4 ms·

Ask HN: Cheap laptop for Linux without GUI (for writing)

17 points by locusofself 8mo ago

Hey HN, I'm on a quest for a distraction-free writing device and considering a super cheap laptop which I can just run vim/nano on. I'd like: - Excellent battery life - Good keyboard - Sleep/wake capabilities (why is this so hard with Linux?) I'm thinking some kind of chromebook? Maybe an old thinkpad?

brudgers 8mo ago
Manual typewriter?
functionmouse 8mo ago
Used n4120 hp stream 11 maybe, should be sub-$100 and more than 8 hours battery. I don't know how sleep/wake works from a text mode TTY machine if that's what you mean.
- reliefcrew 8mo ago
  > I don't know how sleep/wake works from a text mode TTY machine if that's what you mean. Usually, I expect, by just issuing a command... e.g. `systemctl suspend`
david927 8mo ago
An older ThinkPad is a great choice. Sometimes when a company goes out of business or upgrade, they dump a bunch of laptops and you can get used ThinkPads on the cheap.
reliefcrew 8mo ago
Old thinkpads are usually pretty good. If you're looking at a chromebook I suggest doing research on the specific model first. Esp. by looking here... https://docs.mrchromebox.tech/docs/supported-devices.html https://docs.mrchromebox.tech/docs/supported-devices.html Old MS Surface tablets are also decent options IMHO... https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Supported-Devices-and-Features#feature-matrix https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Supporte... I'm presently writing on a Surface 3 w/ x7-Z8700 atom that's running Ubuntu Noble and vanilla 6.8 kernel. They're about $50. Everything works rather well (including gfx/audio/sleep/hibernate), except the camera, which I haven't bothered with. I'm quite happy w/ it tbh. One thing to note w/ this model is you'll need the OEM keyboard to install linux since there's only one usb port; which will be required by the install media. Once you've installed though you can use any bluetooth or usb keyboard you want. Another thing is any micro-usb charger should work but I wouldn't rely on just 1amp, go w/ a 3amp. Anyway, happy hunting!
deleted 8mo ago
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Curiositry 8mo ago
I haven’t actually tried step three yet, but: 1. Kobo ereaders are dirt cheap at thrift stores (and run Linux) 2. KOreader is simple to install (I have done this) 3. KOReader has a text editor + terminal built in, and has a setting to switch to USB-OTG mode, which should allow you to plug in a USB-C hub, and a mechanical keyboard. Boom! Internet connected e-ink writing tablet with excellent battery life, and the best keyboard you have, for ~$5-100.
grigio 8mo ago
used chromebooks like c720p, but usually older laptops do not have excellent battery life
mkbkn 8mo ago
Either a typewriter or a paper notebook
markus_zhang 8mo ago
I agree with a couple of other commentators. Why not a notebook or a typewriter? Looks like you just want to write.
- reliefcrew 8mo ago
  Obviously I can't speak for op, but... spellcheck and copy/paste alone make paper more difficult to work with. Basically, writing involves a lot of re-writing and revision. Electronic documents make that easier.
  - markus_zhang 8mo ago
    That's a fair point, although I'd just cross them out and write a clean version afterwards. Writing with pen is faster and easier than anything else, I have found that out. I can easily draw schemes and charts at any place, any page. It's just a lot easier than using a computer -- unless I'm using a pad and write on it.
    - reliefcrew 8mo ago
      It certainly depends on the kind of writing too. Very technical writing should benefit from a computer. Poetry... probably not as much.
gnatman 8mo ago
i highly recommend looking at an alphasmart neo or neo2. it’s a “can’t live without” tool in my daily life.
achairapart 8mo ago
Without Linux, just for writing: https://valentine.getfreewrite.com/ https://valentine.getfreewrite.com/
nicoloren 8mo ago
I am using CudaText [0] with the Distraction Free mode [1] to have a full screen editor "always on" the weekend when I write (on Windows 11, but it should work on Linux). There is also a full screen mode plugin on GVim [2] but I haven't tested it. [0] https://cudatext.github.io/ https://cudatext.github.io/ [1] https://wiki.freepascal.org/CudaText#Full-screen_mode https://wiki.freepascal.org/CudaText#Full-screen_mode [2] https://github.com/lambdalisue/vim-fullscreen https://github.com/lambdalisue/vim-fullscreen
apothegm 8mo ago
Depending on what you consider to be a good keyboard, an older MacBook Pro or air? One of the pre-butterfly models or a last-gen intel machine.
deleted 8mo ago
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17 points by locusofself 8mo ago

brudgers 8mo ago

Manual typewriter?

functionmouse 8mo ago

Used n4120 hp stream 11 maybe, should be sub-$100 and more than 8 hours battery. I don't know how sleep/wake works from a text mode TTY machine if that's what you mean.

reliefcrew 8mo ago
> I don't know how sleep/wake works from a text mode TTY machine if that's what you mean. Usually, I expect, by just issuing a command... e.g. `systemctl suspend`

david927 8mo ago

An older ThinkPad is a great choice. Sometimes when a company goes out of business or upgrade, they dump a bunch of laptops and you can get used ThinkPads on the cheap.

reliefcrew 8mo ago

Old thinkpads are usually pretty good. If you're looking at a chromebook I suggest doing research on the specific model first. Esp. by looking here... https://docs.mrchromebox.tech/docs/supported-devices.html https://docs.mrchromebox.tech/docs/supported-devices.html Old MS Surface tablets are also decent options IMHO... https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Supported-Devices-and-Features#feature-matrix https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Supporte... I'm presently writing on a Surface 3 w/ x7-Z8700 atom that's running Ubuntu Noble and vanilla 6.8 kernel. They're about $50. Everything works rather well (including gfx/audio/sleep/hibernate), except the camera, which I haven't bothered with. I'm quite happy w/ it tbh. One thing to note w/ this model is you'll need the OEM keyboard to install linux since there's only one usb port; which will be required by the install media. Once you've installed though you can use any bluetooth or usb keyboard you want. Another thing is any micro-usb charger should work but I wouldn't rely on just 1amp, go w/ a 3amp. Anyway, happy hunting!

deleted 8mo ago

[deleted]

Curiositry 8mo ago

I haven’t actually tried step three yet, but: 1. Kobo ereaders are dirt cheap at thrift stores (and run Linux) 2. KOreader is simple to install (I have done this) 3. KOReader has a text editor + terminal built in, and has a setting to switch to USB-OTG mode, which should allow you to plug in a USB-C hub, and a mechanical keyboard. Boom! Internet connected e-ink writing tablet with excellent battery life, and the best keyboard you have, for ~$5-100.

grigio 8mo ago

used chromebooks like c720p, but usually older laptops do not have excellent battery life

mkbkn 8mo ago

Either a typewriter or a paper notebook

markus_zhang 8mo ago

I agree with a couple of other commentators. Why not a notebook or a typewriter? Looks like you just want to write.

reliefcrew 8mo ago
Obviously I can't speak for op, but... spellcheck and copy/paste alone make paper more difficult to work with. Basically, writing involves a lot of re-writing and revision. Electronic documents make that easier.
- markus_zhang 8mo ago
  That's a fair point, although I'd just cross them out and write a clean version afterwards. Writing with pen is faster and easier than anything else, I have found that out. I can easily draw schemes and charts at any place, any page. It's just a lot easier than using a computer -- unless I'm using a pad and write on it.
  - reliefcrew 8mo ago
    It certainly depends on the kind of writing too. Very technical writing should benefit from a computer. Poetry... probably not as much.

gnatman 8mo ago

i highly recommend looking at an alphasmart neo or neo2. it’s a “can’t live without” tool in my daily life.

achairapart 8mo ago

Without Linux, just for writing: https://valentine.getfreewrite.com/ https://valentine.getfreewrite.com/

nicoloren 8mo ago

I am using CudaText [0] with the Distraction Free mode [1] to have a full screen editor "always on" the weekend when I write (on Windows 11, but it should work on Linux). There is also a full screen mode plugin on GVim [2] but I haven't tested it. [0] https://cudatext.github.io/ https://cudatext.github.io/ [1] https://wiki.freepascal.org/CudaText#Full-screen_mode https://wiki.freepascal.org/CudaText#Full-screen_mode [2] https://github.com/lambdalisue/vim-fullscreen https://github.com/lambdalisue/vim-fullscreen

apothegm 8mo ago

Depending on what you consider to be a good keyboard, an older MacBook Pro or air? One of the pre-butterfly models or a last-gen intel machine.

deleted 8mo ago

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