need to pull the four
    > plastic clips off the screen hinges, and the plastic covers off the
    > speaker areas near the hinges. These are really easy to break. After
    > that, you have to remove the sticker to reveal the hidden screws under
    > there, and take them out. You need to take the keyboard out. You have
    > to pry open the magnesium case, and when it's about 20mm open, somehow
    > remove the ribbon cable which connects to the trackpad. Keep opening
    > the case carefully, until you get it "all the way open" (which I think
    > I managed to get about a 150mm gap). Remove the ribbon cable from the
    > HD connector, and find the secret screws on the HD rails. Pull out
    > the HD, take the rails off, screw them onto the replacement drive.
    > Decide whether you want to plug in the ribbon cable to the hard drive
    > first and try to screw it down while trying not to dislodge the cable.
    > OR to screw the drive down first, and then try to plug in the ribbon
    > cable, which is quite difficult because there is no room to move in
    > there. Start to close the case again, and then remember to put all
    > those other "spare parts" back in, like metal shields and junk. Also
    > remember to plug in the trackpad ribbon cable, and it's only about
    > 40mm long, and goes from the top of the case to the bottom, so you
    > probably wish you had smaller hands about now. Then try to get all the
    > little plastic bits back in place, like the plastic surrounds for the
    > PCMCIA slot, USB plugs, network plug, hot air outlet, headphones jack.
    > They all seem to balance between the top and bottom of the case, so
    > you have to get them all in at the same time. Put some screws back in
    > and put all those other little plastic bits back on. Put the big pile
    > of even more screws back in. Now power up! Does the hard drive work?
    > Good. Does the trackpad work? No? Well pull it all apart and make sure
    > that little ribbon cable is plugged in properly.

    ROFLMAO. Not that I believe a word of it.

    > Think about that
    > Toshiba laptop somebody showed you where the hard drive slides in and
    > out, and you can change it without even a screwdriver.

    Heheh. One of mine is a Toshiba. It's just like that.

    > It is exceedingly difficult to change the hard drive on a Sony Z505.

    It's not gonna be a big advertising slogan for them, no.

    >> You could drop the emacses and get back a couple hundred meg....
    >
    > YOU CAN HAVE MY EMACSES WHEN YOU PRY THEM FROM MY COLD DEAD HARD
    > DRIVE!

    Keep them if you prefer to remain a permanent victim of the production
    paradox.

    >> > - Similarly, 2.5MB of video RAM isn't quite enough to run quickly
    >> > at 1024 x 768 x 24 bit. It runs fine at 16 bit, but I'd prefer 24
    >> > bit.
    >>
    >> Now Beable, I know you have delicate sensitivities, but I'm
    >> skeptical of your ability to see the difference.
    >
    > Look at 24 bit jpegs on a 16 bit display. You should be able to see
    > the areas of colours which don't look quite right.

    Some people really are serious about their porn! :-)

    >> > - have to carry extra stuff if you need a floppy drive or CD drive
    >>
    >> Yeah, but how often is that? If it's USB you can normally borrow them
    >> on the train.
    >
    > I never need them. If I have stuff on a CD, I stick it in another
    > machine and get it over the network. The only need for a CD drive is
    > for booting up a Linux install CD, but even that need I've sidestepped
    > using various devices. I think one time I unzipped zipslack on a
    > Windows partition, then loadlin'd into it, and built a bootable Linux
    > installation from there. Another time I installed off the network.

    Prezacktly.

    > One day I'll probably try USB pen drives or one of those large and now
    > cheap CF cards.

    USB keys will be free in cereal packets by about March 05.

    >> Or dump emacs and save yourself the trouble.
    >
    > I've only got about 30MB of emacs, which seems to be worth it.

    $20, SAIT?

    >> I don't know about the modem (I am writing from the 21st century),
    >
    > I snagged a couple of PCMCIA modems from ebay, so it's not really
    > important. I think a second-hand USR 56k modem cost about $US20.

    Just take the wireless card and you can use someone else's bandwidth :-)

    >> but some of the HP 5000 range have had good writeups here, and they
    >> qualify well under the first few points.
    >
    > I'm looking at those HPs, and also looking at the IBM T or R series
    > thinkpads. I don't think I'd like the X series due to lack of a
    > trackpad. I can't use those little pointing sticks as well as a
    > trackpad. IBMs do seem to have 3 mouse buttons, and we all know how
    > useful that could be.

    The mouse-sticks are less intuitive than touchpads, but they are
    surprisingly nice to use once one has a little learning time down.

    >> All the modern widescreen machines are a bit on the big and heavy side,
    >> but that's because the manufacturers believe that most portables stay
    >> on the desk for most of their lives.
    >
    > If I was buying a computer which I was never going to move, I'd get a
    > desktop, or a full tower machine.

    Well, I have a home full of desktops and I'm always thinking that one day
    I should get rid of them and only have wireless portables. Then I can rip
    out the cables and when I want some desk space I can bag up a portable.

    >> As far as the wireless, note that the degree of Linux compatibility
    >> varies widely over wireless chips, and that PCMCIA wireless cards
    >> are dirt cheap (I bought one on the high street for under $30 last
    >> month). Better to buy one without wireless and pick a PCMCIA card
    >> that is known to work with one of the Linux drivers.
    >
    > I've got a couple of wireless cards, and they both work. I wouldn't
    > recommend it for the beginner though, it is a bit complicated to
    > get wireless running under Linux.

    These days, that really depends on which Linux you mean.

    >> Now get back in alt.fan.beable where you belong.
    >
    > Sorry mister.

    That's OK, just give Kibo a kick from me and we're square. 

    -- 
Mark South: World Citizen, Net Denizen
  • Next message: Tom ***: "(newbie) Infrared + Nokia 8310 phone"
    • Quantcast