My old laptop is on it's last legs as the screen is going (Broken wire by the looks of things) and will cost more than it's worth to fix.

Although I've "upgraded" to windows 10 and it's running OK, I've turned most of it off. As I can still work on this machine so long as I position the screen carefully I'm going to take my time sourcing a replacement. To save costs I'm looking at Linux.

Dell do a Linux Laptop for just £189.00. So, does anyone use Linux and associated free software?

What do you use in place of Outlook, Word, Excel etc? How does it compare?

Depends how computer-literate you are really - you need to be reasonably so.

As regards programs, Libre Office is the most-used open-source office program for Linux (it's available for Windows as well). It's OK, but not as good as the Microsoft equivalent. It doesn't have an Outlook equivalent, and although there are other options such as Thunderbird none of them are as good as Outlook - although that may not matter as a lot of Outlook's functionality is only relevant when using it on a network.

Didn't Aldi just release a Win10 laptop reasonably cheap ?

I need a robust laptop rather than cheap. Dell have stood the test with me. HP have weak hinges and I've broken two that way. I currently have a Compaq.

I used to work in MS-DOS (Most MS commands still work in Windows 10).

Having researched I am looking at Libre Office with Thunderbird.

Quote from: GrahamB on September 04, 2015, 09:42:35 AM
I need a robust laptop rather than cheap. Dell have stood the test with me. HP have weak hinges and I've broken two that way. I currently have a Compaq.

I used to work in MS-DOS (Most MS commands still work in Windows 10).

Having researched I am looking at Libre Office with Thunderbird.

A suggestion would be to look at the Dell outlet - this is cancelled / returned orders and they come with full warranties. There's an inconspicuous link towards the bottom of the Dell main site.

With laptops you tend to get what you pay for. I buy probably around 20-30 computers a year, a mixture of laptops and desktops, and mostly use Dell. The Latitude E-series business laptops are excellent and I rarely have any problems with them despite the heavy use in less than idea environments which some of them get. They aren't cheap, but I think they are worth what they cost.

Quote from: davidinyork on September 04, 2015, 09:46:35 AM
A suggestion would be to look at the Dell outlet - this is cancelled / returned orders and they come with full warranties. There's an inconspicuous link towards the bottom of the Dell main site.

Thanks for that. I've been looking at the website but hadn't noticed the link.

OK, you're after one to last a while ...

I can recommend a Dell but it ain't cheap - the Precision M4800.  Quad-core (+ hyperthreading) i7 @ 2.8GHz, 8GB RAM, 15" HD screen, 500GB disk (can add others too) - basically, it's a desktop replacement    Full specs here; built like a brick house    No way it can be called pretty !

The only 'gotcha' is the power supply - make damn sure, if you buy a second one or if you get a docking station, that you get the 180W (or higher) supply ... using the docking station PSU will run the lappie in a reduced mode   I've not got a second good one arranged yet, so end up using the dock's supply as my mobile one - but at least at home I'm running at max    It's a BIOS change they brought in  ; am hoping they reverse it & allow the unit to run at max on the lower supply (albeit with a battery hit).

Quote from: MikeDunn on September 04, 2015, 10:01:11 AM
OK, you're after one to last a while ...

I can recommend a Dell but it ain't cheap - the Precision M4800.  Quad-core (+ hyperthreading) i7 @ 2.8GHz, 8GB RAM, 15" HD screen, 500GB disk (can add others too) - basically, it's a desktop replacement    Full specs here; built like a brick house    No way it can be called pretty !

The only 'gotcha' is the power supply - make damn sure, if you buy a second one or if you get a docking station, that you get the 180W (or higher) supply ... using the docking station PSU will run the lappie in a reduced mode   I've not got a second good one arranged yet, so end up using the dock's supply as my mobile one - but at least at home I'm running at max    It's a BIOS change they brought in  ; am hoping they reverse it & allow the unit to run at max on the lower supply (albeit with a battery hit).

To be honest (and I have bought a few) those Precision laptops are beyond what anyone needs for general home use - we bought them for GIS work. The Latitude E series is a better bet for a good-quality laptop for standard computing tasks.

There are of course cheaper options from Dell, but in my experience they don't last as well. I bought some of their cheaper business laptops a few years ago but stopped buying them as it wasn't an economical decision - they kept needing repairs and I lost count of how many new keyboards and touchpads in particular I had to buy.

I get into enough trouble when I buy a new locomotive. Over £1000 for a laptop.......... I guess it would last forever as my fingers would all be broken.

Linux user since 2000 or so. LibreOffice + Thunderbird (and webmail) work for me. The only thing I use Windows for (running in VirtualBox) is SCARM. Can't help with laptops, I use a Mac (this one is over 4 years old and still going strong despite multiple trips around the world).

Quote from: davidinyork on September 04, 2015, 10:07:03 AM
those Precision laptops are beyond what anyone needs for general home use

I never said it was a home-use machine    Work bought me it ... and a month later I had to have a 32-bit build installed    Looking forwards to leaving my current client & returning to a decent build !

If the OP is after a proper replacement that will handle portability as well as the power of a desktop, the Precision will handle that in spades.  It all depends on their actual requirements really.  More info would help (hint hint  )

Quote
The Latitude E series is a better bet for a good-quality laptop for standard computing tasks.

Yeah ... never a fan of the Dell 'Attitude' models    Or especially their 'Insipids' at the lower end ...  Rather have a Tosh !!!  But this Precision is very good (apart from that BIOS issue I mentioned).

Quote from: MikeDunn on September 04, 2015, 10:16:17 AM
Yeah ... never a fan of the Dell 'Attitude' models    Or especially their 'Insipids' at the lower end ...  Rather have a Tosh !!!  But this Precision is very good (apart from that BIOS issue I mentioned).

The Precision laptops are actually just higher-end models of the Latitude E series range - same build quality, same docking stations, etc.

Dell have rather confused the issue though by using the Latitude name for cheaper models as well - it's the ones with the model number beginning with an E which are the ones to get.

Quote from: davidinyork on September 04, 2015, 10:18:58 AM
Dell have rather confused the issue though by using the Latitude name for cheaper models as well - it's the ones with the model number beginning with an E which are the ones to get.

Agreed.  My experience of their stuff goes back a looooong way; we never liked getting a Dell in to work on in those days - the Toshibas were great back then, and seem to have had a recent come-back after a long time in the wilderness.  Must admit, Dell do decent rack-mount servers though

Quote from: MikeDunn on September 04, 2015, 10:23:42 AM
Must admit, Dell do decent rack-mount servers though

Yes, got some of them too! At least the recent models can comfortably be carried by one person. With the earlier ones it was more of a challenge and I always made sure I was wearing steel-toecapped boots if I had to shift one!

Last three laptops have all been Dell Inspiron models and never had a problem. More than adequate for home use including basic video editing in Windows Movie Maker

Clare had a Toshiba when we first met - complete pain in the bum it was every time you wanted to change something or download a new program She's since seen the light and bought a Dell


Paul