I need help with my Thinkpad addiction

[Thinkpaddict]

The title is only slightly humorous in spirit. I am seriously beginning to think I have a serious problem, and I suppose that, based on the forum name I chose, I knew of my weakness for Thinkpads even back in 2005.

Here's what I currently own:

X24 (2 machines).
T23 (1 machine currently, 3 previous).
X21 (1 machine now, 2 previous).
T41p.
X60s.
X200.
X61 (2 machines).

My very first Thinkpad was an X31 bought directly from IBM. Ironically, it had some issues (BSOD) which caused me to return it to IBM for a refund. Far from deterring me from Thinkpads, a refurbished T23 soon followed, then an X24, and from then on it was all downhill.

I know that I can't justify my fascination for Thinkpads rationally. After all, how many of these machines is it reasonable to own at a given point in time? What has made things worse lately are the very tempting prices for machines like the X61 and X200 in the used market. Darn you eBay!

I am partially proud and partially appalled by my addiction. And somehow, I feel there has to be many people like me.

[pianowizard]

Easy: become addicted to other laptop brands! I owned 45 Thinkpads between 2002 and 2010. One afternoon in March 2010, two cousins and I were together and we all took out our laptops to get on the internet. At that time I had a T42 and an i Series 1124 and I put both of them on the table, while Cousin A took out his X20. Then Cousin B remarked: "Wow, why so many Thinkpads? So boring!" I didn't think much of that comment at that time, but it probably made an impact on me subconsciously because later that year, I sold both Thinkpads and started to explore HP, Dell, Sony, and Panasonic. Now I prefer the laptops in my signature over Thinkpads, partly because they have specs that Thinkpads have never had but mainly because I like the diversity. "Cousin B" was right, it's boring to have so many laptops that look alike and once I realized that, I haven't bought another Thinkpad for personal use. I emphasized "personal use" because I did buy an X31 for work a couple weeks ago. I totally despise this X31 -- it's absurdly heavy and very ugly. I bought it for its serial and parallel ports.

[Thinkpaddict]

Fair enough, pianowizard. I am afraid it won't be so easy for me to do what you did, and the main reason is that I don't really want to. Don't take me wrong, I can appreciate good hardware regardless of brand. It's just that I can't see any reason to get anything but Thinkpads.

Maybe my point of view is not very objective, but my "reasons" for preferring Thinkpads are:
- Solid builds (these machines are seriously solid and pass the test of time).
- Functionality is more important than flashy features.
- The hardware configurations make them very compatible (for example, with Linux).
- The design is timeless and understated.
- Ability to replace parts easily via the Hardware Maintenance Manuals.
- Features like the Trackpoint and the Thinklight not found in other brands.

Before my Thinkpads, I owned two Toshiba laptops (an old Satellite bought circa 1999, and a Tecra 8100 with a Pentium III 650Mhz CPU which was top of the line when I bought it). Now, I use MacBook Pro laptops at work daily.

There's nothing wrong with these machines, it's just that they do not reach the level of excellence that I have experienced with Thinkpads.

Besides, are you proposing to replace my addiction with a new drug?

Seriously, I'm curious about what features you feel you are getting with other computers that a Thinkpad can't give you.

[jdk]

It's hard to pass up an eBay Thinkpad when you get so much machine for so little $$$ these days. I have a R61e that cost about as much as a tank of gas. I have a reciept on the fridge from a night at the bar that was more expensive than this pristine 8GB WXGA+ T400.

My parents and previous generations threw money away at nick-nacks, tablecloths, quilts, "classic" cars that don't run, etc. To me, a lot of that stuff is useless. We have so much purchasing power these days when it comes to electronics, I wouldn't worry about an "addiction" unless you are starving or your savings account is empty. There are much worse things you can be throwing your money at.

If you really want to make those machines useful, install BOINC and use those processing cycles to find a cure for cancer (Folding@Home) or map the galaxy (MilkyWay@home).

[Thinkpaddict]

It's hard to pass up an eBay Thinkpad when you get so much machine for so little $$$ these days. I have a R61e that cost about as much as a tank of gas. I have a reciept on the fridge from a night at the bar that was more expensive than this pristine 8GB WXGA+ T400.

[...]

If you really want to make those machines useful, install BOINC and use those processing cycles to find a cure for cancer (Folding@Home) or map the galaxy (MilkyWay@home).

Very true, jdk. I still remember when I shelled out over $2000 for a new T42 (which I don't own anymore, and hence is not in my list). You can indeed get amazing machines for very, very little. I recently got an X61 top of the line with a 2.53GHz CPU for a little over $100. I plan on making this my commute machine. Will probably dual boot Windows XP and Ubuntu on it.

Your idea of using these machines in those distributed computing projects is appealing. I wonder how much my electrical bill would go up though.

I would just add that I can actually understand people collecting other things like you mentioned (for example, classic cars). I think it's not as much whether the object is useful in itself, as long as it serves the function to satisfy the owner in some way.

That T400 that you mention sounds like such a bargain. Congratulations!

[pianowizard]

- Solid builds (these machines are seriously solid and pass the test of time).
- Functionality is more important than flashy features.
- The hardware configurations make them very compatible (for example, with Linux).
- The design is timeless and understated.
- Ability to replace parts easily via the Hardware Maintenance Manuals.
- Features like the Trackpoint and the Thinklight not found in other brands.

All these are strengths of Thinkpads, but keep in mind that many other business-class laptops also have most of these features, including trackpoints (although I prefer touchpads). The Thinklight is indeed unique to Thinkpads and it can be helpful at times, not for typing because I don't need to see the keyboard to type, but it works well as a flashlight. However, my smartphone functions as a flashlight just as well.

Before my Thinkpads, I owned two Toshiba laptops (an old Satellite bought circa 1999, and a Tecra 8100 with a Pentium III 650Mhz CPU which was top of the line when I bought it). Now, I use MacBook Pro laptops at work daily. There's nothing wrong with these machines, it's just that they do not reach the level of excellence that I have experienced with Thinkpads.

Times have changed. Back in the Pentium 4 era and earlier, Thinkpads were indisputably the best laptops in the market, but other business-class brands (i.e. the Panasonic Toughbooks, Dell Precisions and Latitudes, and HP Elitebooks and Probooks) have since caught up. Many of these have reached or even exceeded the Thinkpads' level of excellence.

Seriously, I'm curious about what features you feel you are getting with other computers that a Thinkpad can't give you.

Weight is important to me. The Sony X Series is the lightest laptop ever made, and mine weighs only 1.41 lbs, even lighter than an iPad. The Dell Latitude E4200 is the lightest business-class laptop ever and weighs only 2.2 lbs. The Panasonic Toughbook CF-Y7 is also business-class and is the lightest 14.1" 1400x1050 laptop ever, only 3.34 lbs and that includes a built-in DVD burner! The Dell Inspiron 7500 has a rare 5:4 aspect ratio. The Thinkpad 770Z was 5:4 too but was slower than the 7500, and I don't think it would take the 250GB HDD that my 7500 currently has (I need it to store tons of media files). Finally, my Gateway: it's just an ordinary consumer-class laptop, but I bought it because of its 17.0" 1920x1200 and 500GB HDD and it cost only $92 shipped.

We have so much purchasing power these days when it comes to electronics, I wouldn't worry about an "addiction" unless you are starving or your savings account is empty. There are much worse things you can be throwing your money at.

Like the OP, I feel a bit guilty as well, not because of the money spent but because the computers that I rarely use could be better utilized by someone else. This thread is highly relevant: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=32284

[ArtShapiro]

The Thinklight is indeed unique to Thinkpads and it can be helpful at times, not for typing because I don't need to see the keyboard to type, but it works well as a flashlight.

Well, to my surprise that might not be so true. I recently worked on an HP laptop called an "Elitebook 8540p", and it had a similar light at the top of the screen. Interestingly, the light was actuated by pushing on it, whereupon it popped out and did its thing. Pushing on it again caused it to latch inside.

Other than being a (stupid) 16x9 screen, I thought this was a quite nice laptop although the keyboard couldn't come close to Thinkpad satisfaction.

Art

[TG-16]

Yes. I too have a thinkpad fetish.
My first thinkpad was a used, dirty, old 600E from a PC store that was letting go of any junk they had. I think I bought it for about 10 bucks or so. This was maybe 5yrs ago.
Got it home, messed with bios, put windows on it, and was in love. Ever since Ive been trying to work my way up the chain in the models. 5 years ago I never would have imagined I would own an X41 Tablet or a T61. And as the time went on going through different models and seeing how these things were engineered, I just kept falling in love. I couldnt tell you how many different thinkpads Ive owned.
Once in a while someone will come to me needing help with their laptop (new h.drive, os is messed up, etc). And using anything other than a thinkpad is just not the same.
600, 600E, 600X, A22, A22m, A23p, R32, R40, R52, R60, T21, T30, T60, T61, X41 Tablet.
Im sure I missed a couple somewhere. Currently own: T60, T61, R52 (needs new mobo), X41 Tablet

[Thinkpaddict]

That's a nice list of vintage Thinkpads you have there. Really nice. I was interested in buying a 600 at some point, but never got around to do it and then I was too involved with the X series machines.

Nothing better than buying a Thinkpad almost for free and bringing it back to life, is there?

[emeraldgirl08]

@OP. Quickly send them to me! It is the only way to help you

[lead_org]

Send them to me if you need to overcome ur addiction.

[Tasurinchi]

Nothing better than buying a Thinkpad almost for free and bringing it back to life, is there?

Fully agree!

[Thinkpaddict]

@emeraldgirl08 & @lead_org:

Thank you so much for offering to suffer my burden in order to help me! However I could never sleep well knowing that you put yourself in harm's way for my sake.

Also: Avoid ebay at all costs!

[Medessec]

Also: Avoid ebay at all costs!

Well, I don't know about everyone else, but I always kinda enjoy getting a T41 or a R52 in the mail that you fished up online for $20. I always like a new challenge, and a lot of my friends and classmates really like seeing my Thinkpads and want one of their own. So I really don't mind fixing one up and then passing it to a friend to do schoolwork on. None of the Thinkpads I've sold to people have had any significant problems, just driver problems and plain stupidity on my part... like forgetting to plug in the speakers or audio card after putting a new motherboard in.

I do agree the X-series is absolutely superb. My favorite thus far is the X32.

I think Thinkpads are just mostly stylish... I really like the black business look. I've always appreciated edgy, stealthy-looking things, I don't like the curvy, cutsy design that most modern laptops have taken on.

But I also like how Thinkpads come apart like legos, and they're insanely cheap and parts are cheap. They're jut fantastic all-round laptops... and because they're not mainstream, and they look very different, they're just a big refresher from the environment. It's like having a little piece of imagination with you wherever you go.

[ajkula66]

I do agree the X-series is absolutely superb. My favorite thus far is the X32.

Out of all the ThinPads I've ever owned, X32 is the one I had the worst track record with. Or vice versa. Roughly 80% of the ones that entered my possession died within days, even when they came from very good households. We just don't mix well, I guess...X32 and myself, that is.

... and because they're not mainstream, and they look very different, they're just a big refresher from the environment.

Unfortunately, that seems to be the case less and less with every new generation of ThinkPads. They are becoming mainstream - as in one of many Apple clones - bad mainstream.

When you look at the older machines - 701C, 570, 600, 770, T20, A30 and so on - every single one of them is a statement. Not necessarily a likable one (S30 comes to mind as far as I'm concerned) but a statement nonetheless.

Lenovo went in the opposite direction, and while some statements were made by them as well - W70* and X30* being probably the strongest ones - the edge that existed in the all-black-on-black tuxedo design got lost.

I'm not a Mac guy by any stretch of imagination, but their laptops are still a statement...

I guess I should be thankful since my ThinkPad addiction is about done with...two things that I'd love to accomplish, but I'm not likely to:

a) A FrankenPad based on (non-DS) W701 utilizing a WUXGA DreamColor panel from HP 8740w. This *might* actually be doable, but no one has yet put the $$$ aside to test the combo which could prove to be an extremely expensive failure should something blow up in the process...

b) An ideal travel machine: a X24 frame housing a X60T SXGA+ panel (with no digitizer) and motherboard...with a battery life of a Panasonic CF-W8...

Those two dreams I leave to the younger ones amongst us...take it away, Medessec...

[Medessec]

Out of all the ThinPads I've ever owned, X32 is the one I had the worst track record with. Or vice versa. Roughly 80% of the ones that entered my possession died within days, even when they came from very good households. We just don't mix well, I guess...X32 and myself, that is.

Doh... Well, the only one I've ever had was a sluggish 1.7 GHz Dothan. From my understanding it runs cooler... plus the one I got was in nearly mint condition, so I imagine it was well kept or barely used. But I think they're just neat, clever mini packages of the razor-sharp, awesome design image that Thinkpads share. And it ran Windows 7 like a charm.

An ideal travel machine: a X24 frame housing a X60T SXGA+ panel (with no digitizer) and motherboard...with a battery life of a Panasonic CF-W8...

Ho... that would be unimaginably good...

A FrankenPad based on (non-DS) W701 utilizing a WUXGA DreamColor panel from HP 8740w. This *might* actually be doable, but no one has yet put the $$$ aside to test the combo which could prove to be an extremely expensive failure should something blow up in the process...

Of course there's my W700 I recently got... but I just got it working and I've always wanted an all original W700 ever since it came out. I'm not disappointed with the way it is so far. However- a friend of mine who actually is in art school, has expressed extreme interest in a W700, so I'm keeping my eyes open. Which means I might be more inclined to do something with my current W700... only time will tell.

Indeed I do agree that the tangent Thinkpads have gone down is a bit less of what I like to see in Thinkpads... I will note I was typing my last post on my T7600 IPS T60p. Which is the machine I use daily for school. The T60p may not be as much out there as the older Thinkpads, but it's still quite an eye-catcher over the HP G61s, Dell XPS and Compaqs that everyone else carries to my Computer programming class.

I don't want to stretch this on-I think ajkula made the point pretty well. Maybe on another topic. But I do agree about the Mac/Thinkpad comparison... Macs have sort of kept their original character. Albeit, it's very different from the Thinkpad's image, they have still kept it. While Lenovo's hard at work making the Thinkpads out of thinner plastics, and pumping more compromise into the design. Even my W700... when I secured the video card incorrectly under the heatsink, I only noticed when the back-right section of the keyboard bezel was flexing upward, when the machine was assembled.

[FunkyRes]

I use to have an addiction to 68k maca, especially the SE/30 - I don't know how many of them I owned, but it was lots.
It was so cool, I could go into a thrift store and pick up an SE/30 for $10, grab memory and a network card off of eBay, throw Debian m68k Linux on it, and do all kinds of nerdy stuff with it.

Only compact mac I still have is a Mac Plus in very good condition, though I haven't booted it in over a decade.