DELL advice/suggestions/comments please!!!
Walid Majid
I was wondering if anyone who has already bought or has some experience
with DELL's Latitude line of laptops could give me some advice on these
machines. I am interested in buying a model with active color display.
Has anyone tried running OS/2 Warp on this machine; How about Linux?
Any comments/suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Walid
David Springer
I've only used the XP's. OS/2 Warp is supported. Linux isn't
officially supported but unofficially, it works fine. I've been using
these machines for over a year... I'm on the notebook design team at
Dell.
>I would like to ask that responses be posted to this newsgroup, as I have
>some interest in these machines as well. Additionally, I would like to
>see some comments as to the quality of the Dell dual scan color display.
>Oh, and one other thing...the trackball. Does it require frequent
>cleaning like most of the other laptop trackballs I've used, or can you
>get a couple of weeks out of it?
I don't personally care for the dual-scan. Not enough contrast or
viewing angle but it compares favorably to other dual scan displays.
I've never cleaned my trackball and I've got about 5 months use on
it. Again, this is the XP. I can't speak for the low end Latitudes.
David Springer
Portables Development
Dell Computer Corporation
Karl Yeanoplos
> I was wondering if anyone who has already bought or has some experience
> with DELL's Latitude line of laptops could give me some advice on these
> machines. I am interested in buying a model with active color display.
> Has anyone tried running OS/2 Warp on this machine; How about Linux?
> Any comments/suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.
I would like to ask that responses be posted to this newsgroup, as I have
some interest in these machines as well. Additionally, I would like to
see some comments as to the quality of the Dell dual scan color display.
Oh, and one other thing...the trackball. Does it require frequent
cleaning like most of the other laptop trackballs I've used, or can you
get a couple of weeks out of it?
TIA...
--
Karl E. Yeanoplos
Denver, CO
kyea...@den.mmc.com / k...@csn.net
Tom Lentz
>From: kyea...@den.mmc.com (Karl Yeanoplos)
>Subject: Re: DELL advice/suggestions/comments please!!!
>Date: Mon, 26 Jun 1995 13:37:49 GMT
>TIA...
We have some latitude M and Latitude XP notebooks here at work. Dual-scan
only, no active matrixes. The screen is big and easy to see (for a dual
scan). I like the option to remove the floppy drive and add another battery
(cool idea!). The trackball does require frequent cleaning like others.
Haven't used any OS's on them besides DOS/Windoze.
Despite this, we won't be buying any more Dells. They are very very slow to
deliver the machines (haven't got one any less than 2 weeks late). The new
machines went *UP* in price $500 (they did raise the minimum platform to a
486/75 and bigger hard disk, but we don't want that). They dropped their $450
"traverlers pack" which was a big incentive (PCMCIA fax/modem, extra battery,
leather case, extra 4mb of RAM). Their tech support department is nearly
unreachable. One of the Dells freaked when the battery got low and installed
a cmos password by itself. Two days later when i finally got ahold of tech
support (they won't return messages either) they wouldn't help me (in the IT
department) only the person who actually had the laptop at the time. Our most
heavily used Dell is developing cracks along the back of the "lid" near either
side of the hinges. Appears to be a design flaw and I'll have to keep an eye
on the rest of them for the same problem. To compound all this they keep
discontinuing models and adding new ones every few weeks making it impossible
for us to standardize on anything.
We're still in search of a replacement vendor. . .
Tom.
- - - - - - - - -
tle...@teknon.com
[insert standard disclaimer stuff here]
This post made from only the freshest hand-picked baby electrons.
Bill Garland
>From: kyea...@den.mmc.com (Karl Yeanoplos)
>Subject: Re: DELL advice/suggestions/comments please!!!
>Date: Mon, 26 Jun 1995 13:37:49 GMT
>> I was wondering if anyone who has already bought or has some experience
>> with DELL's Latitude line of laptops could give me some advice on these
>> machines. I am interested in buying a model with active color display.
>> Has anyone tried running OS/2 Warp on this machine; How about Linux?
>> Any comments/suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.
>I would like to ask that responses be posted to this newsgroup, as I have
>some interest in these machines as well. Additionally, I would like to
>see some comments as to the quality of the Dell dual scan color display.
>Oh, and one other thing...the trackball. Does it require frequent
>cleaning like most of the other laptop trackballs I've used, or can you
>get a couple of weeks out of it?
>TIA...
>--
>Karl E. Yeanoplos
>Denver, CO
>kyea...@den.mmc.com / k...@csn.net
I bought a Latitude XP some months ago. Great machine. I dock the machine at
work these days (monitor, keyboard and mouse connected to the port
replicator) but for a month or so I used the notebook active matrix colour
screen and notebook keyboard and trackball. Plus I use it standalone at home
quite a bit. I've never had to clean the trackball so far. I liked my old
Toshiba keyboard better but I am not unhappy with the Dell keyboard.
In office lighting conditions, I found the screen was not quite bright enough
for 8 hours work without eyestrain. At home, however, I have no problem.
I have a PCMCIA Xjack 14,400 fax modem. No problem.
I run WFWG 3.11, no problems.
All in all, a very "straight up" machine. Works out of the box with no fuss
or bother. Has never crashed, even with ethernet (the usual cause of grief
for my old Toshiba 4400.
Bill Garland
DAL...@delphi.com
sp[ it. Again, this is the XP. I can't speak for the low end Latitudes.
sp[ David Springer
sp[ Portables Development
sp[ Dell Computer Corporation
David, I am confused. You called them a low end computer. I thought that
this reference was for computers with the slower processors. I am looking at
the XPi Latitude with the 90mz Pentium and 810 mg HD. Is this considered a
low end Latitude? If so what does this mean if it isn't the processor?
Thanks.
Dale
'[1;5;40;35mLive from that Mile High City
'[1;5;41;32mDenver
Rainbow V 1.18.0 for Delphi - Registered
David Springer
>I bought a Latitude XP some months ago. Great machine. I dock the machine at
<many accolades regretfully snipped>
Aw, shucks... thanks Bill.
<replies one of the proud parents>
David Springer
Portables BIOS Development
Dell Computer Corporation
David Springer
> sp[ it. Again, this is the XP. I can't speak for the low end Latitudes.
>David, I am confused. You called them a low end computer. I thought that
The XP (and XPi) are the Dell premium notebooks. The Latitude line also
includes a generally lower priced, lower performance series which isn't
designed by Dell. We at Dell typically design our own premium models
and outsource the others. Since I'm one of the portables designers I
know a lot about the premiums and little of the others.
David Springer
Portables Software Development
Dell Computer Corporation
RCWardwell
of built in sound. Ah well. Some sacrafices must be made I guess.