Options For a Laptop With a Broken Screen?

DefenseSupportParty writes "I recently traveled via an unnamed airline, and stupidly checked my laptop. Unfortunately, the screen broke in transit and they refuse to take responsibility for it, claiming that it could have been broken before the flight. I'm not really in the mood to replace the screen if I have to pay for it, as I have other laptops that I can use. At the same time, I don't want to waste computing power that could be put to good use. I've thought about the common stuff: file server, SETI@Home, but I'd like to do something a little more creative. Does anyone have good ideas for a relatively powerful laptop without a display?"

Comments

Fix it yourself.

[zymano]

http://computershopper.com/laptops/howto/replace-your-laptop-screen

Re:Donate it?

[DocKenG]

Yes, replacing the screen is not expensive at all. All you have to do is locate a LCD for your model laptop on a site like ebay. I have found LCD's for as little as $50. Then in a search for "lcd replacement on your model number laptop" and you should find exact instructions on how to remove and replace the LCD. I have done this many times and it is really easy.

Re:Braille Quake

[Larryish]

With an external monitor, a keyboard and a USB mouse, you have the makings of a very small footprint desktop machine. Close the lid and put it under the monitor.

Insurance a good value?

[btempleton]

It should be impossible, in theory, and usually in practice, for insurance to be a good value for anybody who flies with any frequency. Insurance companies make profits, after all. They probably pay out half of what they take in, if that.

Insurance is only for risks where you can't handle the cost of the risk. For example, financially you could not handle replacing your house, so fire insurance makes sense. Life insurance can make sense to look after a family. Health insurance to cover a $300,000 operation can make sense, while dental or optical plans make little sense. Extended warranties (which are just insurance) make no sense and are very high margin because of that. Which is why they push them on you.

For anything small, it is far better to self-insure. That's a mathematical certainty.

Now there are two exceptions. One, if you know you are taking a risk that is far above average, and the insurance company hasn't figured out to charge you more or block you, insurance can be a value. Secondly, with medical insurance, you may find you don't want to have to consider cost when making medical decisions, you just want it covered. (Of course now an insurance company will be weighing cost as it decides if you are covered.)