I need a decent laptop

[m24armorer]

Well my 10 year old Sony Viao has died. I need a decent laptop that will run my Autocad and Solidworks stuff. Will trade or whatever for something more current. I need a mule not a racehorse.

[ar15barrels]

Dell C600's to C840's.
Built like tanks.
Able to withstand being out in the shop if you plastic bag it to protect from liquids.
LOTS of them on eBay.

[DedEye]

I can probably help you out. I'll send you a PM from work tomorrow.

[FEDUPWBS]

John I might have something for you.

[Cali-V]

Dell C600's to C840's.
Built like tanks.
Able to withstand being out in the shop if you plastic bag it to protect from liquids.
LOTS of them on eBay.

+1
Take a look on CL you'll spend way under $200

[thedrickel]

http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0283496

FatWallet, Slick Deals, etc, are your friend.

[Cali-V]

Oh yeah...
If it's newer, make sure it's fitted with a parallel printer port...

[anyracoon]

John
Check out http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...ad.php?t=97844

[CSACANNONEER]

BWO was trying to sell one. Try contacting him and finding out what he has.

[ar15barrels]

John
Check out http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...ad.php?t=97844

I would stay away from the D series lattitudes.

[cornholio1]

Oh yeah...
If it's newer, make sure it's fitted with a parallel printer port...

So you can use an outdated printer? Most printers are USB. As for M24armorers question. Buy a $400 laptop from Bestbuy or circuitcity when they go on sale. They are good enough for what you do as long as you upgrade the memory.

[ar15barrels]

So you can use an outdated printer?

So you can interface to outdated CNC machines that still work just fine.

[Ugly Dwarf]

I would stay away from the D series lattitudes.

Hmmm... I went kicking and screaming from my C640 into a D600. The C series is / was very robust (I've used a CP, CPi, CPiA, CPx, C600, C610 and C640 at various times).

Within a week of moving to the D series, I had become quite pleased with the better display and speed. I saw some build / quality issues in the earliest D600's I saw, but most of those got fixed "right" when they were sent back to Dell. I see people do all KINDS of silly things to D series computers (full size - avoid the 400 series like the plague) and they stand up well.

Amusing side note - if you spill a coke into your keyboard, DO NOT immediately take it over to the sink and "rinse it out". You might think this would be obvious to anyone, but you would be mistaken.

I have moved from the D600 to a D610 and am now running a D630 (work pays). I would be hard pressed to go back to a C series now. I got an old CPi 300mhz on CL years ago and still keep it around for my kids to play on (keeps them from trying to play with mine).

Sounds like most anything will work for M24, but I would not "NOT" get a D series.

[jammer2k]

I would have to agree, the D series has shown itself to be very reliable. The D600 had some minor issues, but the D610 resolved most of them. Have a D630 currently and while it is a little larger than I am used to it has shown itself to be a true workhorse

[Cali-V]

So you can interface to outdated CNC machines that still work just fine.

Thank You!!!