In my experience with both laptops and desktop computers, desktops seem
to give more computing power for the price. I tend to view laptops as
luxuries; desktops as necessities. [Laptops seemed for a long time to
be toys for the rich; startup cost was higher and repairs, typically
requiring proprietary parts, used to carry an almost prohibitively high
price tag.] A friend who uses both basically replaces laptops but will
repair [often himself] desktops. I'd love to have a laptop [my used one
suddenly crashed and repair was no longer available or, had it been ,
cost effective], but only if I had money to burn and a good desktop
first. I can tear my own desktop down and repair and upgrade it; I
wouldn't attempt it, cost wise or technically, on laptop. I couldn't
easily or affordably locate parts without going back to the manufacturer
[and mine was not in business for too long as it turned out]. A
colleague has both and uses the laptop in class for the now seemingly
"mandatory" power point presentations. But a dedicated desktop [in that
class room] would do the same and more. I don't think either type takes
kindly to lab moisture or corrosive fumes. Laptop security is a bigger
problem. [I know of one firm that bought laptops for its engineers so
they could take them into the field with them. One higher-up manager
thought the theft risk was too great and had them all bolted to the
desks!!!]
I still have trouble viewing one laptop screen simultaneously with
several others [everybody seems to sway to periodically get a good
view]. Hooking a laptop up to a regular monitor gets around that
problem though. I haven't checked laptop prices lately, but if they are
really low, I'd still be suspect about their life span and
dependability. One person commented that when they work, they're great
conveniences, but when they don't, and you don't have a desktop on
standby, they are more inconvenient and bigger money holes.
Lee Hadden
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: hadden.vcf
Type: text/x-vcard
Size: 201 bytes
Desc: Card for Lee Hadden
Url : http://iubio.bio.indiana.edu/bionet/mm/plant-ed/attachments/20000121/8070c74a/hadden.bin
