Staying light.........................................................................................
Don’t place heavy objects on top of the cover that holds the LCD, and don’t
squeeze the laptop into a carrier so tight that it places pressure on the case.Caring for your LCD ...........................................................................
Avoid touching the LCD with anything other than a soft, lintless cloth. Be
careful not to leave a pen or other object on the keyboard when you close the
laptop’s cover; it can scratch or even puncture the LCD. Never lift the laptop
by the LCD display.Special Tips for Road Warriors...................................................................
The previous warnings notwithstanding, a laptop’s internal parts are pretty
well insulated from damage (although you do need to take care of the little
bits). One of the most common points of failure on a modern laptop are the
various external points of connection — the little plug for the AC adapter, the
ports for an Ethernet or telephone cable, and the exposed pieces of a PC
Card, like a wireless antenna or a connector for an add-on cable. Be very
careful plugging devices into your laptop and take extra care to assure that
external devices are disconnected and out of the way when the machine is
ready to be moved.When you travel, make sure that the system is turned off and the cover prop-
erly latched. All openings should be properly closed, with no PC Cards, USB
devices, or cables attached. If the machine is going to be left unused for
weeks at a time, consult the instruction manual to see if the maker suggests
you remove the battery and store it separately from the machine; if you leave
the battery in place, make sure it is properly locked in place.At the airport, your laptop is certain to receive special attention from the
security screeners. An ordinary X-ray machine should not damage the con-
tents of your laptop, but you should pay attention to how it is run through
the machine. Make sure the laptop is placed in a plastic basket right-side up,
and that it doesn’t tumble off the end of the conveyor belt.Frankly, I am less concerned about the effect of the X-ray machine at the air-
port than I am about the chance that someone at the other end will run away
with my laptop while my shoes are being inspected. To deal with that worry,320 Part VI: The Part of Tens