[Info-vax] Want ARM subnotebook. Want it NOW. Want it with decent OS and decent price.

[John Wallace]

On Aug 9, 12:24 am, Single Stage to Orbit <alex.bu... at munted.eu>
wrote:
> On Wed, 2012-08-08 at 12:39 -0700, John Wallace wrote:
> > On Aug 8, 6:55 pm, Single Stage to Orbit <alex.bu... at munted.eu> wrote:
> > >http://www.designspark.com/content/raspberry-pi-vax-cluster
>
> > > Amazing how a number of credit-card sized computers can emulate a
> > VAX 3900. :-)
>
> [ snip ]
>
> > Or, as I wrote on Jul 28th in this very ng:
>
> Er, sorry I hadn't seen that post!
>
> > 64bit ARM on the way before too long, not sure where that will lead.
>
> Big things, I hope. It's mostly to increase the amount of physically
> accessible memory without having to introduce virtual paging as that's
> expensive to support without backing storage.
>
> > Also not sure where Microsoft's (re-)entry into the world of ARM, with
> > Windows RT or whatever it's called this week, will lead Microsoft and
> > their "business partners" such as HP.
>
> I've got a big annoyance with HP; they won't sell their better laptops
> in the UK that they currently sell in the US. For example, the rather
> nice HP 17.3" dv7t quad 3rd gen 3770k laptop, with a proper 1080p
> display for just $800 (with rebates). The HP ones sold over here are
> mostly junk with 1366x768 displays and a few overpriced 1600x900 ones.
> --
> Tactical Nuclear Kittens

You'd not seen that post because it was buried deep in the depths
somewhere.

Your post isn't buried in the depths, and the important part of mine
is more visible now too, thanks.

It's all good :)

Wrt laptops: I don't really do laptops (even though I've had a
different one every few years starting with the DEC Hinote 486/33
model?), but every laptop I've owned for a decade or more has been CPQ
(Armada E500) or HPQ business class models, in part because of decent
Linux support.

My current HPQ 6715 (2008ish, bought cheap as "new but obsolete") has
recently developed a nasty intermittent lockup, perhaps after falling
off a chair (whilst in its bag). I've just bought a refurb 6910 [1]
(same era) to keep me going till ARM takes over the world ;)

Nothing I do on a laptop needs the latest x86 CPU/memory technology
but it's handy to have reasonably robust kit with product-family
similarities and Linux support.

I'm also happy to buy non-current kit because I have a strong
suspicion that the current HPQ business laptops aren't really a match
for the older stuff in terms of quality.

The point of telling you this: most of the HP business class laptops
aren't very country-specific (unlike the consumer stuff?) and bargains
are occasionally available if they happen to meet your requirements.

I've still got an ARM-based HP Jornada 720 (vintage 2002?), mostly
unused these days. Size around a Psion 5, built in modem, PCMCIA slot,
CF slot, though without much of the Psion goodness (e.g. kbd and
battery life didn't match Psion). Sadly it was severely hampered by
the Windows-CE-based "Handheld PC" OS which was abandoned by MS soon
after it was introduced. You can reportedly get a Linux for it
(jlime), having a go with that has been on my "todo" list for a
loooong time but...

What you could do with a modern J720 equivalent with built in phone
and decent non-MS software doesn't bear thinking about. I'm not yet
sure Android classes as decent software for that kind of thing (nor am
I sure about Google as a trustworthy supplier). Maybe Android's OKish
for smartphones (not as solid as Symbian S60, RIP, but with way more
options), but my limited experience with Android on a cheap tablet
says it's not quite there yet for my needs. A full ARM Linux would
suit me fine for my requirements.

I had wondered if the MS introduction of an ARM standard platform
specification for 2012 rather than 2002 might improve matters in terms
of hardware compatibility for ARM Linux but as far as I can tell these
new MS ARM systems have to be effectively locked to Windows on ARM
(cryptographic boot checks etc). Not nice, but that's MS.

Enjoy.

[1] http://www.misco.co.uk/Product/188666/Tier1-HP-6910P-Windows-7-Home-Refurb-Laptop
is
2GB, 80GB, 1440x900, £180 inc. Similar models available elsewhere,
e.g. Morgan Computers has them slightly cheaper but with Vista and who
wants that. Screen resolutions may vary in the range, check the
QuickSpecs and model details. Obviously far from latest/greatest, but
fine for my needs. YMMV.