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Comment by cik | Hacker News Reader

I use a Microsoft Surface Pro 2 for all my mobile needs. I bought it on eBay for ~$200 two years ago, and it's now 5 years old. It's light as all get up, runs Linux perfectly out of the box and I bought it to run a browser and SSH into things. It also has a displayport, and a single USB, and I can ultimately connect it to everything I need. It's literally the best piece of technology I've ever owned.

I use it for so much more than I intended - but at $200, when the thing dies, I'm just going to throw it out and buy a newer one on eBay. I'm blown away by how much more useful this is than every other thing I've had over the last 20 years.

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> runs Linux perfectly out of the box

When did that happen? I admittedly haven't looked in a while but I thought the SP2 had some basic issues with Linux (keyboard docking, wifi; the expected things).

Check r/surfacelinux there's always always recent info on how things run on each surface version.

It's all about the latest kernel. I installed Bodhi (Ubuntu derivative, not a fan). Then I added Ubuntu repos and promptly picked everything else up to latest.

Admittedly I have a script to allow screen rotation to be gangster, and to pop up a virtual keyboard when I rip off the Surface KB (and hide it when reattached). I consider that 100% working.

> I have a script to allow screen rotation to be gangster

What does that mean? You need to use a script to get it to rotate?

Correct. On login I run a python script that polls the accelerometer. For the virtual keyboard I equally poll the HIDS devices. Quick bit of python, life went on.

What shape, form, colour, flavour, texture and consistency of Linux?

Cubic, gelatinous, blue, sour, grainy and al dente.

So Arch?

Mentioned above. I went with Bodhi (ugs), but since it's an Ubuntu, I quickly added repos and have everything I wanted. Now, it runs i3, rotates.. Heck I even rely on Xournal to edit PDFs by scribbling on them, just like real paper! This was actually my Surface goal.

Seriously, can't imagine being happier. Damn thing also (still) gets ~5 hours of battery life, from 2013!

Cool, thanks.

I keep wanting to get one but the battery life always keeps me from doing that. Mobile for me means a lot of battery life; you do not need that or is it actually ok?

I get ~5 hours which is beyond more than enough for my needs. I also keep power adapters. Honestly, I've never understood the obsession with long battery life on a laptop. It's significantly lighter to carry the adapter (super light on a surface) than have an extended battery, and either way you have a knapsack/laptop bag.

Also - other than this one coffee shop I'm not a fan of, there's always power nearby.

Yeah that really depends on where/what you are doing. I spend a large amount of time in airplanes, a lot of which (as I don't fly business) have no charging sockets. Then in places where I go, for instance in HK, it is actually really rare to find sockets in coffee shops or bars.

That totally makes sense to me. It's the same reason I hard relied on the air years ago - the 9 hours just about covered the majority of the exact same need. Tradeoffs.

If you are so concerned with battery life couldn't you just get an external power backup if the machine has all the functionality you want? It seems more modular that way instead always having to lug around such extra stuff you don't need.

I'm rocking a surface go and digging it. Small, compact, portable.

Comes with an AC charger, but supports usb-c charging. If I need to, I can keep it going with a portable battery pack.

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