Paper or Plastic?

[olive]

I've decided to finally pony up for the Bentley manual. Here's the rub: with five laptops in the house (yeah, I know I have a problem), not one of them is a PC.

So, is the paper "Service Manual" adequate for most of NB needs (rather than the "Repair Manual")? I'm not about to do my own timing belt change but I (and the dear hubby) can work on the smaller stuff. He prefers paper while I prefer the plastic.

geek ramblings: I can run VPC or perhaps use WINE for OSX to use the electronic version of the manual but not if I want to buy a VAG-COM in the future. I'm trying not to buy another computer (really, I am) whether it's an old PC laptop or a new MacBook. I know WINE & VAG-COM works for Linux but I haven't seen any thing about WINE & OSX. Or maybe I could make a dual boot of Linux/OSX and check it out with the Linux partition. (wheels are turning).

The question remains - which version do most folks use? Print or CD? thanks for any input,

Sherry

[noR]

Paper means you can take it into the garage w/you and sit it on the engine w/o worry about getting grease on your laptop.

It's also MUCH easier to flip around and find what you're really looking for.

Also it saves you that craptastic battle w/ Bently over their 'copyright protection' scheme.

Go paper; I wouldn't steer you wrong.

[i have cd btw]

[wawalker]

Paper.

P.S. VAG-COM will run on a Pentium 1 laptop that you could find uber-cheap on eBay.

[from Margaritaville...]

Paperbound is a much handier reference medium in the garage...

[flrabbin]

i purchased the cd version and fully regret it. you can ONLY install it twice and it isnt an easy install. you have to submit for authorization and hope they send you the code. i never received the code and thought i didnt submit it right, so i tried again. because i did that i used BOTH installs even though it only went on one laptop. bentley says im out of luck and need to buy another.

i got a virus and had to reformat, lost the whole program and now im out the 80 bucks i paid.

wish i got the paper manual, but there are some nice things about the cd version. u can search very easily and it isnt too hard to drag the ol laptop into the garage, but you dont need an install code for the paper manual

BUY THE PAPER ONE!!

[olive]

Thanks! Paper it shall be!

[kcfoxie]

I have a Fujistu Stylistic 1000 tablet PC, color screen and a 486 processor, 16MB RAM. It cost $126 on ebay. It runs VAGCOM so perfect with my $36 ebay serial VAGCOM cable, it hurts. Just get something old, and cheap. Check Craigslist. If you don't need mobility, you can probably be given a FREE 386/486 PC setup and just put Windows 95 (the only requirement for VAGCOM) and run it w/ a serial cable.

I've heard that a USB cable + VirtualPC has worked on some PPC machines. I have a Mactel and Parallels but no USB cable, so I can't test it... I know someone with a USB cable, so I should test it .... good luck!

[Fowvay]

Paper all the way. I feel no shame in getting oil, dirt etc on a book but on my puter?... no way!

[wawalker]

Originally Posted by Fowvay

Paper all the way. I feel no shame in getting oil, dirt etc on a book but on my puter?... no way!

You don't mind getting paint on the puter!

[dunno513]

Too bad the paper is only available for up to the 04 model year. I have only seen 06 on the disk. Maybe I'll just do the subscription thing and spend a lot of time downloading that stuff

[olive]

Originally Posted by kcfoxie

I have a Fujistu Stylistic 1000 tablet PC, color screen and a 486 processor, 16MB RAM. It cost $126 on ebay. It runs VAGCOM so perfect with my $36 ebay serial VAGCOM cable, it hurts. Just get something old, and cheap. Check Craigslist. If you don't need mobility, you can probably be given a FREE 386/486 PC setup and just put Windows 95 (the only requirement for VAGCOM) and run it w/ a serial cable.

I've heard that a USB cable + VirtualPC has worked on some PPC machines. I have a Mactel and Parallels but no USB cable, so I can't test it... I know someone with a USB cable, so I should test it .... good luck!

Funny you should mention this - I just picked up a Stylistic off Craigslist today. I went overboard on price/model (5020 complete with everything, twice over) but it was half of most asking prices. So now, the hubby has M$ FlightSimulator 2004 installed which has been sitting in the closet since then.

To justify the over-expense, I freecycled one of our extra laptops. Now it's off to eBay find the cable.

[kcfoxie]

nice find! This one is an old model, but one of the ones equipped w/ an early wifi standard for businesses. it's a 486... works so well for what i need it for

I'd like a more powerful one, I love tablet systems.