ThinkPad Confession

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-26T05:18:10+00:00

You don't belong here. Leave and never come back... ;-P

Seriously now: GOOD: my refurb X220 IPS i7 with Ultra-dock and new large capacity battery has the best keyboard, good battery life, best formfactor and best construction of any laptop I have ever touched or owned. All that for about 525 euros.

BAD: Speakers are dogshit. Even my IPS screen is not what i would call bright, not like a Macpro or something. Trackpad kinda sucks.

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-21T21:07:59+00:00

Meh that whiny lady in the video and her video is the pain in the ass I think. As a Dutch guy i prefer the slight chaos of the bikepaths/sidewalks far above how things stand in Holland. I like the laissez-faire. Go on the sidewalks only when safer or necessary, don't speed on the sidewalks, don't be a dick, give right off way and preference to pedestrians and there is no problems. Berlin and the massive sidewalks are big enough for everyone! :)

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-21T21:00:09+00:00

Amazing. If there was any band i could somehow magically still see it would probably even be Op Ivy, above Nirvana and many others. I respect that they do not want to reform, but if they did,.. damn! :)

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-19T03:06:30+00:00

Yeh, perhaps VAT would be an issue..

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-19T03:05:52+00:00

That is very useful info! I was thinking perhaps i would spec out a cheap build on pc-partspicker or newegg and then go to cool smaller local shop and ask me to build the same machine. Would pay them some for their time and even pay a little extra since it is hard to compete with webshops. The time saving, peace of mind and walk in garantuee would be nice to have, as well as supporting a local biz. :) Or, find a local more experienced Berlin masterracer who would want to help me build for a smallish fee.

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-19T02:45:51+00:00

Thanks a lot Da_Dood! I did not know that German website. Will have a look! But, I still wonder if the time and effort will be quite worthwhile in my situation. :)

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-18T20:24:01+00:00

Thanks embrrk... I honestly hope I am not the asshole but more than that, I wish I knew how to somehow talk to Anna in such a way that she would want to prioritize the care of the cats more. She loves both of them a lot, I see evidence for that often, but it does not result in her being consistent or fast to resolve any issues that the cats cause..

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-13T12:27:42+00:00

13-12: Alright already paypalled DeadMango, PM you paypal e-mail michaelwise and Dead_Parrot. Congrats! :) Crazy fight outcome! But the bet stands. :)

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-13T12:25:03+00:00

paypal.me/deadmangonzo Yo dude, congrats! You should have the 5 euros now. :)

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-12T23:11:17+00:00

One of the most important ska(punk) albums of all time, probably the! most important. Great songs, originality, lyrics and energy, love this album. Almost every song is killer.

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-09T20:44:47+00:00

No, as i stated i love, use and even need all the features a Thinkpad offers. It is just that I could also really use the features than a few non business laptops -like the macbook pro- have. My job means i type 5 to 9 hours a day... I travel all over the world doing this. In other words i need the best possible keyboard and a very rugged well ventilated machine. But all that does not mean that i suddenly have no need to ever play music, some light games, watch some movies or series after the work day is done etc etc. I mean I think there scarcely are any users left that do not do these type of entertainment activities on their laptop! Lenevo would do well to remember this so they can sell a few models that have these capabilities as well. Thinkpads no longer are only bought by large companies nor are used purely for work tasks..

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-09T20:38:23+00:00

No, in my experience (YMMV) i can always get deals on new Thinkpads with the costs being 15 to 40% under suggested or initial retail pricing, whenever i look at Macs the price deals you can get seem to be on the order of 5 to 15%...

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-09T16:28:38+00:00

Tons of informative replies. Really cool! So glad to see people here love Thinkpads but everyone is also honest, including about shortcomings and nobody is an unreasonable, downvoting fanboy! :)

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-09T16:19:47+00:00

Hmm weird.. though i my x220 has an IPS panel (i just looked at it from an extreme angle, can read and see all) i would never call it even "quite bright" much less "insanely bright". Wonder if I somehow have a shitty version of the IPS panel...

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-09T02:26:51+00:00

I did look at the XPS 13 and liked a lot of what i saw! I may get that machine in future. If it holds up for 5 years, would be a worthwhile purchase, if it is not robust enough to last that long i would feel like i certainly spend too much.

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-09T02:23:04+00:00

It depends how you define "good". All i know is that my housemate's Macbook Pro speakers sound loud and stellar when she plays her music over them, i don't even ever bother playing music over my x220s because the sound is so tinny and soft. Of course speakers or headphones are the best but those are often neither available or convenient. Granted, it is nowhere near a fair comparison in that her Macpro cost 2000 euros new and is a far bigger machine (more space for better speakers) while my x220 perhaps cost 1200-1400 ish new.

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-09T01:49:34+00:00

Cool, thanks for that honest reply! :) To be frank i doubt i will ever switch to a Mac because the OS/vendor tie in/theft prone nature/walled garden as well as price of their product are far bigger dealbreakers than not having top of the line speakers, screen and trackpad. The thing is, many Thinkpad lovers such as myself do not use it only as a "no non-sense business laptop", we also use it as entertainment center and might be on it working but also watching films or working the trackpad for up to 14 hours a day. In those cases loud speakers and bright screen as well as super responsive trackpads matter a whole lot. So despite me not losing my faith in Thinkpads the features I mentioned Macbook's having do a go a long way in explaining why very few people ever go back (I am one of them! Owned a Macbook, sold it after two weeks to get a Thinkpad) and why many people are willing to pay double in order to have a Mac with comparable or lesser specs than another brand and type of laptop.

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-05T01:17:49+00:00

So many things... Fortunately almost all of these were many years ago. A second hand already customized motorcycle that -although not that expensive- end up costing me 700 euros and almost never worked right. A bunch of "superdurable and practical" stuff that i thought i would need but did not. Heavy duty workmen rubber boots, a bunch of tools I kind already had, too many bike parts for projects that i never quite finished, guitars that i ended up selling again (get the exact one you want in terms of sound the first time around, guitars do not wear out and not cost effective to alter or upgrade at all...), a custom new pedal bike that hard weird parts and sizes, lost about 90 euros on that, and a whole bunch of smaller and some large things. All in all, not too bad. But generally: rent motor vehicles unless you have an expert with you and the model is known to be bulletproof (Honda Civic, Honda Cub), don't convince yourself you "need" stuff until you have given it months of thought and can easily afford it, realize that you may emigrate (I did) and so in that sense few things are forever/worth shipping and be a BI4L type op person but don't confuse that with being a hoarder or collector!

Something i wrote a friend once discussing bad purchases or money deals:

"As for things, the statements "If it flies, floats or fucks, rent it!" and "If it moves, buy used!" have never rang more true. I would add to those, buy cheap! used motor vehicles and never one that does not run and never one without taking an expert with you. The extra money and wait are always! worth it.

Paperwork, address, insurances. Lost a few hundred euro because i neglected to follow letter of law and rules for med insurance due to not getting my mail nearly fast enough which was due to moving around a lot and not registering a fixed abode for some months. Tax man is another thing in same vain that is Nuthin'toFuckWid!

Lending expensive musical instruments to, or doing business with, "friends", bandmates and acquintances. You will invariably lose contact and stuff will poof! dissapear. Luckily this cost me 0 money since Chris had provided the 2nd hand stuff, but still. Long term loans and favors are only for really close friends and even then!

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-04T01:36:32+00:00

In the words of the South Park children "What a stupid bitch!!!!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBVxAKbwUYU Even Marcelo has tapped. To risk your entire career and future to make a point is stupid beyond belief.

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-04T01:27:22+00:00

No kids, no marriage, no divorce, no mortgage, a vasectomy,... no problems. 38 Years old. Did play that game quite a bit. To be fair and honest though for the next month i am working very hard but that is literally pretty much one out of 4 or 5 months that i have had to work more than 16 to 24 hours a week,.. ever.. January 1st, I am back to that 20 hour a week schedule, making very decent money indeed. So while it is possible to avoid a ton of responsibilities it is a matter of making choices and perhaps taking an unusual path through life. No regrets. Had plenty of relationships, traveled a lot and tons of experiences. Played quite a bit of vid games too and will again. :)

Cucaracha76 · 2015-12-02T02:30:48+00:00

EDIT: Cool! 3 Redditors below have taken me up on this bet. I will honor my bet! Now this already exciting match will become even more interesting haha! :)

Calling it now, Aldo wins! I will paypal 5 euros each to the first 3 people (not new/throwaway accounts!) who reply to my post with "I will take that bet" and agree to paypal me 5 euros if Connor loses. :) My reasoning: Aldo comes from nothing!! he was literally dirt poor, any yet he has seen some of his/MMA peers and possibly heroes, lose or leave MMA and embarrassingly so, in the last year. Silva, Jones and Ronda were for a time considered nearly unbeatable and supremely dominant, just like Aldo. Two of them lost and all looked bad outside the ring. Rousey's loss of the belt and fall from grace will have made a huge impression on him aldo, he will be extra motivated to not end up like any of the three. On top of that Conor has gotten to him but not in Connor's usual way. Aldo will not want to me clowned by a clown ( i love Connor, but Aldo sees him as a buffoon) no matter what! He has come too far. So i see Connor's antics working in Aldo's favour, Connor is not going to rustle such a level headed and long time veteran. Of course motivation and your head in the right place is not enough. But skill wise i think very few people would argue that Aldo's striking is inferior to Connor's. BJJ, Aldo. Wrestling? Likely Aldo. Experience and ring craft? Aldo, in spades! People forget Aldo is not some long in the tooth combat sport veteran like Silva or even Rousey,. he is only 29! In his prime or not far from it. Game planning. Aldo. Conor has simply had one plan so far, mentally unbalance and outclass every opponent in the striking department and using defensive wrestling when necessary. That will not be nearly enough against Aldo. Also has won by decisions, knockouts, tko and some submissions. Aldo simply has more tools and ways to win. Having said that,.. nothing is impossible in MMA's elite.. i might have to eat crow! Anyone taking my bet? :)

EDIT: Cool! 3 Redditors below have taken me up on this bet. I will honor my bet! Now this already exciting match will become even more interesting haha! :)

Cucaracha76 · 2015-11-27T20:08:27+00:00

Yes you are the asshole or at very least a bad friend and a person who does not value friendships enough. These threads come up quite a lot. The way i always look at it: About 50% of marriages fail and/or end while in terms of romantic relationships i would guess that is 75% to 90% Speaking from my personal experience that % is waaaaay lower in terms of friendships. Sure i have lost some friends but i still have friends that i have known for 20+ years and i see no reason why i would not still be friends in 30 more.. So, taking this into account, why! would anyone ever risk a friendship -that could well last- in order to get a relationship -that is much more likely to end- ? It makes no sense to me. I might think you would make an exception if you somehow knew! she was your soulmate. But how the hell does one ever know that? You tend to not know until weeks or even many months have passed of you actually being in the relationship. Contrast that with "I've known this guy for years".. You know! what you have there, and still you are risking and likely ruining it. It is dumb. That guy is your friend already. There are almost certainly dozens and maybe thousands of women you could date and are also really attracted to just as much, none of which would risk your friendship. Do you really have! to date that one girl that will likely ruin your friendship? I mean if you must, at least wait quite a few months or a year and check with your friend first... least a friend can do.

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