Well Dan, you are a lucky man. I was just on my way to the dumpster with (wait for it, wait for it) Ti laptop. Now it is not a 4000 series, but it is a TM5000 P75. I have no idea what is on it because the powersupply has grown legs. If you want it, you are more than welcome to it. At the very least you should be able to scavange parts from it. Now it is not in what I would call good shape, but it does function. Let me know if you are intersted.
Garl -----Original Message----- From: Dan Robinson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2001 4:40 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [EUG-LUG:3086] Hardware salvage? Hi, I'm a Linux novice and usually a lurker here, and over the last few weeks, way behind even in that. (I'm trying to stay a Windose novice also. I still prefer menu and KB mode, which I don't see emphasized much any more.) I don't have a Linux box I use yet, so I understand very little of the tech stuff here. I had hoped to get a second-hand laptop to put Linux on, partly because it would be a lot easier to bring to clinics, since I don't have a car. I heard that I could get a 386 laptop for $20 (and that such would run some versions of Linux w/o GUI). I didn't find any 386s available, but instead maybe a 486 for $50. It turned out the only one available was a TI Travel Mate 4000M for $100, from PC Parlor out on Hy 99 North. It also turned out that the "button" (stick?) mouse didn't work because of a broken cable (and a battery would cost about another $100). They said they would salvage a cable when they opened up another one, and meanwhile I could use an external mouse. I bought it, perhaps foolishly, and when I opened it up to take a look, found that the button and cable were one part. Several cursor keys also didn't work, perhaps because of broken clips on connectors of the main keyboard cables. I bought it about a month ago. I don't like using a mouse in the first place, and I can hardly say this is a laptop if it needs an external mouse, since there's no room for it on my lap. I find it not worth using as is, certainly not worth buying a battery for. They still haven't gotten the part, or other parts needed, or sent the instructions they said they downloaded, and they don't seem concerned about that. They said they made no guarantees, and of course all sales are final. PC Parlor is not a place I'd reccomend doing business. Anyway, I'm looking for a "button" mouse assembly for the above (or is it somewhat generic?). Another possibility is someone who can splice a small mylar ribbon cable. Other parts might also be welcome, or a source for a similar inexpensive laptop. I guess it's partly that I hate throwing things away that can be salvaged. Dan Robinson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Eugene OR 97401 http://www.efn.org/~danrob/
