Computer for the road - Montana Owners Club

pandew · 02-13-2006, 01:09 PM

We're debating whether to go with a "laptop" or "PC" for fulltiming. We have one of each now but will commit to a new one of one or the other for the road. Saw an HP "laptop" with 17" screen and 160 gig for about $1200 that I'm leaning toward.

JH Sechelt · 02-13-2006, 01:21 PM

We have a 17" Toshiba Qosmio for the trailer & a 15" Dell ( we use in the truck for Streets & Trips ).
for us a laptop is the only way, but you will need a wireless mouse, touch pads can drive you nuts.

John & Dawn

Glenn and Lorraine · 02-13-2006, 01:22 PM

We went with the laptop, actually 2 of them, as it allows us to use it in the TV while underway. A laptop seems to fit our full time lifestyle as it is very portable. Although we use the Air Card for most internet connections there for those rare instances we can't get a signal the laptop is easily carried to the campgrounds internet hook up location. As a laptop is also battery operated we have also used it in rest areas at a picnic table.
We also have a hard wired mouse and the standard hard wired keyboard.

DiananColin · 02-13-2006, 01:23 PM

We are not on the road fulltime but about 5 months a year. We have a business in Canada so our Computer is very importantant to us. We have two laptops. A laptop takes up so little room and lets face it space is very important. Diana

stiles watson · 02-13-2006, 01:44 PM

We bought a 17" desktop replacement (a fantastic machine), but found it cumbersome in the TV. So It is confined to the Monty while traveling. We also have found that we seem to want computer time at the same time. The second is a Fujitsu LifeBook. It has all the bells and whistles including Microsoft Tablet software for writing on the screen with the electronic pen which doubles as a mouse. When the screen is swiveled and laid down on the keyboard, the footprint is about 9" X 12". It is very handy for TV or meeting use. Just write on the screen as if it were a legal pad. Later, the script can be converted to text. It has wireless and Bluetooth built-in.

Montana Sky · 02-13-2006, 02:38 PM

I just bought a new Gateway laptop 3 weeks ago, also have a Dell desktop and I must admit I do like the laptop better. When it comes time to hit the road I think I will just bring the laptop from now on. Having the desktop in the rv was nice but it did take up alot of room and had to be stored before each day of travel. Either one will be ok in the rv, you just have to decide if you want the compact easy mobility of a laptop or a stationary location of a desktop. I also have used the laptop in rest area's looking at road conditions and traffic info, sure comes in handy.

tollmann · 02-13-2006, 03:57 PM

We use a VERY old IBM Think Pad 390E for the traveling machine. If it gets dropped or banged around it is no big loss. All of our important info is on an external hard drive stored seperate from the laptop when not in use. Losing your laptop with credit card numbers and pass words can be very expensive. Don't store any sensitive data on the laptop hardrive. A thief can really take you to the cleaners if you do.

Montana_1574 · 02-13-2006, 04:38 PM

WHEN WE SOLD OUR HOUSE AND WENT FULL TIME IN THE MONTY, WE INSTALLED OUR HOME PC AT THE DESK IN OUR 3400RL. IT DID NOT TAKE US LONG TO DECIDE THAT WAS A MISTAKE, AS IT TURNED OUT OUR SON'S COMPUTER WENT OUT ON HIM, WE GAVE HIM OUR PC AND BOUGHT THE LAPTOP. IT DOES WHAT WE NEED AND TAKES UP A LOT LEES ROOM IN THE RIG.

Garin1 · 02-13-2006, 07:16 PM

Stiles, what kind of "desktop replacement" do you use? I have the Alienware area 51-7700. Incredible machine.

padredw · 02-14-2006, 09:32 AM

We have 4 desktops at home and 2 Notebook computers. I'm sending this on the Dell Inspiron 6000 which is our newest notebook, and the one we now take on the road. It is a great little computer.

One of my desktops is a "small formfactor" Shuttle (about 5" X 7" and about 7" deep) We could easily bring that in the RV, and would if the Dell did not work so well.

Dave e Victoria · 02-14-2006, 10:32 AM

We are 100% Apple. I use a Powerbook and Vikki uses an iBook. There is a G4 tower under my desk at home but it rarely gets plugged in as the power book is faster. I just added an adapter to have two screens so my 17 inch desktop screen is my main display at home. I also carry a firewire hard drive along in the fiver to supplement the laptop hard drive.
Dave

bobgay · 02-14-2006, 12:02 PM

We got a laptop primarily for use in the RV, but we have gradually worked our way completely away from the desktop, which is now gathering dust in the basement. For us the laptop seems more convenient at home as well as on the road. I agree with the comment about the wireless mouse. Couldn't do without that

stiles watson · 02-14-2006, 02:46 PM

Loosing data or having it fall into the wrong hands is a concern of ours also. Every system is password protected. The new one has fingerprint recognition as the password.

After 28 years with NASA, Dianna knows the value of backing up data. Both our laptops have the DVD read/write with multiformats, so backing up everything is easy and can be stored simply. These new laptops blow me away with their 80 and 100 gigabite harddrives. The USB memory sticks or what ever they are called are great for transfering files or using a borrowed computer.

SAndreasen · 02-14-2006, 03:16 PM

I'm also a Mac fan. We have a 17 powerbook that we take with us and Mac desktop at home. All are wi-fi with CD/DVD RW. Use office and PageMaker for application software. Have a digital camera that works great with the powerbook.

Dustytuu · 02-15-2006, 01:41 PM

We also have 2 laptops. Both are Dell. Those are the ones we take with us. The desk tops stay at home. Both laptops are wireless as well as DVD with CD writer. We don't full time but do spend some time in the Monty.

Garin1 · 02-15-2006, 06:54 PM

Another good thing to go with your choice of computers is a usb external harddrive for backing up all your data. You can get them now as small as you power supply and much lighter. A great tool to have if your system crashes.

sreigle · 02-17-2006, 10:17 AM

In our stick home we had desktops for many years and went to laptops a year or so before beginning our fulltiming. Both have their advantages. The nice thing about a laptop in an RV is being able to easily pack it up and carry it up to the bed for travel.

I don't have a wireless mouse. I used to but never again. I got tired of replacing batteries. The darn thing always ate its batteries when I was in a hurry. Now I used a wired USB trackball. The trackball just sits on the arm of this lazyboy I'm sittin g in right now. It doesn't have to move until I want to arise from the chair. Then it sits on the keyboard when I move the laptop to the table right next to this chair. I've been using a trackball for years and years and will never go back to a mouse. I refuse to use that keyboard mouse thingy unless I absolutely have to. Too slow and too painful. All my opinion, of course.

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