Decent inexpensive laptop?

[Jimmy Higgins]

I want something that can run education programs... and won't have components break.

Linux is perfectly able to do that. It breaks less often than Windows, unless you fuck with it a lot - most linux users do that, because most of them are computer geeks who like to tinker, and that's given the entire OS an undeserved reputation for being tricky and only for geeks.

Since when was the OS a laptop "component"? I'm talking about the machine. I keep asking about a machine and you keep blarging on about the OS.

By all means, indoctrinate your six year old to be an unthinking Microsoft drone, but don't imagine that you are helping her by imposing your fears onto her - kids are comfortable with what they encounter, and don't come with all these preconceived ideas that things are too hard just because they are unfamiliar - when you are six, most everything is unfamiliar.

Are you being serious?

So no, I won't shut up about Linux on the very dubious grounds that six-year-olds with the ability to handle Windows 10 should somehow be automatically incapable of handling the much more intuitive Ubuntu or Mint.

I guess you are.

Adults have no reason to fear Linux. Children have no fear of it - until taught that phobia by adults.

My concern with Chromebook was the availability of software, and your solution is Linux. That isn't about "fear", it is about recognizing the limitations of Linux.

 

[barbos]

the problem for a linux novice is they see some product offered on a developers site and want it, then download the application and try and install it
then it doesn't install correctly and then begins the nightmare of trying to salvage a broken linux system

Oh goodness, I bricked a computer with Red Hat and a Ubuntu system upgrade fucked up Flash I think.

Linux has its uses, but it is kind of like cold fusion.

Linux never touches flash, hence can't brick a computer
And most of the simple windows programs such as educational stuff runs under linux just fine.

 

[barbos]

the problem for a linux novice is they see some product offered on a developers site and want it, then download the application and try and install it
then it doesn't install correctly and then begins the nightmare of trying to salvage a broken linux system

That can't happen either.

 

[bigfield]

I have a cheap Asus Transformer Book that travels in my compendium. It's a laptop/tablet hybrid and has a 32GB eMMC instead of an SSD or HDD. It's a perfectly good little machine with a nice screen, strong frame, nice keyboard and decent battery life, but there isn't enough space to install Win 10 updates.

If you want a cheap Win 10 laptop, buy a refurbished machine with a big SSD.

For example:
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Latitud...542465874&sr=8-14&keywords=refurbished+laptop

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

the problem for a linux novice is they see some product offered on a developers site and want it, then download the application and try and install it
then it doesn't install correctly and then begins the nightmare of trying to salvage a broken linux system

Oh goodness, I bricked a computer with Red Hat and a Ubuntu system upgrade fucked up Flash I think.

Linux has its uses, but it is kind of like cold fusion.

Linux never touches flash, hence can't brick a computer
And most of the simple windows programs such as educational stuff runs under linux just fine.

I keep forgetting that my experiences disappear if barbos says they do.

 

[bigfield]

What educational software are we talking? Seems like most of that kind of thing would be available as web apps, in which case a Chromebook would do the job.

 

[barbos]

Linux never touches flash, hence can't brick a computer
And most of the simple windows programs such as educational stuff runs under linux just fine.

I keep forgetting that my experiences disappear if barbos says they do.

Your experience is simply false.

 

[ZiprHead]

I have a cheap Asus Transformer Book that travels in my compendium. It's a laptop/tablet hybrid and has a 32GB eMMC instead of an SSD or HDD. It's a perfectly good little machine with a nice screen, strong frame, nice keyboard and decent battery life, but there isn't enough space to install Win 10 updates.

If you want a cheap Win 10 laptop, buy a refurbished machine with a big SSD.

For example:
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Latitud...542465874&sr=8-14&keywords=refurbished+laptop

I agree with this about buying refurbished. I also think you should stick to the standard most of the rest of the world uses, in other words, Windows. Part of the education is going to be learning to use the computer itself. It is mostly likely what her school will use. And you are going to want a real keyboard to learn touch typing, another skill that wasn't offered to me when I was a kid.

BTW, imo, an SSD is going to be a big upgrade in the price that for the purpose you're looking for for this computer doesn't seem to be worth it to me.

Another thought. Does it really need to be a laptop? Portable means transporting, transporting by a six year old means it's going to be dropped. Drops are not good for computers.

I replaced the screen in my nephew's laptop for him. The very next day after he got it back, he dropped it again.

 

[bilby]

Since when was the OS a laptop "component"? I'm talking about the machine. I keep asking about a machine and you keep blarging on about the OS.

By all means, indoctrinate your six year old to be an unthinking Microsoft drone, but don't imagine that you are helping her by imposing your fears onto her - kids are comfortable with what they encounter, and don't come with all these preconceived ideas that things are too hard just because they are unfamiliar - when you are six, most everything is unfamiliar.

Are you being serious?

So no, I won't shut up about Linux on the very dubious grounds that six-year-olds with the ability to handle Windows 10 should somehow be automatically incapable of handling the much more intuitive Ubuntu or Mint.

I guess you are.

Adults have no reason to fear Linux. Children have no fear of it - until taught that phobia by adults.

My concern with Chromebook was the availability of software, and your solution is Linux. That isn't about "fear", it is about recognizing the limitations of Linux.

How is the OS NOT a component?

It's the component with the least reliability in most cases. Hardware these days tends to be very robust, and only fails if abused. Windows seems to fail by design. (And you brought up Operating Systems; Not me).

For a six year old, you are likely unable to find 'inadequate' hardware these days - it's not the 1980s anymore.

Likely the only important consideration with hardware is the ability to withstand physical abuse. A six year old isn't going to notice the difference between any CPUs sold in the last five years, and almost every machine you can buy will have adequate RAM and storage. As far as hardware goes, the only really important considerations are likely price and the ability to withstand physical abuse being dropped, having stuff spilt on it, etc.).

 

[rousseau]

I have a cheap Asus Transformer Book that travels in my compendium. It's a laptop/tablet hybrid and has a 32GB eMMC instead of an SSD or HDD. It's a perfectly good little machine with a nice screen, strong frame, nice keyboard and decent battery life, but there isn't enough space to install Win 10 updates.

If you want a cheap Win 10 laptop, buy a refurbished machine with a big SSD.

For example:
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Latitud...542465874&sr=8-14&keywords=refurbished+laptop

I agree with this about buying refurbished. I also think you should stick to the standard most of the rest of the world uses, in other words, Windows. Part of the education is going to be learning to use the computer itself. It is mostly likely what her school will use. And you are going to want a real keyboard to learn touch typing, another skill that wasn't offered to me when I was a kid.

BTW, imo, an SSD is going to be a big upgrade in the price that for the purpose you're looking for for this computer doesn't seem to be worth it to me.

Another thought. Does it really need to be a laptop? Portable means transporting, transporting by a six year old means it's going to be dropped. Drops are not good for computers.

I replaced the screen in my nephew's laptop for him. The very next day after he got it back, he dropped it again.

Yea a desktop might be a good idea, especially because they tend to have a much longer shelf life. It'll cost you, but could be more of a family computer. That's what I intend for our kids if they ever come about.

Refurbished machines are a good idea, although bear in mind they can come with their problems too. My current laptop was a refurb and I didn't really test it before I bought it, and the disc drive never worked.

As for Chromebook vs Windows, it really depends on what kind of programs you want your kid to use. If it's just typing, learning to read etc, I'd guess a Chromebook would be fine. But when your kid is 9 or 10 a laptop might be a better thing to have. Really you'd have to do your homework on Chromebooks and what they can/can't run, because it would seem none of us really know the details.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I have a cheap Asus Transformer Book that travels in my compendium. It's a laptop/tablet hybrid and has a 32GB eMMC instead of an SSD or HDD. It's a perfectly good little machine with a nice screen, strong frame, nice keyboard and decent battery life, but there isn't enough space to install Win 10 updates.

If you want a cheap Win 10 laptop, buy a refurbished machine with a big SSD.

For example:
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Latitud...542465874&sr=8-14&keywords=refurbished+laptop

I agree with this about buying refurbished. I also think you should stick to the standard most of the rest of the world uses, in other words, Windows. Part of the education is going to be learning to use the computer itself. It is mostly likely what her school will use. And you are going to want a real keyboard to learn touch typing, another skill that wasn't offered to me when I was a kid.

BTW, imo, an SSD is going to be a big upgrade in the price that for the purpose you're looking for for this computer doesn't seem to be worth it to me.

Another thought. Does it really need to be a laptop? Portable means transporting, transporting by a six year old means it's going to be dropped. Drops are not good for computers.

I replaced the screen in my nephew's laptop for him. The very next day after he got it back, he dropped it again.

I hadn’t thought of refurbished, that seems to provide the memory and SSD storage with a dated processor at a good price.

But yeah, laptop, want it as an option for trips. My daughter is uniquely skilled at handling electronics and she doesn’t get fingerprints on discs.

 

[GenesisNemesis]

By all means, indoctrinate your six year old to be an unthinking Microsoft drone

Yeah cause you can teach your children how to think critically but once they get a Microsoft computer, all that goes out the window. That's totally how that works.

 

[GenesisNemesis]

I guess everyone who has a Microsoft computer is just an unthinking drone. Wait a minute... that sounds kind of like... cultish thinking.

 

[bilby]

I guess everyone who has a Microsoft computer is just an unthinking drone. Wait a minute... that sounds kind of like... cultish thinking.

People whose parents are irrationally scared to let them experience more than one way of doing something are being indoctrinated.

Lots of people have an irrational fear of non-MS software - a fear which paradoxically survives massive and horrific changes to that software.

But by all means, keep beating that strawman if it makes you feel good.

 

[Underseer]

Would Android apps with a Chromebook be able to provide what I want education wise? It seems cheaper Chromebooks have better reviews, presumably less bloat in the OS.

I'm unfamiliar with Chromebooks but they might be a good option. My partner is considering getting one but she wants Office to be runnable. I believe that's possible with some of them but yea, the OS will be more limited. Couldn't really tell you how.

I would avoid getting her something without a keyboard, though, for reasons you can likely glean.

Office 365 can be run in a browser.

MS Office (I assume 365) is also available as an Android app, and the newer versions of Chromebook can run Android apps. So you can run Office 2 different ways on newer Chromebooks.

If you just need a web browser and MS Office, Chromebooks are a viable choice provided you're not the kind of person who feels the need to keep 20+ tabs open in a browser at all times.

@Jimmy Higgins,
If you decide to go with a cheaper Windows laptop, do not try to run Windows 10 with less than 8GB of RAM. The newer Chromebooks can run Android apps, so see if the educational titles you want are available on Android before deciding between Chromebook and a cheaper Windows laptop.

- - - Updated - - -

I guess everyone who has a Microsoft computer is just an unthinking drone. Wait a minute... that sounds kind of like... cultish thinking.

People whose parents are irrationally scared to let them experience more than one way of doing something are being indoctrinated.

Lots of people have an irrational fear of non-MS software - a fear which paradoxically survives massive and horrific changes to that software.

But by all means, keep beating that strawman if it makes you feel good.

LINUX is for wussies. Real men use BeOS, which is obviously the OS of the future!

 

[GenesisNemesis]

I guess everyone who has a Microsoft computer is just an unthinking drone. Wait a minute... that sounds kind of like... cultish thinking.

People whose parents are irrationally scared to let them experience more than one way of doing something are being indoctrinated.

Lots of people have an irrational fear of non-MS software - a fear which paradoxically survives massive and horrific changes to that software.

But by all means, keep beating that strawman if it makes you feel good.

You're saying that a person's critical thinking faculties will be compromised based on what type of computer they use. I'm pretty sure that's not how that works. Maybe some people just don't want to bother with Linux and simply aren't interested in the whole process. Wow, what an idea that some people might not want the same things you want. Real shocker. Gotta judge people who don't want what you want.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I guess everyone who has a Microsoft computer is just an unthinking drone. Wait a minute... that sounds kind of like... cultish thinking.

People whose parents are irrationally scared to let them experience more than one way of doing something are being indoctrinated.

Lots of people have an irrational fear of non-MS software - a fear which paradoxically survives massive and horrific changes to that software.

But by all means, keep beating that strawman if it makes you feel good.

Dude, this is an odd hill to want to die on.

When I’m ready to get my daughter to try Linux, I can have here use one of the Ubuntu dual boots I have in the home. Until then, I prefer to get her something that has as many options for educational software as possible. And Linux isn’t it. So enough of the derail.

 

[Under the Rose]

I got a Chromebook before most of the folks here had even heard of them and had to order from Best Buy since Staples was not handling them yet. It took a wee bit to learn how to use a different operating system since my home computer is an HP, still running windows 7. (I didn't upgrade to Windows 10 though it was available for free because the updates were causing a lot of problems so figured I would just wait until time to replace and get it on a new machine at the time.)

Now that I have been working with my Chromebook for several years, I don't think I would bother with a home unit replacement. Chrome is wicked fast for my needs so it really depends what your use is going to be. I agree with Underseer's post 35 that Chromebook is quite versatile and becoming more so all the time. For the record, I have an HP Chromebook with 32 GB of on board memory that I acquired for 299.00 Canadian.

 

[bilby]

I guess everyone who has a Microsoft computer is just an unthinking drone. Wait a minute... that sounds kind of like... cultish thinking.

People whose parents are irrationally scared to let them experience more than one way of doing something are being indoctrinated.

Lots of people have an irrational fear of non-MS software - a fear which paradoxically survives massive and horrific changes to that software.

But by all means, keep beating that strawman if it makes you feel good.

You're saying that a person's critical thinking faculties will be compromised based on what type of computer they use.

No, I am not.

I am saying that a person's critical thinking faculties can be compromised by the way they are raised as children. Which is clearly and obviously true - but rather less easy for you to bash. So instead you have built a scarecrow and are busy beating the shit out of it, and wondering why I am not getting bruises.

 

[bilby]

I guess everyone who has a Microsoft computer is just an unthinking drone. Wait a minute... that sounds kind of like... cultish thinking.

People whose parents are irrationally scared to let them experience more than one way of doing something are being indoctrinated.

Lots of people have an irrational fear of non-MS software - a fear which paradoxically survives massive and horrific changes to that software.

But by all means, keep beating that strawman if it makes you feel good.

Dude, this is an odd hill to want to die on.

Welcome to the Internet - is this your first day here?

When I’m ready to get my daughter to try Linux, I can have here use one of the Ubuntu dual boots I have in the home. Until then, I prefer to get her something that has as many options for educational software as possible. And Linux isn’t it. So enough of the derail.

I'm just saying, it should be when she's ready, not when you are - and that's likely MUCH sooner than you think.