[kwlug-disc] Laptop for in-person meeting management

[Paul Nijjar]

I am looking for a laptop that I can use to manage the in-person
meetings. There is a desktop in the room but it is unreliable. I have
an old netbook I have been bringing but it is unreliable in different
ways. 

The main purpose is to log into BigBlueButton and open the meeting,
then moderate chat and relay questions. Secondary purposes could be to
serve as the host for the audio puck and/or serve as a backup presenter
machine if somebody's presentation machine is being uncooperative.

I did go to Computer Recycling but the laptop Charles has ready are
too fancy and maybe more $$$ than I was hoping to spend. My budget is
around $100 (but maybe that is not reasonable).

Must haves:
- Be reliable enough to stay powered on and working for the entire
  KWLUG meeting. (I do not need any battery at all, although a few
  minutes of battery could be convenient.)
- Be powerful enough to run a modern web browser and the BBB interface
  without choking.
- Have a reliable keyboard, pointing device, screen
- Not gigantic. 14" or less is probably okay.
- Portable enough that I can lug it to the LUG on meeting days.
- Good enough wifi to maintain a strong connection to the UW internet.

Nice to haves (I do not expect to satisfy them all):
- HDMI output
- Working USB and/or Bluetooth
- Working audio, preferably via standard 3mm headphone jack. Combined
  headphone and microphone in one jack would be a bonus.
- Runs Linux (something like Xubuntu would be fine).
- A reasonable keyboard layout (ANSI is best, see
  https://superuser.com/questions/837448). 
- Charging adapter for the laptop, although if the adapter is common I
  might be able to get one from Computer Recycling.
- Costs $100 or less.

I am guessing something in the first generation i3/i5/i7 range or
better would be good enough. Reliability is more important than power
so long as power is sufficient. (For this reason I may turn up my nose
at HP consumer grade laptops, which have a bad habit of overheating.)

I am not expecting a freebie, although if anybody has too many laptops
and wants to donate one to the LUG I am open to that. Once upon a time
Ron Singh donated a nice Thinkpad to the LUG but it seems to have been
lost to the mists of time, and I feel terrible about that.

- Paul

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