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Time-Travel Computing

An Exploration of a 15-Year-Old Laptop's Enduring Charm

May 1, 2023 -

As part of a greater plan to optimise my entire workflow, I am doing a little experiment this month: using a 15-year old ThinkPad X200 laptop as main computer. It’s from an era before “the cloud”, popular among free/libre software enthusiasts. What can we learn from this antithesis of modernity?

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The ThinkPad’s keyboard is a dream to type on and features a “hate or love it” TrackPoint (I’m in the “love” department!)
The ThinkPad’s keyboard is a dream to type on and features a “hate or love it” TrackPoint (I’m in the “love” department!)
The modern $6499 costing MacBook Pro is one of the few laptops available that can be configured with 8TB flash storage today...
The modern $6499 costing MacBook Pro is one of the few laptops available that can be configured with 8TB flash storage today...
See pixels on a greyish black background - the X200’s display is no match for modern HiDPI micro led or OLED monitors
See pixels on a greyish black background - the X200’s display is no match for modern HiDPI micro led or OLED monitors
... yet, my 15-year old ThinkPad X200 has 8TB SSD storage, too (a Samsung 870 QVO SSD)
... yet, my 15-year old ThinkPad X200 has 8TB SSD storage, too (a Samsung 870 QVO SSD)
This laptop lid hinge, made from metal, is designed to last - note the keyboard has keys a modern MacBook can only dream off (PageUP/PageDown, Home, End, Delete).
This laptop lid hinge, made from metal, is designed to last - note the keyboard has keys a modern MacBook can only dream off (PageUP/PageDown, Home, End, Delete).
Work in progress - my X200 experiment
Work in progress - my X200 experiment

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