Okay, I might break down and get a laptop. I'm curious as to what you all use?

Keep in mind I want it strictly to write - so it has to run Word, a scriptwriting program or two, and be internet friendly.  No gaming, video chats, etc.

?

AJR

In my experience, netbooks are fiddly little buggers designed for people with very small hands.

I use a full size Manly Man's Laptop, a HP with a 15" screen and all the trimmings! I tend to use it for my iTunes, playing chess and watching DVDs as well as any writing - but as it has a 250GB HDD and a 3GB RAM, none of these prove a problem.

I don't use Word - I have OpenOffice, which is just as good, and free! It has the distinct advantage of having a built in pdf exporter, as well as being able to save to pretty much any file type known to man or Bill Gates.

I have Celtx on it at the moment for writing, but in all likelihood will be installing FD8 over Christmas, if the box arrives in time.

The great advantage of a laptop - and I should say that I have never used anything else, never having had a computer - is that I can, if I want, take it anywhere and work on it. Not that I do - but knowing that I can, is nice.

I don't know where your country of origin is - but in the UK there are some good offers around. This one (my second) cost me about £400, but that was reduced from the almost £500 it normally cost, and with the sales around, you can get similar models for even less now.

One thing I would advise - whatever you get - back everything important up on pen drives or online sites like Mediafire - when my first laptop died it was a major operation to retrieve stuff from it afterwards.

Agree with Mr. Crane. Netbooks are good for updating Facebook (if you are one who is inclined to do that) while sipping a six dollar soy latte at your local frou frou coffee shop.

I'm looking at a Dell Inspirion; its around $500 bucks, but has very good battery life (you'll want to check that...some are a bit cheaper, but they'll only last for an hour or two without juice...This one is supposed to last over 5 hours)

The other thing to consider is if it has a DVD/CD drive or not; some of the newer ones don't for lightness and thinner profile...That's OK if you'd only watch downloaded movies or tunes ripped off a flash drive...

Course, If I had the cash I'd get an Apple iBook in a second, but they are twice as much.

I have read that you can get software now so you can write screenplays on a iPhone.

Who the hell wants to write a screenplay on a phone?

Apart from Michael Bay?

Netbooks are completely functional... I have an HP mini I have attached to my wrist bones.  I'm 6ft 3in, 235lbs... and I find the keyboard very intuitive and, to top it all off, you can blast a netbook out if you have the know how.  

I run Windows 7 on my mini and have the best screenwriting software "Movie Outline" running on it, as well as other ventures such as Vegas 9.0 and Toon Boom for on the fly work I do... I also have Magix Studio 15 on it.  

Netbooks, while certainly not taking the place of a fully functioning desktop, is a nice supplement and can render laptops useless in terms of convenience and ease of use.  

I've just bought an Easy Netbook with windows CE5 interface on it. But i can't get any scriptware to work on it. any thoughts out there?

Quoted from stevie I've just bought an Easy Netbook with windows CE5 interface on it. But i can't get any scriptware to work on it. any thoughts out there?

I do have a solution for you but... It takes a flashdrive and the files from Windows or just install Ubuntu from the net.  It's free and pretty slick.  You can run Final Draft with it, actually.  But my way is as followed.

Take a 4gb thumb drive -- format to fat 32, and most PC's in Windows xp, vista and Windows 7 won't allow this so you have to obtain the file front for it.  I can help you with this too.  Just e-mail me.

Then, take your copy of Windows and pop it into your Pc.  When it comes up "install"  click open folder and copy the contents of it into a folder on your desktop.  If it's Windows 7 it shouldn't be more than 2.4 gb, depending on if it's the x84 version for the 64bit version.

Then format that flash drive to a bootable drive... Which, again,  I can help you with in e-mail.  

It takes about 15 seconds and after you're done with it drop that windows folder you made into the drive and you've got a bootable, fully functioning, version of windows "whatever" anytime you need it.  The best thing, it's all portable and can be used on the fly.

Since we're sharing vitals...

Despite my 5'10, 185 lb frame I have hands like a woman, so a small keyboard is not a problem for me...

Too much?

Quoted from Baltis. I do have a solution for you but... It takes a flashdrive and the files from Windows or just install Ubuntu from the net.  It's free and pretty slick.  You can run Final Draft with it, actually.  But my way is as followed. Take a 4gb thumb drive -- format to fat 32, and most PC's in Windows xp, vista and Windows 7 won't allow this so you have to obtain the file front for it.  I can help you with this too.  Just e-mail me. Then, take your copy of Windows and pop it into your Pc.  When it comes up "install"  click open folder and copy the contents of it into a folder on your desktop.  If it's Windows 7 it shouldn't be more than 2.4 gb, depending on if it's the x84 version for the 64bit version. Then format that flash drive to a bootable drive... Which, again,  I can help you with in e-mail.   It takes about 15 seconds and after you're done with it drop that windows folder you made into the drive and you've got a bootable, fully functioning, version of windows "whatever" anytime you need it.  The best thing, it's all portable and can be used on the fly.

shit, sorry Balt...I meant scriptwriting software. i transferred soph and portable celtx(as backup!) to the netbook but neither runs in it.  the hard drive has 2 gb in it so there's enough space.

Quoted from ajr Since we're sharing vitals... Despite my 5'10, 185 lb frame I have hands like a woman, so a small keyboard is not a problem for me... Too much?

Way too much.

Are they worn out with washing up and erm... I've said too much myself.

Ren

I'm Italian though, so it balances out...

Quoted from Baltis from "The Bay" thread ...after I reformat my computer and install a new OS. I've left the PC market behind for good due to windows 7 suckin' cow utters

Quoted from Baltis from this thread Netbooks are completely functional... I run Windows 7 on my mini ...

So, I assume you got W7 to work and are now happy with it?

Quoted from Niles_Crane So, I assume you got W7 to work and are now happy with it?

PC's and netbooks are two different things... The functional use of a netbook isn't that of a Pc.  Windows 7 works fine on it, yes.  Could be a better application but you can't run Snow leopard on one or I would.  Would you like a pic of me holding or sitting near my mac, ya snork?

Quoted from ajr I'm Italian though, so it balances out...

Because you have hair on your knuckles?

Holy crap, I do have hair on my knuckles... !

Quoted from Shelton Because you have hair on your knuckles?

Ah, stereotyping and racism. Bless.

Quoted from Baltis PC's and netbooks are two different things... The functional use of a netbook isn't that of a Pc.

You learn something new every day.

Quoted from rendevous Ah, stereotyping and racism. Bless.

Quoted from ajr Holy crap, I do have hair on my knuckles... !

I'm just Italian enough to know the score.