[wplug] (OT) Laptop Durability

[Mark Haney]

Hi,

I'm thinking about getting a laptop, which I would dual boot with Linux and 
FreeBSD. I've never had one, and I'm a bit concerned about their 
durability. I know that many wplug subscribers have experience with 
computer support, so this may be a good forum to ask some of my 
questions about laptops.

How long do they generally last? (I would probably be carrying it back and 
forth between school and home daily.) Are there certain brands that have 
a good reputation for durability? How easy is it to have failed parts, such 
as a bad hard drive, replaced? 

Of course one reason I'm interested in this is because laptops are 
expensive and I want to use it as long as possible! Another reason, 
though, is that I'm thinking about purchasing a refurbished laptop to save 
some money. Has anyone had any notable experiences with refurbs?

Thanks for any insights you can share,
Mark Haney