New Computer week, Dell XPS 13, Linux.

[6]

I assume everyone on here has and uses computers so its not a far reach to think some of yall are interested in them.

Since i left CTAC in 2017 my unlimited access to used computers has dwindled. Since then i have been solely on thinkpads. I have 5 t450's a t440, and two t420's, then i have an e580 and e15. Needless to say i think Thinkpads are the benchmark for a quality work horse style computer. My friend dan just needed a new computer. Immediately i pointed him to thinkpad and we speced and ordered a DOPE t15. . they are the best over all as far as i am concerned,

Well my t440 was my linux machine i brought to work (even though i own it), i use it a LOT at work. The other day i was searching the office for some more ddr3 ram because i have been running out and having to close things i wanted open. My boss interrupted my quest and was like "Please let us get yo a new computer. We are a technology company for god sake, we cant be running around with ten year old computers.. We tell people to replace newer computers than that ever day. "

I declined, I love my t440 and it has sentiment. But after not being able to find any ram i was like "Fine, but can i pick it?" he was like sure, send me a link. .

I went to lenovo.com and just found nothing i really loved.. I remembered back to my old core 2 Duo XPS machine i had way beck when, loved that thing. So i went over to dell.

Learned the will ship the new XPS with Ubuntu Linux on it! I dont USe Ubuntu, i use a different flavor, but that means ill be able to get driver support.. I specced it, sent the link and a few days later a new loaded down XPS 13 showed up!

ITs NOT a think pad. Just different all around, but the carbon fiber palm rest is awesome, the machine looks and feels great. Its a ROCKET compared to my t440. There is some serious attn to detail in this little guy. Had drivers for everything as soon as i got Linux on it, no fuckery involved. Needed a firmware update beacsue it was SLOW in bios, but the was the only glitch. Touch, which i didn't want, but would have had to wait longer to order without, is actually really good. Now I keep finding myself poking the screen when i'm on other non-touch computers haha. Turns out there is a big difference between the cheap touch screens ive seen and used and the good ones.

Oh, i also just ordered a 15.6" USB-C portable screen (think tablet screen that runs as dual screen and needs no power cable, just usb-c to the transmitting device) to bring around to work with it. It will be here Monday.

Runs a little hotter than some of my others, but that is probably the only think i could put in the con category.

So in case anyone is interested, and looking for something with a little more flash and style than an ThinkPad (Id still recommend a thinkpad for a long term work horse) id recommend it strongly.

[bones]

Historically, the biggest issue with Dell computers is once the device is EOL, good luck finding parts for it.
We have used a crap ton of Dell servers in the past, and they have held up well, but forget about finding parts for one that is EOS/EOL.

My everyday machine at home is a HP Z800 with dual Xeon CPUs and 96Gb of RAM.
Still does everything I want a desktop to do.

[riot]

I'll have to look up the spec, I got this weird MSI brand work rig a few months ago, but it is pretty sweet! Sick graphics card which makes the CAD fly so smooth. Decently portable too. Sounds like a jet on occasion when the fans spin up. Mostly because of some Microsoft BS or corporate backup running. HP is my usual go-to, but they were out of stock of everything at the time.

I always go dual boot. I get Windows with the PC for free, then do a dual boot partition to add Ubuntu. I have it default set to boot to Windows, but I can boot into Linux using F10 if I need to. To me this is the best of both worlds, because I don't end up getting screwed with some Windows only app, and I don't have to run any emulators etc.

For personal use, I'm still running this HP ENVY I got like 7 years ago. CAD is a little buggy on it, but really it still does everything I need. Only downside is the 17" display eats batteries. I'm on the third one, but honestly 30min and $35 later and I can swap em. Sure beats doing the rigamarole of reinstalling everything! One big save is that I make my wife share it (with her own login) so that I don't have to IT her computer when she installs a virus or some shit and starts cursing at it. As I am always telling my son, getting angry and crying never fixed a computer ever.

[wildwhl]

As I am always telling my son, getting angry and crying never fixed a computer ever.

True - but a BFHammer often does

Recently put a Windows machine together for my home (umm, CAD?) station. It's pretty great for the most part, but being a lifelong Mac user I really miss the integration that I use all day, every day at work (iMessage, etc.). Of course the graphics and speed are spot on. I'd recite specs but I had a buddy spec it out, I plugged it all together and let him set it up. I'm too old for that shit, ha!



WW/R

[6]

Riot, that takes balls. I NEVER would let my wife share my computers. Id show up on the job-site with dog drool on the cover, finger smears on the screen, chocolate and crumbs between the keys, a new virus, 4 new useless browser plug ins, some wired setting enabled from a dog walking across the keyboard and a broken power input from when she rolled over on it in bed. I keep her in a t450 because i have a fleet of parts machines. . But mine, no way, those things are how we pay the bills.

Dan was in the same boat with an old CAD machine. He bought it off us in like 06' and ran that thing till 2 months ago. He loves his new rig, but apparently when you work in cad a lot, any change takes some serious getting used to. I wouldn't know. I still look at the keys when i type....

Computers are fun.
Last week i wrote a bash command that will continuously ping an IP at whatever interval i set, then log, time stamped, in a text file, any ping that hasn't replied by the time the next one goes out. Ill use to to run against multiple devices on networks with intermittent connectivity issues that don't have any monitoring software to see what drops.. I suck, so its not doing everything i want, but it does work and the dudes on the Linux forum have been very helpful.

[wildwhl]

Riot, that takes balls. I NEVER would let my wife share my computers.

I totally agree....threadjack inbound.

When I caught my now ex wife waving my phone in front of my place after a medical procedure last year (was still under the anesthesia to some extent, and very tired) I blew it off and convinced myself that I was dreaming she proceeded to cruise through my phone and read shit afterwards.

When I caught her doing it again earlier this year while I was napping, I knew for damn sure I was the fool and made immediate plans for a different life. I have no secrets - but trust is trust...and can never be rebuilt in my experience. That's why I don't trust these fucking Windows based machines too, ha! It is fast as hell and does a splendid job at many non work related activities.

WW/R

[rpcraft]

Thinkpads used to be but I think the Dell XPS has become a better example overall as of late but I am dissapointed they do not include touch screens out of the box now days. I haven't messed around with Linux on one but I haven't had a need either.

[riot]

You guys crack me up. I married the smartest, least crazy woman I could find for the reasons cited. To her credit, I am the admin on the machine. She also trusts me with most of the accounts.

That said, I trust her advice with most of the primary decisions about our children, and there is no one I would trust more to make medical decisions for me (like the time I crashed and got knocked loopy), up to and including my own mother.

[rpcraft]

You guys crack me up. I married the smartest, least crazy woman I could find for the reasons cited. To her credit, I am the admin on the machine. She also trusts me with most of the accounts.

That said, I trust her advice with most of the primary decisions about our children, and there is no one I would trust more to make medical decisions for me (like the time I crashed and got knocked loopy), up to and including my own mother.

Saying you married the smartest and least crazy women still leaves ample space for plenty of crazy, and I dare not question the intelligence factor because it definitely amplifies the "least amount of crazy"...

[6]

You guys crack me up. I married the smartest, least crazy woman I could find

Ok, listen, and I mean no offence to you or your wife or anyone else in a "healthy" relationship.. But..

I've dated smart, sensible, less crazy girls before. Even married and had kids with one.

There is something sexy about a volatile nutcase, and they always seem to live up to it. They are FUN. And being that I myself have never been described as "least crazy" it works out well.

Boredom, is never a thing in my relationship. Ever.. and when I was married before, it was really, really boring being with someone who always wanted to do the smart predictable thing.

There's something special about a girl that you may have to involuntarily commit to a psychiatric institution here and there. . . Life is never dull.

[6]

Saying you married the smartest and least crazy women still leaves ample space for plenty of crazy, and I dare not question the intelligence factor because it definitely amplifies the "least amount of crazy"...

I have to agree.

[riot]

Saying you married the smartest and least crazy women still leaves ample space for plenty of crazy, and I dare not question the intelligence factor because it definitely amplifies the "least amount of crazy"...

well of course she’s at least a 4 on the crazy scale, because as we all know, there isn’t a woman who isn’t at least a 4 on the crazy scale:

[riot]

Ok, listen, and I mean no offence to you or your wife or anyone else in a "healthy" relationship.. But..

I've dated smart, sensible, less crazy girls before. Even married and had kids with one.

There is something sexy about a volatile nutcase, and they always seem to live up to it. They are FUN. And being that I myself have never been described as "least crazy" it works out well.

Boredom, is never a thing in my relationship. Ever.. and when I was married before, it was really, really boring being with someone who always wanted to do the smart predictable thing.

There's something special about a girl that you may have to involuntarily commit to a psychiatric institution here and there. . . Life is never dull.

I test drove some crazy, it wasn’t for me. Not saying it wasn’t fun, I just didn’t want to go all in. Just like drugs and crashing, I tried ‘em, I’m just not willing to take it to the level you are man!

I just had to realign my perspective to understand that I would need to be the ‘fun captain’. I can create enough drama for myself that I have some left over to share!