"Once all trivial tasks are handled automatically there are no trivial tasks left, and thus it is no longer a trade ..."

OK - I see what you're trying to say, but I think you're missing what a trade is about.
Consider a cabinet maker. Sure you can automate the process of building a cabinet - indeed you can find lots of manufactured cabinets. But if you're kitchen does have the perfect dimensions, or your requirements are a little unique, you better get a cabinet maker who can custom build what you need.
Not all trades are monotonous and easy to automate.

All the same, I think of software development as a craft - one that is all about design, because the implementers are not the people but the computers.

I use a Thinkpad X61 and it is fantastic (Ubuntu + virtualized XP).
(Previously I had a T43p which was also good.)
For your price requirements and the fact that you like the second battery, I would definitely go with a T series.
It is not just the customer service that is good, the quality is top notch. I've dropped both laptops on tile floors (the T43p twice) with the worst result being a bit of chipped plastic through which you could see the METAL body on the T43p.
Docking station is superb as well (I used it for both, but it is especially great with the X61).

I have also recommended the SL series to some family, but don't have personal experience with it.

name calling
no support for the assertion: "I'm right, you're wrong"

I don't see any point in continuing.
When you want to debate facts and bring to bear logic and reason, I enjoy that kind of thing.

(Makes you wonder why I'm bothering to post comments on slashdot ;-) )

ahem:
"
Do you think they know a bit or two about science? Or do you trust Faux News to get your "facts" instead?
Your denialism is about as misguided as that of truthers, birthers or moon landing denialists, with the difference than none of those risk killing millions by being stupid. They're just being stupid. You Heritage Foundation and AEI shills are criminally stupid. Or just criminally insane.
"

translates to: "by associating you with the faux news viewers, conspiracy theorists, and shills, Q.E.D."

whatever else you said, that part boils down to "you're a dumbass, so I'm right"

In technology, standards committees consist of "unpaid" members too, and those members are always trying to do the Right Thing (TM) without ever advancing their own (or their company's) special interests.

If these authors aren't being paid to create the best and most accurate review of the state of climate change, what are they being paid for?
By having the report reach certain conclusions, do any of them stand to gain?
(These are not accusations, they are simply questions. And they are worth asking. Even more importantly, it is wise to have the answers before accepting the conclusions.)

By the bye, among the 2500, some were shocked by the conclusion drawn from their work, and asked to have their names removed.

Climate science is very complex, and we can't do pass/fail experiments to validate theories, which makes it even harder.

As I've written before (privately):
"
Climate science cannot follow the traditional scientific method (approx.: hypothesize, experiment, evaluate; repeat as needed), so we can't be sure it's conclusions are accurate. And statements of "likelihood" all depend on what factors are included and with what weight.
We cannot have incontrovertible evidence of Man-made climate change without being able to show reproducible results. How much more difficult it is to have any certainty when you only have one direct data point to study (i.e. there are only humans on one planet, Earth).
It is worth our time to revisit our conclusions about Anthropogenic climate change regularly, for no other reason than they cannot be scientifically certain.
"

Whatever "good faith" of the scientist who contribute to the IPCC, its conclusions are written by politicians.
I, for one, find it a perfectly sane position to question everything I hear from a politician.

I am glad you added your ad hominem attacks to this thread, it is slashdot after all.

what does an *Intergovernmental Panel* have to do with science?
more, what *should* it have to do with science?
what was that about "fool me twice"? Shame on anyone who accepts a political consensus without a large bag of side walk salt.

As to the idea of having a judge decide on science ... BAD IDEA!
For you Americans, use the courts to challenge the Constitutional legitimacy of the EPA.
Generally, look at what's been going on in Australia wrt their cap-and-trade scheme (they actually call it a *scheme* ;-) ):
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/06/24/could_australia_blow_apart_the_great_global_warming_scare_97148.html

amen!

I sat watching those two videos in absolute awe.

am I allowed to laugh at your comment?

oh, no ... I don't think I'm safe anymore

fortran 2003 is an OO language ...

and don't forget, you can write fortran in any language

what?
you have to be poor to have a fridge from the 1990's?!

"It's a hugely complex system with a lot of random variation and unknown factors."

THIS is why I am always amazed when I hear people repeat the line about "scientific consensus is that man-made global warming is happening" ...

it is just too clear that not enough is known ...
it seems that a climate scientist is lauded for drawing conclusions that would make him a laughing stock in any other field (based on the level of knowledge, all the confounding factors, the inconsistent metrics, etc., etc., etc.)

actually, I do like to think that many climate scientists don't make the claims, but they are complicit in not calling out those that do
(unfortunately there is strong economic incentive to be studying a calamity)

Is "bailout priorities" supposed to be the answer for those people who think there will be no substantive change in anything meaningful?
That the size of government will continue to grow.
That executive power will not be given back (returned to what is defined in the constitution).
That personal liberties will be restored.

Oh well ... Ron Paul people should be used to not having a choice in (at the) Polls.

ftfa:
She didn't realize until the next morning her laptop defaulted to the Ubuntu operating system. ...
Schubert says she never heard of Ubuntu before learning that's when she accidentally bought. She called Dell the very next day and says the representative told her there was still time to change back to Windows.
But she says Dell discouraged her.
"The person I was talking to said Ubuntu was great, college students loved it, it was compatible with everything I needed," said Schubert.
So she stuck with it.

I liked the book quote too, and if I was hearing this story from a friend or family member, I'd be pretty certain I was hearing a steaming load of excuses for dropping out of school. Still, I don't know this woman, so I'll assume she's sincere.

Once the Dell agent realized that she was obviously new to Linux, he either should have let her switch to Windows for a few bucks more, or signed her up for the 30 day or 1 year software support contract.