Welcome back Paulo!! Where have you been?

[t00fri]

Paulo,
a warm welcome back from me (and surely from many others)!!

Cheers,
Bye Fridger

[Paolo]

Hi Fridger, Hi All

I got some vacations, changed the PC (Dell 9100 PIV 3GHz 1GB RAM 60 GB HDD 7200RPM SATA, GeForce 6800) , made some jobs at home , bought a videocamera and Pinnacle Studio ..... played Doom3

I'm happy to see that things are going on and I would like to test ASAP your new /official/ release

But I have to say that my job is going to change so i'm figuring that I'll have only a little spare time to discuss about Celestia. I think that soon my contribution will be even more negligible than ever

[BrainDead]

And welcome from myself... Another voice from the past.

How do you like the Dell? I'm about to get one myself I think.

Take care

[Paolo]

Hi Bob

I don't want to make unneeded advertising but I can say that I completely satisfied about the Dell products. The price/quality/performance ratio is very good. I've a long experience with their products and I've never had any problem.

[t00fri]

Hmm Dell...We buy Dell notbooks in the hundreds in my lab. Mostly the more expensive (and more solid) Latitudes (i.e. not Inspirons).

I bought my Dell >2.5 years ago and then I bought for /all/ my colleagues in the staff a more recent model last summer (11 machines actually).

My motherboard had to be exchanged several times until it worked fine. There were substantial problems with beaming and simultaneously viewing in various cases.

In the US these machines are essentially delivered without any warranty (just 90 days send in type), while in Europe we request 2 years by law. Hence American notebooks are more expensive here, since warranty has to be bought extra.

But given the various problems that a number of us had, WITHOUT a 24 hour luxurious (and expensive) warranty we would have felt pretty much "left alone"...

I would strongly advice to buy a solid 1-2 year warranty in addition! Since Dells are cheep i.e mass produced, you may both be lucky and unlucky. It's hard to predict, since quality control is expensive and not so much is reserved for it in that lower price range.

Bye Fridger

[BrainDead]

Thanks Paolo, I also have had good experience (at work) with the Dells.

I would strongly advice to buy a solid 1-2 year warranty in addition! Since Dells are cheep i.e mass produced, you may both be lucky and unlucky.

Good advice, Doctor... Thanks once again. If I had an unlimited budget,
though would you advise something else perhaps?

Just thought I'd ask.

[t00fri]

Thanks Paolo, I also have had good experience (at work) with the Dells.

I would strongly advice to buy a solid 1-2 year warranty in addition! Since Dells are cheep i.e mass produced, you may both be lucky and unlucky.

Good advice, Doctor... Thanks once again. If I had an unlimited budget,
though would you advise something else perhaps?

Just thought I'd ask.

Bob,

as to other brands, I am afraid I have not so much experience. We have to buy Dells essentially, since in such a huge place like my lab, service reliability, an extended service network and conservative model policy are most important factors satisfied by Dell. My attitude is that unlike desktops, the effective lifetime (i.e usability) of notebooks is pretty short. So I also tend to economize with notebooks. For me they are always the second best solution mainly to support my mobility.

Bye Fridger

[ElChristou]

...If I had an unlimited budget...

Mmmh... Apple PowerBook G4 17"

BTW, Welcome back Paolo!

Bye