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> Docking station: very exotic use case. It's only exotic to Linux users.

by tvon 17y ago

Tichy 17y ago
With modern notebooks I have never seen the benefit. What does the docking station add?
- RyanMcGreal 17y ago
  I have an Acer Aspire One with Jaunty on it. When I want an external monitor, I plug in a monitor; when I want an external keyboard, I plug in a keyboard; and so on. The only benefit I can see to a docking station would be that you only have to plug in one thing instead of, like, three things. Incidentally, the only problem I have had setting up and running Ubuntu on the netbook was that the default wifi driver is a bit flaky. I switched to madwifi-hal and did a bit of set-up as per: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AspireOne#line-207 https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AspireOne#line-207 Now it works fine.
- bmelton 17y ago
  Really? The way my desk area is set up is I guess a vastly different use case from yours. My laptop is primarily mobile -- I take it to work, work from coffee shops, the couch, etc., but when I want to do something that I need need more of a desktop setting for (I can't do image editing on the couch, or without a mouse, or without a large screen usually) I just plug the laptop into the docking station. The docking station is connected to an external hard drive for backups, speakers for sound, external monitor, keyboard, mouse, power cable, Line 6 Pod XT guitar pedal and mixing board. It allows me the flexibility of having a convenient desktop setup while still maintaining the portability I bought a laptop for. I'm surprised more people don't use it, as it seems like the edge case here instead of the norm.
  - Tichy 17y ago
    Most of those problems went away with the arrival of USB hubs. Granted, I still plug more cables than you do (monitor, sometimes audio). But I think for audio a USB solution could be found, too, then I would be down to three cables (monitor, usb hub, power). Sure, docking station is a bit faster, but it is also much uglier (most of the time). I guess it depends on how often you move around with your notebook. I always work with an external monitor at home, but I use my notebook's keyboard. Atm I also only bother to plug in audio when I need it - I admit audio is a sore point, but when I have time, I'll try to find some wireless solution.
    - bmelton 17y ago
      I suppose that's true, but then I'd still have to plug in a USB cable even. I guess I just really like the idea of not having to plug in ANYTHING. If I'm away from the docking station, I mumble curse words when I have to plug in so much as an ethernet cable.
- deleted 17y ago
  [deleted]

> Docking station: very exotic use case. It's only exotic to Linux users.

by tvon 17y ago

> Docking station: very exotic use case. It's only exotic to Linux users.

Tichy 17y ago

With modern notebooks I have never seen the benefit. What does the docking station add?

RyanMcGreal 17y ago
I have an Acer Aspire One with Jaunty on it. When I want an external monitor, I plug in a monitor; when I want an external keyboard, I plug in a keyboard; and so on. The only benefit I can see to a docking station would be that you only have to plug in one thing instead of, like, three things. Incidentally, the only problem I have had setting up and running Ubuntu on the netbook was that the default wifi driver is a bit flaky. I switched to madwifi-hal and did a bit of set-up as per: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AspireOne#line-207 https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AspireOne#line-207 Now it works fine.
bmelton 17y ago
Really? The way my desk area is set up is I guess a vastly different use case from yours. My laptop is primarily mobile -- I take it to work, work from coffee shops, the couch, etc., but when I want to do something that I need need more of a desktop setting for (I can't do image editing on the couch, or without a mouse, or without a large screen usually) I just plug the laptop into the docking station. The docking station is connected to an external hard drive for backups, speakers for sound, external monitor, keyboard, mouse, power cable, Line 6 Pod XT guitar pedal and mixing board. It allows me the flexibility of having a convenient desktop setup while still maintaining the portability I bought a laptop for. I'm surprised more people don't use it, as it seems like the edge case here instead of the norm.
- Tichy 17y ago
  Most of those problems went away with the arrival of USB hubs. Granted, I still plug more cables than you do (monitor, sometimes audio). But I think for audio a USB solution could be found, too, then I would be down to three cables (monitor, usb hub, power). Sure, docking station is a bit faster, but it is also much uglier (most of the time). I guess it depends on how often you move around with your notebook. I always work with an external monitor at home, but I use my notebook's keyboard. Atm I also only bother to plug in audio when I need it - I admit audio is a sore point, but when I have time, I'll try to find some wireless solution.
  - bmelton 17y ago
    I suppose that's true, but then I'd still have to plug in a USB cable even. I guess I just really like the idea of not having to plug in ANYTHING. If I'm away from the docking station, I mumble curse words when I have to plug in so much as an ethernet cable.
deleted 17y ago
[deleted]