bringing a computer | Squat the Planet

bringing a computer

mkirby

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Okay, before you all bite my head off, hear me out.

I was thinking of saving up for the eee pc. It costs a couple hundred bucks. (Price depends on the model, but the cheapest ones go for under two hundred NEW. And I could buy used.)

It weighs two pounds, and is an amazing machine all around. Having something like this would give me so many advantages on the road. Maps. Crew Changes. Endless information on camping, cooking, treatment of injuries, hitching, cities etc. Books. Movies. Music. The ability to post on stp.

Everything that would mean pounds and pounds of extra weight, condensed into one little two pound package.

Plus, it's supposed to be REALLY durable. And it would be even more so if I bought a hard case for it, which would add another half pound absolute max.

Sure, it would suck if it got stolen. But it would suck if anything I own got stolen.

I'm pretty sure the rewards outweigh the risks here. Thoughts?
 

Shoestring

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If you're only adding two more pound to your pack, plus this would save you countless trips to the library to get online there and having all that freedom,....Hell, I'd say go for it! Jump on this like a Polar Bear on an Arctic Fox!!! lol!
Can you buy an extra battery-pack for it to carry along with you for extra needed power on those long hauls???
Okay, before you all bite my head off, hear me out.

I was thinking of saving up for the eee pc. It costs a couple hundred bucks. (Price depends on the model, but the cheapest ones go for under two hundred NEW. And I could buy used.)

It weighs two pounds, and is an amazing machine all around. Having something like this would give me so many advantages on the road. Maps. Crew Changes. Endless information on camping, cooking, treatment of injuries, hitching, cities etc. Books. Movies. Music. The ability to post on stp.

Everything that would mean pounds and pounds of extra weight, condensed into one little two pound package.

Plus, it's supposed to be REALLY durable. And it would be even more so if I bought a hard case for it, which would add another half pound absolute max.

Sure, it would suck if it got stolen. But it would suck if anything I own got stolen.

I'm pretty sure the rewards outweigh the risks here. Thoughts?
 

Angela

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These things are great for traveling. I'm typing this message on one now! It's so much easier than having to find libraries and shit or the few cafe's that have free computers where people sit on them all day and you can't get a chance to use them. You can find them pretty cheap if you look around a little.
 

dirtyfacedan

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Fuck the Eeepc...I spent an entire paycheque on an acer aspire one...runs XP, and has a big hard drive, same size, same price....fuck the Eeepc. I made a case for it out of sleeping pad foam, and keep it in a drysack...no problems.
 

dirtyfacedan

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Ya, i was wasted last night....so my post above was a bit ignorant. There are great Linux operating systems out there, I like XUbuntu. The Eeepc is alright, but i prefer the One, it seems to be built a bit better, and comes with both a spinning drive, or a Solid State Drive.
 

stove

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I use an Acer Aspire one...works great, most of the time. I just wanted something tiny, which wouldn't take up any space, and still ran movies and let me hit the forums. There are 3rd-party batteries for the eeepc, aspire one, mininote, etc. Some will last up to 11 hours! They are about $100, and weight a pound or more, but if you're in it for the long haul, it's a decent investment.


Personally, I also use a Nokia N800 internet tablet (discontinued, I believe). It worked great until they upgraded the software, and then everything went to hell. Need to downgrade it unfortunately...But it weighs like 9 oz.
 

Angela

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I just realized mine's actually an Acer when I was looking at it, not an eeepc but their about the same dimensions but some different features.
Here's a link that tells all about the acer aspire

[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_Aspire_One[/ame]
 

matt

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I've met people in passing who've done this but it just doesn't sit well with me. The weight (even if its two pounds) and worrying about throwing my bag around and smashing it up aren't really worth it, in my opinion.

There's always those little USB disks (I'm not sure what they're called) but of course you can't use those if you haven't got a computer to plug them into.
 

Beegod Santana

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a few months ago I did some painting for a guy who offered to pay me cash or give me an I-touch. I took the I- touch cause I had wanted an mp3 player for years... I didn't even realize that the thing had wi-fi card. It ain't as easy to use as a lap top but makes getting online just that much easier. I' m not sure how much one is new, but it was definitly worth the day of work.
 

pola negri

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i have that exact computer and have hopped with it. i beat the shit out of it and it's fine. it's so small and lightweight, it doesn't feel like 2 lbs (maybe mine is a model that is a little bit lighter). linux is fine. i bought mine off amazon and it came with a little case, too.

when i'm off being little miss yuppie girl in the city i carry it in my purse to cafes or libraries and i get lots of positive comments and questions about it. it's great for traveling or if you just need a computer to write or go online.

my .02 cents.
 

kai

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if you are gonna hop you can ride in the motor cars that power the reefer units, the have the have little accessible doors on them and two giant diesel engines inside that make tons of noise and billow gross smoke, but you can use the outlets inside them to charge your computer...

Do you all have these cars I'm talking about in the States?
 

bote

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I've traveled with a computer before and I have to say, it's a bad idea (for me), because having it means using it- as opposed to checking out the library, learning to play a new instrument, reading a book, sitting in the train yard just reading the names under the bridge and watching the day go by.
 

pola negri

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the idea of chillin on your laptop while you are actually waiting in a yard for a train seems somewhat pathetic to me (but maybe i'm a hater). i only hopped with the laptop because i knew i was going to need it when i got to wherever i was going. carrying it with me was less hassle than mailing it.
 

dirty_rotten_squatter

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I have traveled with one, and it really did come in handy. directions if you get stuck in a city you dont know, you can always hack into some one elses internet, and when youre bored and worn out on a long ride and dont feel like doing anything, pop in some music. good for keeping in tousch with people as well, like your folks if they worry too much, but respect what youre doing. It is a hassle though but I think it's worth it thats just me though.
 

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