easy-to-use PC: non-audio related query Family member looking for laptop

[richidoo]

Compaq was the original portable computer. Until early 2000's it was considered one of the best brands. Then HP bought it and became a player in the laptop biz. HP laptops are now among the best. HP desktops are also excellent. With HP as strong as it is now and still noted for high quality I would not worry about buying a Compaq.

I bought a 512MB hard drive for my wife's birthday present in 1992, $400. I guess that's what I deserve for buying her a hard drive for birthday. That's what she wanted - to play Myst. Now all 3 Myst games won't even run on modern Windows. 

[mdconnelly]

Ah, the good old days!

[bpape]

Yup.  We used to call it a 'luggable' instead of a portable.

Bryan

[tmazz]

Ah, the good old days!

You had one of those too?   

We didn't even try to carry it, just gave in and put it on a luggage cart. 

I can't remember, was this a 286 based machine or did it go all the way back to the 8086/8088 chips?

[mdconnelly]

Hey, I used to travel with this sucker...  anyone recognize it?

[richidoo]

Is that Pac-Man on the screen?  wookawooka

[Phil]

If I remember correctly, when the floppy drives were in action they could get up to about 150db.  Whatever the actual level, it was nearly painful.  And those little green screens.  I never used them because back then you needed to be a propeller head to work the thing.   

Any memory of larger systems?  Wang 10" (I think) floppy drives anyone?  I loved to see when folks would accidentally staple the thing to a file folder.  Ah, the good ole days.

Thanks, again, everyone for the suggestions.  Strangely enough, this has me thinking about finally connecting my audio to a computer      Dream system (if it exists):  IPad as controller, silent hard drives with large capacity and SPDIF output to existing DAC. 

[richidoo]

Go for it Phil!!  iPad controller would be sweet, huh?

I like using a laptop as controller, then I can surf the web at the same time.   But it is a little heavy, and I have rubber feet imprints on my knees.