Future Computer Purchase

I put another vote in for a Dell laptop...my Latitude C840 is still cutting edge after a year, but as with everything you get what you pay for...

Out of all of the application development jobs I've had, none have been for Linux. They either want apps for Windows or something written in Java, which will run on about anything. If I need to do anything for Linux, I've got cygwin and gcc installed so I can just compile with that (or the Linux box sitting next to my PC)..

I have never used .NET, but I was quite impressed with the Visual Basic 6 development environment. I know people knock VB for being a basic language, but it is great for quick and dirty prototype development.

If I'm programming in Java or anything else, I use Eclipse. I use that on my Linux system as well so the platform it is running on doesn't really make much difference.

So if there is a chance you will have to develop for Windows, then Windows is the only choice, in my opinion.

I agree. Besides which, every one of my "Windows boxes" has a dual boot, so I can work in Win or Linux whenever I need either...

Those are some pretty nasty computers. I want to get one for audio editing, but I'm a few thousand dollars short.

You know, I've never liked Alienware in terms of price, products, style, nothing. Their stuff looks absolutely horrific, and the logos... wtf? How immature can these people get? Are they aiming at 10-year old boys? Because that's the impression I got the first time I saw their ads.

Plus, those laptops are designed for gamers. Rabid gamers. Gamers that are so obsessed with games that they want to play games EVERYWHERE and will sacrifice portability and battery life (two of the prime reasons laptops exist) for games.

Actually, Apple doesn't give students a very good discount IMO. My school has a pretty crappy discount - like $100 or so. Plus, they have a funky "for academic use" agreement that I won't sign because I wouldn't do anything I would want to involve with academics.

If you're stuck on getting an Apple laptop, I'd say sign up as an Apple developer, get the incredible discounts off EVERYTHING, and start marking your religion as "Mac" on those surveys...

One more thing I should mention about Apple laptops. Just because PowerPCs use tons less power than any current x86 processor, you're guaranteed better battery life than nearly all PC users. 2.5-3 hours is about standard for a typical laptop. Nobody that does "typical" work needs an x86. Only gamers and a minority of developers and professionals need them.

Really, the only way to avoid being ripped off is to build the damn thing yerself. Prolly the next step below that would be Dell.
a tip my friend told me, if you go through dell, go through their Small Business dept.
Edited cuz, i'm retarded and didn't notice that you actually wanted a laptop. :-P Colorware make purdyful, but expensive ones.

[Edited on Dec 06, 2003 by Velvetone_Fusion]