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IBM X31 Suckiness
This machine was recommended by my company's IT dept. It's basically a T40 in a 12" screen setup, Centrino powered, identical software load, etc. Two USB 2.0 ports, a Firewire port, Wi-Fi. Very slender and compact, just 3.5 pounds, seemingly everything you would want. As you'd expect, no room for a touchpad or calc keypad, but so what.
The problem is that this beautiful little machine does not include enough space for the CD-RW/DVD drive I need (despite IBM and CDW online suggestions to the contrary). But nnnooooooo... The drive has to be housed in a separate base unit that doubles the height of the machine and adds 2 full pounds to its heft.
OK, so it's not quite so light and compact as I'd hoped, but the footprint's the same and I'm manly enough to carry 5.5 pounds around. So despite the inconvenience of the disc drive, I decided to get it anyway.
But here's the kicker, the thing that put me over the edge.
Most of my PC work is in the office. To use a laptop there, we employ a separate monitor and keyboard. To avoid plugging/unplugging all the connections (T1, mouse, monitor, keyboard, and power) every time you take it home (which is, of course, the whole point of having a laptop), it snaps into a docking station housing all those connections.
When you do that with the (X31 + disc drive base), it turns out that, again, YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE CD DRIVE!!!!! Instead, you have to physically remove the drive from the base unit and slot it into a port on the docking station.
AAAAARRRRGGGHH!!!!!!!!
Thus, IBM requires a corporate X31 user to constantly change connections, or to constantly remove and replace the disc drive. All that physical change inevitably means that the mechanics will wear prematurely. Pin connections, drive slot, whatever -- something will go before its time.
The whole point of laptops is portability and convenience. The design of the X31 dictates little of the former, and even less of the latter.
So I gave it back to IT and told them to get me a T40. It's not that much bigger and makes none of the mechanical compromises of the X31. It's faster. Same battery life. It's even lighter than the (X31 + stupid baseplate drive). Plus you get a bigger screen and a touchpad.
I hope to have it by end of week...
This machine was recommended by my company's IT dept. It's basically a T40 in a 12" screen setup, Centrino powered, identical software load, etc. Two USB 2.0 ports, a Firewire port, Wi-Fi. Very slender and compact, just 3.5 pounds, seemingly everything you would want. As you'd expect, no room for a touchpad or calc keypad, but so what.
The problem is that this beautiful little machine does not include enough space for the CD-RW/DVD drive I need (despite IBM and CDW online suggestions to the contrary). But nnnooooooo... The drive has to be housed in a separate base unit that doubles the height of the machine and adds 2 full pounds to its heft.
OK, so it's not quite so light and compact as I'd hoped, but the footprint's the same and I'm manly enough to carry 5.5 pounds around. So despite the inconvenience of the disc drive, I decided to get it anyway.
But here's the kicker, the thing that put me over the edge.
Most of my PC work is in the office. To use a laptop there, we employ a separate monitor and keyboard. To avoid plugging/unplugging all the connections (T1, mouse, monitor, keyboard, and power) every time you take it home (which is, of course, the whole point of having a laptop), it snaps into a docking station housing all those connections.
When you do that with the (X31 + disc drive base), it turns out that, again, YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE CD DRIVE!!!!! Instead, you have to physically remove the drive from the base unit and slot it into a port on the docking station.
AAAAARRRRGGGHH!!!!!!!! Thus, IBM requires a corporate X31 user to constantly change connections, or to constantly remove and replace the disc drive. All that physical change inevitably means that the mechanics will wear prematurely. Pin connections, drive slot, whatever -- something will go before its time.
The whole point of laptops is portability and convenience. The design of the X31 dictates little of the former, and even less of the latter.
So I gave it back to IT and told them to get me a T40. It's not that much bigger and makes none of the mechanical compromises of the X31. It's faster. Same battery life. It's even lighter than the (X31 + stupid baseplate drive). Plus you get a bigger screen and a touchpad.
I hope to have it by end of week...
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