[Opensim-users] current recommendation for laptops
Nebadon Izumi
nebadon2025 at gmail.com
Sat Apr 7 04:08:30 UTC 2012
ya I agree, sorry I did not mean that 3D i just meant 3D graphics in
general, such as DirectX or OpenGL, not the 3D Display itself, while the 3D
stuff is cool, it does not add much value, and yes I do believe it can be
turned off, and might even be optional something you do not have to order.
But to answer your question yes, its extremely better now than it was in
2004, there is no real comparison.
On Fri, Apr 6, 2012 at 9:01 PM, Dr Ramesh Ramloll <r.ramloll at gmail.com>wrote:
> Hey Nebadon,
> I am not too sure about the 3D feature the Qosmio, am not sure whether
> the extra USD is worth it. I have some prior experience with both
> glass and non-glass 3D ... and found that long term use is really out
> of question for me. But that was around 2004... things may have
> improved now. Does the 3D add anything to the virtual world
> experience, or do you switch it off most of the time?
> Thanks
> Ramesh
>
> On Fri, Apr 6, 2012 at 8:52 PM, Nebadon Izumi <nebadon2025 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > I don't disagree that Lenovo has nice machines, but they are more
> expensive,
> > I have had my hands on both Lenovo and Toshiba, and I can tell you from
> > first hand experience, Toshiba quality and reliability and durability
> > matches and in some case exceeds Lenovo in certain classes of machine,
> and
> > with Toshiba you get a lot more computer for your money. If your looking
> > for a business class machine Lenovo is the way to go for sure, if your
> > looking for a Game/3D Level machine then Toshiba blows Lenovo out of the
> > water hands down.
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Apr 6, 2012 at 7:25 PM, Dr Ramesh Ramloll <r.ramloll at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >>
> >> Thanks for all the fast and detailed responses. I am absolutely
> grateful.
> >> I also found this info that am sharing. Looks like Lenovo is currently
> >> the most reliable choice as well.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> http://www.rescuecom.com/news-press-releases/computer-reliability-report-2012.aspx
> >>
> >>
> >> Manufacturer U.S. Computer Market Share2
> >> (Percentage of Share computers shipped) RESCUECOM Computer Repair Share1
> >> (Percentage of service calls to 1-800-RESCUE-PC) Computer
> >> Reliability Score1
> >> LENOVO/IBM 7.3% 2.6% 281
> >> TOSHIBA 10.3% 5.4% 190
> >> SAMSUNG 1.7% 1.1% 156
> >> APPLE 11.0% 7.3% 151
> >> ASUS 3.8% 3.0% 126
> >> HP/COMPAQ 23.2% 23.3% 100
> >> DELL 22.6% 33.2% 68
> >> SONY 2.2% 3.4% 64
> >> ACER 8.2% 20.7% 40
> >> On Fri, Apr 6, 2012 at 8:01 PM, Patrick Elliott-Brennan
> >> <mail at elliott-brennan.id.au> wrote:
> >> > I have to say that I agree with Sean and his reasoning.
> >> >
> >> > Excellent summary, Sean.
> >> >
> >> > I've seen lots of various makes in a very 'hands-on' profession which
> >> > required the laptops to be used by many people on lots of different
> >> > environments.
> >> >
> >> > The Thinkpads did best.
> >> >
> >> > So much so that when it came to buying our first new laptops, I bought
> >> > my
> >> > wife and I an X200 each.
> >> >
> >> > That's not to say other machines aren't good, just that the Thinkpads
> do
> >> > very well in multi-user environments.
> >> >
> >> > Note: I avoid laptops generally as I find the 'use' argument usually
> >> > more of
> >> > an 'excuse' argument. ie. Most people who have them don't really need
> >> > them
> >> > and would be better served (money wise) with desktops.
> >> >
> >> > Regards,
> >> > Patrick
> >> >
> >> > On Apr 7, 2012 10:27 AM, "Sean McNamara" <smcnam at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> Hi,
> >> >>
> >> >> For workloads involving OpenSim and/or Second Life derived viewers,
> >> >> you will definitely want a discrete graphics card in the laptop. This
> >> >> increases cost, weight and size of the unit, as well as reduces
> >> >> battery life, but it's well worth the downsides. Using integrated
> >> >> graphics with a simulator is just unwise; the experience will be...
> >> >> unpleasant. Maybe Ivy Bridge CPUs will change that, but don't count
> on
> >> >> it.
> >> >>
> >> >> I personally have a very low opinion of the build quality of all
> >> >> currently-available retail laptops except for two brands which really
> >> >> stand out: the Panasonic Toughbook, and the Lenovo ThinkPad (notice:
> >> >> *NOT* IdeaPad!).
> >> >>
> >> >> Notice I said *build quality*. This says nothing about:
> >> >> -Value/price
> >> >> -Weight
> >> >> -Battery life
> >> >> -Performance
> >> >>
> >> >> What IS build quality? Build quality is a trait of a laptop which is
> >> >> measured by judging how well the laptop withstands the pressures of
> >> >> typical use and typical accidental damage / misuse. To me, build
> >> >> quality goes far beyond the physical characteristics of the unit.
> >> >> Build quality encompasses things such as:
> >> >>
> >> >> -The reliability of the parts. Will your HDD last 2 years, or 8? This
> >> >> is a build quality question.
> >> >>
> >> >> -The robustness of the firmware and drivers for all of the parts.
> Will
> >> >> your wifi card have a bug that randomly hangs the entire system when
> >> >> it scans for new networks? Will your BIOS have a bug that refuses to
> >> >> boot from USB flash drives? These little annoyances can add up to a
> >> >> completely unusable product, if build quality is not a constant point
> >> >> of attention by the manufacturer.
> >> >>
> >> >> -The ability of the hardware to survive in more extreme environments.
> >> >> Is your laptop only going to survive if you keep the internals
> >> >> completely clean of all dust and dirt, and keep it on a flat,
> >> >> heat-conducting table at all times? Or will you be able to hold it at
> >> >> odd angles against your knee (both a poor conductor and a small
> >> >> surface area) for extended periods while running intensive
> >> >> applications? Will the unit overheat if the temperature in your house
> >> >> or lab is over 80 Fahrenheit? If you accidentally drop the unit, will
> >> >> it shatter into a million pieces, or will it sustain a dignified
> scuff
> >> >> mark on the case? All of these are build quality questions.
> >> >>
> >> >> -The degree to which your hardware was tested during development,
> >> >> believe it or not, is a build quality question. The more well-tested
> a
> >> >> device, the longer its time to market; but at the same time, the end
> >> >> result will be far superior in reliability and will be able to
> support
> >> >> more general use cases than products that are rushed to market only
> >> >> expecting the top few most common use cases.
> >> >>
> >> >> Personally, I think there is a tragic disease in the laptop and
> >> >> embedded device market today, that build quality is being thrown out
> >> >> the door, in favor of other factors, such as:
> >> >>
> >> >> -Reducing cost
> >> >> -Reducing time to market
> >> >> -Reducing weight
> >> >> -Reducing the labor-intensive parts of product development
> >> >> -Increasing the "raw stats" (MHz, number of cores, amount of RAM,
> etc)
> >> >> in the unit without increasing price
> >> >>
> >> >> This disease is as damaging to the overall satisfaction with a device
> >> >> as it would be to eat a diet of pure sugar with no nutrients. Build
> >> >> quality is the nutrients, fiber and protein of computing: it makes
> the
> >> >> device *usable* in the same way that protein allows you to *survive*.
> >> >>
> >> >> I won't disagree directly with Nebadon, but let's just say that I
> >> >> definitely, positively would not recommend Toshiba as a laptop
> >> >> manufacturer, especially with the target of a "lab" environment where
> >> >> people who may not have your organization's best interests at heart
> >> >> (or whom may not care about accidental or purposeful damage they
> might
> >> >> attempt to inflict upon the units) will have regular access to the
> >> >> PCs.
> >> >>
> >> >> It is for these reasons that I encourage you to think carefully about
> >> >> build quality, and not just cost and specifications, in your
> selection
> >> >> of laptop; and I urge you to look at Lenovo ThinkPads and Panasonic
> >> >> Toughbooks should you be interested in a unit with very rugged build
> >> >> quality which I can proudly recommend from years and years of
> personal
> >> >> experience.
> >> >>
> >> >> Aside from that, chances are good that, getting down to specs, any
> >> >> unit with >= 4GB of RAM, >= 200GB HDD, >= 2 cores, a discrete (and
> >> >> current-generation!) GPU, is going to be more than enough to
> enjoyably
> >> >> run a workload such as OpenSim alongside a Second Life derived
> viewer.
> >> >> For such a unit, you might look at the ThinkPad T-series laptops.
> >> >> They're even fairly price competitive these days, if you omit frills
> >> >> like fingerprint reader, bluetooth, and an SSD.
> >> >>
> >> >> Best of luck to you.
> >> >>
> >> >> Sean
> >> >>
> >> >> On Fri, Apr 6, 2012 at 5:44 PM, Dr Ramesh Ramloll <
> r.ramloll at gmail.com>
> >> >> wrote:
> >> >> > Hey there,
> >> >> > I am a little sheepish when it comes to buying laptops. Couple of
> >> >> > years ago, I bought about 24 alienware latops for a lab based on
> the
> >> >> > recommendation of a hardcore gamer that I trusted. Within a short
> >> >> > period, about 50% of the machines developed various issues from
> >> >> > basic
> >> >> > cracked screens because of over tight hinges, failed hard drives
> >> >> > etc..., over heating.
> >> >> > Now am on the market for some more. What are your recommendations?
> >> >> > Needless to say am staying clear of Alienware ...
> >> >> > Thanks for your time.
> >> >> > R
> >> >> >
> >> >> > --
> >> >> > 'Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin.'
> >> >> > Rameshsharma Ramloll PhD, CEO CTO DeepSemaphore LLC, Affiliate
> >> >> > Research Associate Professor, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID
> >> >> > 83209 Tel: 208-240-0040
> >> >> > Blog, LinkedIn, DeepSemaphore LLC, Google+ profile
> >> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> >> > Opensim-users mailing list
> >> >> > Opensim-users at lists.berlios.de
> >> >> > https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/opensim-users
> >> >> _______________________________________________
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> >> >
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > Opensim-users mailing list
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> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> 'Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin.'
> >> Rameshsharma Ramloll PhD, CEO CTO DeepSemaphore LLC, Affiliate
> >> Research Associate Professor, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID
> >> 83209 Tel: 208-240-0040
> >> Blog, LinkedIn, DeepSemaphore LLC, Google+ profile
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Opensim-users mailing list
> >> Opensim-users at lists.berlios.de
> >> https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/opensim-users
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Michael Emory Cerquoni - Nebadon Izumi @ http://osgrid.org
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Opensim-users mailing list
> > Opensim-users at lists.berlios.de
> > https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/opensim-users
>
>
>
> --
> 'Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin.'
> Rameshsharma Ramloll PhD, CEO CTO DeepSemaphore LLC, Affiliate
> Research Associate Professor, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID
> 83209 Tel: 208-240-0040
> Blog, LinkedIn, DeepSemaphore LLC, Google+ profile
> _______________________________________________
> Opensim-users mailing list
> Opensim-users at lists.berlios.de
> https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/opensim-users
>
--
Michael Emory Cerquoni - Nebadon Izumi @ http://osgrid.org
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