Matt RaibleMatt Raible is a Web Developer and Java Champion. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

The Angular Mini-Book The Angular Mini-Book is a guide to getting started with Angular. You'll learn how to develop a bare-bones application, test it, and deploy it. Then you'll move on to adding Bootstrap, Angular Material, continuous integration, and authentication.

Spring Boot is a popular framework for building REST APIs. You'll learn how to integrate Angular with Spring Boot and use security best practices like HTTPS and a content security policy.

For book updates, follow @angular_book on Twitter.

The JHipster Mini-Book The JHipster Mini-Book is a guide to getting started with hip technologies today: Angular, Bootstrap, and Spring Boot. All of these frameworks are wrapped up in an easy-to-use project called JHipster.

This book shows you how to build an app with JHipster, and guides you through the plethora of tools, techniques and options you can use. Furthermore, it explains the UI and API building blocks so you understand the underpinnings of your great application.

For book updates, follow @jhipster-book on Twitter.

10+ YEARS


Over 10 years ago, I wrote my first blog post. Since then, I've authored books, had kids, traveled the world, found Trish and blogged about it all.

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Friday August 08, 2003

Laptop Issues

Today, my new laptop is trying my patience. So much so that I asked if I could return it (15% restocking fee, or 0% if I buy another system from them). The problem? The power cord quit working (it's been gradually dying), not to mention that the 802.11b/Bluetooth doesn't work and it feels like I'm packing around a desktop. Oh, and then there's the problem that every-so-often, I can't connect to the internet via a browser. I have IE and Firebird installed, and neither will connect. A flash, and then a "Done" status. I still have connectivity, proven by ping and e-mail, but no websites come up. What a pain - rebooting fixes the problem. Don't get me wrong, I love the performance and large screen - but only when I'm using it. Today it hasn't been useable - so it's just sitting next to me saying "look at how loud and heavy I am."

I called Hypersonic and I was impressed in how quickly I was able to talk with someone, though I was a little disappointed that they hadn't returned an e-mail that I sent last night (I called at 9 this morning, 11 their time). I told them that the powercord was dead and I needed a new one. They said they could send it out Monday and it'd be here by next Thursday. That's when I asked about returning it and now it'll be here tomorrow. This is actually the second time I've had to threaten to get something done sooner. The good thing is that it works - the bad is that they should just give me the overnight option since I remember that being a big plus about the company over AlienWare (I read it in a review or something).

The other reason I'm thinking of returning it is that I don't really need a laptop - at least not yet. I don't know what my next gig will be and if they will require a laptop - if they don't - I probably don't need it (except to save the marriage). What I mean is I don't need it for development, which makes me lean towards a new PowerBook (slow is OK sans development). Damn, I wish there was a 2 GHz PowerBook. Then again, refreshing my XP Desktop with a Sonic Boom doesn't sound so bad either.

Posted in General at Aug 08 2003, 02:23:29 PM MDT 5 Comments
Comments:

You need to return it. I *just* played this game recently with a cheap, relatively high-powered laptop made by a small company as well. I debated for two days whether the pain from the heat under the keypad and the deafening noise was bearable enough for me because it was such a good deal. But then the computer bluescreened a few times and I realized that if things are this bad on day #2, when something goes wrong in a few months (which it most likely will), I'm probably *waaay* out of luck. I returned it for a nice solid Toshiba for the same price with less power, but it's *really* quiet and makes me feel *secure* knowing that it's not going to die on me, or if it does, good support is a phone call away, as well as the latest drivers online, etc. My thought is that 1) Noise is not something that gets better in laptops, but worse. You're not going to "get used to it." 2) The fact that something has died already is a bad sign. 3) If the Bluetooth and WiFi don't work, it's false advertising and you need to *SCREAM* until you can return it for 100% of your money - and if not, call your credit card company and SCREAM at them as well. Just my 2 cents. -Russ

Posted by Russ on August 08, 2003 at 09:37 PM MDT #

i agree with russ. if you are going to spend that much money on it, get something that you are going to be happy with and don't settle. having to reboot to connect to the internet via a webrowser would drive me nuts.

Posted by brian on August 08, 2003 at 10:27 PM MDT #

What!? I've been following the Sage of the Laptop for weeks now, and it turns out that you really don't need a laptop? If its broken, sure, get it fixed or replaced... but you don't need it at all? Maybe your new house is filled up with garbage bags full of money or something...

Posted by Mike on August 10, 2003 at 11:20 PM MDT #

I only need a laptop if my next gig requires it. I have a couple opportunities that have a BYOL (Bring Your Own Laptop) rule - and I also have one that doesn't require a laptop at all. Didn't your parents teach you "if you don't have anything nice to say - don't say anything at all?"

Posted by Matt Raible on August 11, 2003 at 02:33 AM MDT #

After the death of my personal computer (a COMPAQ), and when I see my professional computer (DELL LATITUDE D600), I can say only on thing: buy a Dell. These computers are rocky and you get only one thing preinstalled : Windows XP Pro (and hardware tools). And they work well on Linux.

Posted by Jean-Philippe Leboeuf on August 11, 2003 at 09:34 AM MDT #

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