Re: faster boots?

Richard Gooch
2002-04-08T17:36:05Z

Bill Davidsen writes:
> On Sun, 7 Apr 2002, Richard Gooch wrote:
>
>
> > But I *want* to write while the drive is spun down. And leave it spun
> > down until the system is RAM starved (or some threshold is reached).
>
> The threshold I hit is how much think time I want to risk. I have
> no problem spinning down the drive after inactivity, but the idea of
> investing several hours making little changes in a program or
> proposal document and then maybe losing them... batteries are just
> not that expensive.

It's not $$$ I'm concerned about. It's mass. I don't want to carry
around a pile of batteries. I like to travel light, whether when
flying or spending a day at a conference. Being able to walk around
all day with your laptop on your shoulder, but not getting sore, is
*really* nice. It gives you more flexibility. No need to run back to
the hotel after the last session to drop of the ball-and-chain and
then run to the restaurant where people are meeting up.

And when flying, I just travel with my super lightweight laptop bag
and a backpack. I can stuff a week's worth of clothes in there, and
it's still not that heavy. But I don't have room for a pile of extra
batteries, nor do I want to add to the burden on my shoulders. I don't
want to carry an extra bag, because I'd have to check in it, which
would mean:
- I have to wait to pick up my luggage (*if* it arrives at all),
rather than walking out and feeling smug as I pass all the lusers
waiting for their luggage
- I have to deal with the creative ways in which animals^Wluggage
handlers can damage or destroy anything
- I have to find a trolley to help carry all the crap I'm carrying
- I have to obtain coins to pay for the trolley, if I'm unlucky enough
to be stuck at an airport where the bastards are so cheap as to
charge you money for the damn trolley. I'm sure they've already
gotten their pound of my flesh via the airport tax/surcharge/
improvement fee/mandatory gouge/handrail polishing donation/
or whatever.

Regards,

Richard....
Permanent: rgooch@atnf.csiro.au
Current: rgooch@ras.ucalgary.ca