• I tried to play around with notebook configurations on their web site. I even registered so I could save them. Every time I saved one, the previous one would vanish. Screw Dell.
• As I said, I have a Dell laptop. It never was very reliable (it ran Windows Me, for starters). I haven't used it for several years. Guess what? Now it won't even turn on, even when it's plugged in. Screw Dell.
• Michael Dell is a huge backer of President Bush and the other Republicans who are rewriting the laws of our country to benefit their crony capitalist pals. Bush even calls Mr. Dell for tech support. Screw Michael Dell, and screw Dell.

Anyone have any suggestions for a notebook? The most taxing thing I will do is edit photos, but as a former programmer I can't bring myself to buy anything too cheap--something in the $800-1100 range. I am thinking seriously about an HP zv6000 with an Athlon 64 chip. Carly Fiorina isn't that much better than Michael Dell, but HP fired her.

UPDATE 06/21/2005: I finally ordered an IBM ThinkPad T43 last week. It cost about 50% more than I had originally planned to spend, but IBM's quality and durability are head and shoulders above the manufacturers I had been considering. It should last a long time, and it has a three-year warranty (which would have cost an extra $180 from HP). The IBM has a higher resolution, matte screen, which I prefer. Battery life will be much better with a Pentium M than with an Athlon 64, too.

I suppose one might say, like that Dell employee did, that by buying an IBM/Lenovo I am giving money to the Chinese government (a part owner of Lenovo, which now owns IBM's notebook and home PC businesses). On the other hand, somebody has to give them money to spend on U.S. Treasury Bonds as our nation drowns in debt.

- posted by David Johnsen @ 1:12 AM