Best Developer's Laptop?

s31523 writes "I love my current laptop, but unfortunately on my last trip the primary LCD went bonkers. It's an older Gateway (2 GB RAM Intel Pentium M 2.0 GHz, ATI M7). There are a handful of features I love about it: [1] Hot-swappable drive bay, with several components that can go in: CD/DVD R/W, extra battery, floppy drive, extra hard drive, memory card reader, etc. The extra battery option is especially appreciated — I can go 4-5 hours on battery power. [2] Docking station / port replicator: I like having my home setup with keyboard, network, and dual screens (a necessity). [3] It runs Linux. OK, I'm a wus, I actually have GRUB command three different OS's: Windows 98 (I have really old embedded software compilers that only run on 98, and yes I have tried every trick in the book to make them run on Linux), Windows XP Pro, and Ubuntu. I'm trying to find a replacement setup that offers the same flexibility and a little better performance. I am open to change as well. So, I ask Slashdot: What is your pick for best developer's laptop under $1,200, considering the features above?"

Comments

Re:Why I chose Apple for my dev laptop

[Hurricane78]

So you think he can just change his whole development, learn Objective C, etc, because he bought a new laptop? I think you must be crazy. ^^
Besides: When someone wants Unix shell commands, why not go for Linux or BSD in the first place? And save about 50% because not having to pay the Apple logo tax. ;)

Also, Macs are known to have some of the worst keyboards in human history. He could as well type on a iPhone while electrically shocking himself. Would not be much worse. :P

In general: Nothing against Macs. But their target group is the user who does not know shit about computers, and also does not want to. Which is perfectly OK if you are for example an artist. Because you're an artist, and no scientist. But as a programmer, go for a programmer OS. (Which would be Gentoo Linux* ^^)

I found the keyboards to be THE number one reason I will never like coding on a laptop at all. (No, adding an external keyboard when not at home makes no sense. And when at home, I can as well have a real computer.)

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* Everything I state is by definition my personal opinion.

Re:To Mac or Not

[Hurricane78]

I highly and strongly doubt your statements. Because even assuming the fact that he can't possibly know "all the best hackers" (even more unlikely, as he's a Apple fanboi) does not matter, I think he's either living in a reality distortion field or getting payed to say that. ("Windows laptop hunters", anyone? ^^)

From my experience, a Mac is never ever an option for an actual computer expert, because:
1. The keyboard is as usual, a horrible horrible joke. More made for looks than for real usage.
2. You pay 50% tax just to get the Apple logo on there, while the hardware is way below any other laptop in that price range.
3. Stupid glaring screens. Also more made for looks than for real usage.
4. Pointless addition of MacOS for a programmer who uses Linux (as TFS states) and if he has to, Windows too, no matter what his main OS is.

Macs are all good and fine, if you are a casual computer user, or someone who refuses to waste time learning how computers work because his expert area (where he invests time in) lies somewhere else. Especially one who does care more for the looks and the dream that is sold, than for the tech. Which is perfectly OK in that case. But for programmers? That's just perverse.