What to do with a spare laptop

Visitors can check out the Forum FAQ by clicking this link. You have to register before you can post: click the REGISTER link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. View our Forum Privacy Policy.
Want to receive the latest contracting news and advice straight to your inbox? Sign up to the ContractorUK newsletter here. Every sign up will also be entered into a draw to WIN £100 Amazon vouchers!

You are not logged in or you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:

You are not logged in. If you are already registered, fill in the form below to log in, or follow the "Sign Up" link to register a new account.
You may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.

MarillionFan replied

5 March 2010, 18:04
Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

You really are a ******* penis aren't you

I'm sensing a little hostility there. Maybe I can get you some gravy for that chip on your shoulder.
Leave a comment:
northernladuk replied

5 March 2010, 17:42
Originally posted by MarillionFan View Post

Give it to a bloke at PC World and watch as your pop career implodes!

You really are a ******* penis aren't you
Leave a comment:
northernladuk replied

5 March 2010, 17:41
Originally posted by DS23 View Post

most schools will take whatever funds they can and charity events is one of the ways of getting them. i've been thinking of donating some of my time rather than equipment...

Go for it, they are always more than appreciative and treat you really nicely when you do let alone the buzz when you can help...

Just be ready for a frosty response at first though... The rules and fall out etc about working with kids has ruined the casual labour type thing.
Leave a comment:
MarillionFan replied

5 March 2010, 17:28
Give it to a bloke at PC World and watch as your pop career implodes!
Leave a comment:
DS23 replied

5 March 2010, 17:24
most schools will take whatever funds they can and charity events is one of the ways of getting them. i've been thinking of donating some of my time rather than equipment...
Leave a comment:
Churchill replied

5 March 2010, 17:18
Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

Give it to a local charity run school/pre-school and let someone make good use of it.

You know it's the right thing to do.......

I did with one of my old ones and other IT junk (printers, monitors etc). Even went back to open day and they were using it to show what the kids do with computers..

To say I was as pleased as punch was a major understatement!!!

Do it do it do it.........

Sorry mate, I don't know what you're talking about? A charity run school? In the UK?
Leave a comment:
northernladuk replied

5 March 2010, 16:29
Give it to a local charity run school/pre-school and let someone make good use of it.

You know it's the right thing to do.......

I did with one of my old ones and other IT junk (printers, monitors etc). Even went back to open day and they were using it to show what the kids do with computers..

To say I was as pleased as punch was a major understatement!!!

Do it do it do it.........

Last edited by northernladuk; 5 March 2010, 16:31.
Leave a comment:
Churchill replied

5 March 2010, 16:21
Originally posted by doodab View Post

Put linux on it, if you like that sort of thing.

Originally posted by Pondlife View Post

Yup WHS.

Then you can put it on a shelf and leave it downloading torrents or as a machine you can upload files to using ssh or similar when on the move/at clients etc.

Yep, WTS.

Either that or Solaris...
Leave a comment:
Clippy replied

5 March 2010, 16:10
Keep it as an emergency spare.
Use it to download movies, music etc
Donate it to your parents or an elderly neighbour or charity
Leave a comment:
lilelvis2000 replied

5 March 2010, 10:14
Originally posted by Flubster View Post

I don't having a play but without sounding [too] dumb, what's that going to give me in terms of functionality? Can I still run M$ Office applications?

Not on Linux. OpenOffice is okay. I think it can open Word documents fine. But will have some trouble with Excel and Access macros. Don't know about powerpoint.

More info here: http://www.openoffice.org/
Leave a comment:
doodab replied

5 March 2010, 10:13
Originally posted by Flubster View Post

I don't having a play but without sounding [too] dumb, what's that going to give me in terms of functionality? Can I still run M$ Office applications?

You can use openoffice I believe. Not tried it though, since I have gone all cloudy.
Leave a comment:
Pondlife replied

5 March 2010, 10:07
Originally posted by doodab View Post

Put linux on it, if you like that sort of thing.

Yup WHS.

Then you can put it on a shelf and leave it downloading torrents or as a machine you can upload files to using ssh or similar when on the move/at clients etc.
Leave a comment:
Flubster replied

5 March 2010, 10:06
I don't having a play but without sounding [too] dumb, what's that going to give me in terms of functionality? Can I still run M$ Office applications?
Leave a comment:
doodab replied

5 March 2010, 09:57
Put linux on it, if you like that sort of thing.
Leave a comment:
Flubster started a topic What to do with a spare laptop

5 March 2010, 09:54
What to do with a spare laptop

I've got a old Acer 1360 (don't laugh) knocking about and I'm not sure what to do with it. It's been running like a dog recently, so I wiped it last night (it was running XP Pro) and installed Windows 7.

I only really use it for updating the odd document, surfing or reading emails whilst my main PC is running some length database updates, but I'm wondering if it could be set to better use.

I subscribe to MAPS so have a 'wealth' of the usual M$ OS and applications. Lappy spec is not great (40Gb disk, 512Mb RAM, AMD Sempron 2800+ @ 1.6GHz) but for the infrequent use, it's been fine.

Apart from resigning it to a dusty place under the desk, any suggestions for what I could do with it, or should I just leave it with Windows 7 with Office and have it as a ad-hoc machine?
Tags: None