For the PC literati among you

[bronwynrh]

Because I am too tired to attempt anything requiring deep thought, I'm playing at building a tablet PC - the new Dell Latitude XT, to be exact. This involves much wishful thinking because the blasted things are damned expensive.

Nevertheless, I play (as when I play at Volvo building cars) and because I want to build the best, I question everything.

So first I want to hear about your experiences with tablet PCs... are they worth it?

I've also been thinking for a while about wanting to make the jump to Ubuntu, and leaving XP (and certainly vista, although this opinion is based solely on what I've heard about it - not from personal experience) in the box. The problem is that I will likely use this hypothetical computer for work and will therefore need to have full windows compatibility. I know most of the open source productivity software plays nicely enough with windows, but when I'm trying to manage grants and keeping a handle on version control, I don't want to be worrying about formatting or risk some incompatibility.

Does it make sense to have the HDD partitioned for me, and run a different OS from each, or is it simple enough to do for myself? If I do partition, how should I do it? 50:50? 80:20? Should I forget about Ubuntu altogether? What about formatting?

Tell me what you think, o you who know how to work a computer.

Comments

[iltamies.livejournal.com]

Have you ever used Linux at all? I'd suggest STRONGLY you download a LiveCD and try it that way before you make the dive. It's a non-destructive and non-invasive way to 'try before you cry' with Linux. Of all the different LiveCD's out there, I'd personally recommend Ubuntu or Knoppix. Also, if you're looking at spending that kind of change, and don't mind voiding the warranty on things (you'll want to check that before you contemplate loading Linux on your shiny new name brand PC) you could look into a Modbook which is a Macbook turned tablet PC. And also, if you don't mind me asking, why a tablet? Have specific graphic or scentific or medical apps that it would benefit from? And that it works with?

And as far as partitioning goes should you decide to make the Linux switch, which i'm far from poo-pooing, just wanting to warn you.. I'd suggest you do this: 40% windows, 40% linux, 20% shared (like a FAT32 volume). It softens the blow of attempting to access files from one side to the other. NTFS writing is OK now under *nix, but it's still easier to just use a FAT32 volume if you can.

And now, I return to baby duty.

[bramey.livejournal.com]

You are absolutely right. I've not yet had the chance to try the LiveCD of Ubuntu, but I planned to. For about a year in grad school, I used OpenOffice, and of course I always use Firefox - I'd use Thunderbird too if my stupid 1and1 account would play with it, which reminds me I need to try again. Those are my only experiences with open source software. I like the software and I like the freedom from the bulky windows platform, although I have no skill or knowledge whatsoever as to the ins and outs of how it all works from a programming perspective.

This probably makes me a geek wannabe or something equally pathetic.

As far as the Modbook, I haven't considered a Mac because everything here at work is PC - Dell and Lenovo - A part of me wants to give Apple another try, it's been a while since my performa and then my blueberry ibook died and I made the jump to windows with the inspiron.

I swore I'd never look back, but now I'm not so certain.

As for the why, I don't really have a good reason. There's the ooh! nifty! factor, and I'd love it for reading ebooks. Yes I know there are dedicated readers, but I'd rather have everything in one package. I can try to rationalize it too. As I start visiting more physician's offices to demonstrate our Warfarin dosing software (and later packages that I'm developing), I thought a tablet may be a nice way to show-and-tell.

I doubt any of these reasons is sufficient to justify the expense, so it all boils down to "But! But I want one!" :-/

[wistfulunicorn.livejournal.com]

I found Linux easy to use but there aren't a lot of software packages out there for general 'office' use. And the show and tell you can produce with something like powerpoint almost can't be beat. So if you can truely split it into 2 then that is probably the best way to go. All the IT guys I've spoken to say Vista sucks big time!

Don't know about compatibility for the Mac but I understand it is looking more and more like a PC.

I personally hate the 2007 versions of Microsoft software. It's like they think we are all dummies and need pictures to understand how things work. I sent them an email and said I wanted my old version back where I could find things. At least they should give us an option of how it looks. I have it set to details everywhere else. I can make any Microsoft product stand up and beg but not with 2007.

Good luck on your quest. Wish I could give you some sound advice but over the past few months I've missed out on a lot of changes. Not being involved in the IT department has put me at a major disadvantage.