My laptop is running on fumes. The battery is failing, and the Linux root
partition has already gone south. I need a new computer.

I am a geek in every sense of the word except one: actually having geek skills.
I have a background in computer programming, but I can't keep up with modern
software, and as for hardware, I barely know a wrench from a screwdriver.
Friends, knowing my computer background, have asked me for recommendations, but
I frankly have never had a clue. In my last job, I was asked to design a
disaster recovery plan, and slammed head-on into the Peter Principle. Since
then, the world of technology has rapidly passed me by. I need help.

My brother is not a trained computer professional, but he uses them extensively
for business. In terms of recommending a computer setup, he's way ahead of me.
Yet, I have to take his recommendations with a grain of salt. OK, maybe a
bagful.

My brother can't understand why I settle for an external backup disk. He says,
RAID, RAID, RAID, all the way. He doesn't lose a keystroke after an equipment
failure, and he sees no use for external backups. So I'm looking into RAID,
specifically for how it can work with a dual-boot Windows/Linux system. What
I've read for Linux is most emphatically that RAID must not be used as a primary
backup system. I carried my concerns to my brother, and he's thought of all
that. Except that his solutions are all Microsoft, Microsoft, Microsoft, and
Microsoft is bad for my mental health.

My brother is giving me the impression that he thinks external backups are a
stupid idea. I don't feel comfortable without an external backup; however, if I
do have an external backup, I don't see why I would need a RAID. Sure, without
RAID, I can lose a few hours or a few days of work, but for my current
(non-professional) needs, would that justify the extra expense of a RAID?

For the past decade or so, I have only used laptops at home. Power blackouts are
frequent in my community, and laptops seemed the ideal way to get around that.
However, my brother says that with my heavy computer usage, I should have a
desktop system, and just buy a cheap laptop for traveling. Does this sound like
a reasonable arrangement? I did have a battery backup, but it didn't take long
for it to fail in my environment. Should I just resign myself to buying a new
battery backup every couple of years?

The overarching message that I get from my brother is that I'm doing it wrong.
Whether it be gardening, cooking, stargazing, or choosing a computer operating
system that is not Microsoft, I'm doing it wrong. Oh, and did I mention that
he's a die-hard Microsoft Windows apologist?

I'm waiting for a phone call from a technician at the computer store to discuss
my options. I really need other opinions before I make a decision!

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