I'm still wrestling with buying a computer. Almost settled on an MSI
BookPC 6215T but realize it's going to cost as much as a laptop by the
time I set it up to take a PCMCIA card.

The alternative is a laptop with a remote display, keyboard and mouse.
The only benefit I can see to the book PC is that I can turn it on and
off easily. Does anyone know of a brand of laptop/notebook that has an
on-off switch accessible from the outside? I don't want to have to
take the laptop out of a secure place every time I want to start it.

My very old Hitachi laptop had this capability, but I need the modern
DVD-RW and a big disk drive.

Get a docking station for it. Then you get an external power switch as well
as the ability to easily remove it when you want to take it off the boat.

"Dick Locke" wrote in message
...
I'm still wrestling with buying a computer. Almost settled on an MSI
BookPC 6215T but realize it's going to cost as much as a laptop by the
time I set it up to take a PCMCIA card.

The alternative is a laptop with a remote display, keyboard and mouse.
The only benefit I can see to the book PC is that I can turn it on and
off easily. Does anyone know of a brand of laptop/notebook that has an
on-off switch accessible from the outside? I don't want to have to
take the laptop out of a secure place every time I want to start it.

My very old Hitachi laptop had this capability, but I need the modern
DVD-RW and a big disk drive.

On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 03:39:52 GMT, "johnh"
wrote:

Get a docking station for it. Then you get an external power switch as well
as the ability to easily remove it when you want to take it off the boat.

I'd like to add that because laptop parts are VERY proprietary that
you buy a BRAND NAME laptop from a company that's been around a while.
If you're trying to choose between a DELL and EPZ Electronics, get the
Dell. EPZ isn't going to be around when you need proprietary
parts.....even if their price is lower.

Speaking of Dell, Lionheart has a Latitude with a big screen. At
times it's TOO BIG! Don't buy the biggest laptop. Do a survey of
where you THINK it will fit and make a cardboard mockup of the one you
want to see that the damned thing won't fit over the chart
table.....unless, of course, you can fold it in
half...(c;....sideways.

A Dell Latitude with 17" display takes up MORE space than a home
computer because the home computer box would be stuffed somewhere.
The Dell and its mounted display are BIGGER than a mouse/notebook/LCD
monitor on the chart table.

PS, If you close a notebook computer to get it out of the way, IT GOES
TO SLEEP and The Cap'n STOPS sending data to the autopilot. Been
there, seen that....(sigh)


Larry W4CSC

"Very funny, Scotty! Now, BEAM ME MY CLOTHES! KIRK OUT!"

On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 04:12:11 GMT, (Larry W4CSC) wrote:

Speaking of Dell, Lionheart has a Latitude with a big screen. At
times it's TOO BIG! Don't buy the biggest laptop. Do a survey of
where you THINK it will fit and make a cardboard mockup of the one you
want to see that the damned thing won't fit over the chart
table.....unless, of course, you can fold it in
half...(c;....sideways.

I think I can go small, because of the remote screen and keyboard. I
have a nice space between the bottom of a book case and the fixed part
of the nav table. I can suspend the laptop from the bottom of the
book case, I think....

On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 04:12:11 GMT, (Larry W4CSC) wrote:

PS, If you close a notebook computer to get it out of the way, IT GOES
TO SLEEP and The Cap'n STOPS sending data to the autopilot. Been
there, seen that....(sigh)

This hasn't been my experience, at least on my old laptop that I used
as a desktop for some weeks when the desktop was in the shop. Remote
keyboard, mouse, monitor and closed lid, ran all day.

Generally you can configure the laptop not to suspend with the lid closed.
At least I can do that with XP on my Dell Latitude.
--Alan Gomes

"Dick Locke" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 04:12:11 GMT, (Larry W4CSC) wrote:

PS, If you close a notebook computer to get it out of the way, IT GOES
TO SLEEP and The Cap'n STOPS sending data to the autopilot. Been
there, seen that....(sigh)

This hasn't been my experience, at least on my old laptop that I used
as a desktop for some weeks when the desktop was in the shop. Remote
keyboard, mouse, monitor and closed lid, ran all day.

Generally you can configure the laptop not to suspend with the lid closed.
At least I can do that with XP on my Dell Latitude.
--Alan Gomes

"Dick Locke" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 04:12:11 GMT, (Larry W4CSC) wrote:

PS, If you close a notebook computer to get it out of the way, IT GOES
TO SLEEP and The Cap'n STOPS sending data to the autopilot. Been
there, seen that....(sigh)

This hasn't been my experience, at least on my old laptop that I used
as a desktop for some weeks when the desktop was in the shop. Remote
keyboard, mouse, monitor and closed lid, ran all day.

(Larry W4CSC) wrote in message ...

PS, If you close a notebook computer to get it out of the way, IT GOES
TO SLEEP and The Cap'n STOPS sending data to the autopilot. Been
there, seen that....(sigh)


This is a configurable option on many laptops.. you can navigate down
through a twisty maze of little menus, all alike, and find a checkbox
that says "stay awake when case closed" or words to that effect.

On 12 Nov 2003 11:57:42 -0800, (SpamBait) wrote:

(Larry W4CSC) wrote in message ...

PS, If you close a notebook computer to get it out of the way, IT GOES
TO SLEEP and The Cap'n STOPS sending data to the autopilot. Been
there, seen that....(sigh)


This is a configurable option on many laptops.. you can navigate down
through a twisty maze of little menus, all alike, and find a checkbox
that says "stay awake when case closed" or words to that effect.

On my newish compaq, I found a screen that enables me to disable
hibernation. I left my newish Compaq running overnight and it did
hibernate sometime during the night even though the obvious power
management settings seemed to say "don't." I dug deeper and found a
"disable hibernation" setting and will try again tonight.

On 12 Nov 2003 11:57:42 -0800, (SpamBait) wrote:

(Larry W4CSC) wrote in message ...

PS, If you close a notebook computer to get it out of the way, IT GOES
TO SLEEP and The Cap'n STOPS sending data to the autopilot. Been
there, seen that....(sigh)


This is a configurable option on many laptops.. you can navigate down
through a twisty maze of little menus, all alike, and find a checkbox
that says "stay awake when case closed" or words to that effect.

On my newish compaq, I found a screen that enables me to disable
hibernation. I left my newish Compaq running overnight and it did
hibernate sometime during the night even though the obvious power
management settings seemed to say "don't." I dug deeper and found a
"disable hibernation" setting and will try again tonight.