I may build a new box for the Holidays...

[Vincent Trouilliez]

Jan Claeys <lists at janc.be> wrote:
> I think any CPU with multiple cores and 1 GiB RAM or more should work,
> and actual CPU-speed isn't the most important aspect.

In my case, with VMware, the CPU speed was the limiting factor I think:
every time I found it super slow at doing something (like installing
packages typically), it turned out the CPU was maxed out...
But yeah, as long as the CPU runs at least at 1.5Ghz, which all modern
CPU's do I think, the most important factor is RAM. The more the better.
Once the system starts swapping stuff, it's too late, the system
is already on its knees. So there should be enough RAM so as to avoid
touching the swap in the first place. In the case of VMWare I found
that 1GB is the minimum suitable, and that 768MB is just not enough to
avoid swapping.

> Hm, most of the time I prefer LCD over CRT, but Samsung also has some
> really good LCD screens...  :)

Yeah, maybe I am too critical. The one thing I hate about LCD's is the
backlight that makes the picture look uneven and changes looks with
every tiny little move you make. With a CRT, the pic looks
perfectly even, exactly the same no matter how you look at it, whatever
the distance and angle. Other problem is the "dead pixel" issue. I would
not consider an LCD unless it comes with a lifetime zero dead pixel
guarantee, and very few manufacturers (if any) do that as of today.
Style wise, they are all ugly, except as you say, Samsung. Well, only
their very old LCD ie, as they had a similar design as their CRT of the
time. But modern models aren't any better than all the competition.
Well, taste is subjective I guess, I just happen to prefer '90s
designs ;-) Be it for computer cases (love old Beige Apple Power
macs...), monitors (Samsung Syncmaster...), cars, music... I guess
anything modern is bound to disappoint me style wise ;-)

> > Keyboard: same as mice: many to chose from, some have good aspects, but
> > no model had all it takes to satisfy me, even though I really aren't
> > after anything exotic !!!
> 
> Have you tried Cherry keyboards?  I have a Cherry CyMotion Expert now,
> and I love it.  See its description: "Coffee on the keyboard... dirt
> between the keys... life is hard, but the CyMotion can take all this and
> more!" -- I really needed that!   ;-)
> 
> <http://www.cherry.de/english/products/keyboards_cymotion_expert.htm>

Oh, yes, I nearly forgot about Cherry ! That keyboard looks exactly
like the kind I am looking for ! simple/classic design, ivory
colour, excellent all round quality... they even say it has extra large
keys.. perfect for my big fingers ! :o) The only problem is the
avaibility in France. My usual on-line shop (www.ldlc.com) doesn't
carry any Cherry keyboard. I went to a price comparator which found
"some" Cherry K/B, but from obscure web sites I don't want to trust, and
as luck would have it none of them offer the particular model I am
interested in anyway ! :-/

But thanks for reminding me of Cherry, as soon as I have some money, I
will try to source the model I like ! :o)
Good hardware like this is hard to find, but is worth the trouble and
price, and lasts long...

Now if you have a source for good mice ;-). 
For years I used to use (they deteriorated over time... had to buy
crappy mouse to get going :-/ ) the old "Microsoft Intelli Mouse"

http://www.rainbow-software.org/images/hardware/intelli_.png
http://www.digit-life.com/articles/mousestesting13models/microsoft-mouse.jpg
http://www.jdr.com/images/products/M/MS-MOUSE-2.1A.jpg

I loved it so much, the looks, the purity of the design, the ergonomics,
the size/fit in the hand, the buttons (the short throw switches, with a
smooth feel and refined and quiet clicking sound), the quality of the
materials... that no matter what mouse I see today, it never quite
compares :-/
So if some company had the excellent idea of making the exact same
mouse, but update it to replace the ball with a good optical system...
I would buy 10 of them !!! ;o)

It's so frustrating to see so many mice on the market, but not a single
one that compete with the Microsft's one despite it being 10 bloody
year old ! :-O It's appalling..... :-/

Regards,


--
Vince