ThinkPad T42 Thumb Security Thoughts?

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Well, after a week or so of research, I'm shying away from the HP and Sony
laptops and am probably going to take the plunge for a ThinkPad T42. There
appear to be lots of ThinkPad users on this board...any of you use the new
Thumb security system? If so, what do you think of it?

Any candid thoughts appreciated.

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Will" <williamchan88@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1112340941.458361.139430@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> I'm a thinkpad user but I don't use the biometric system. It's
> something a lowly student like me doesn't really need. I think it's
> defnitely promising, the reviews I've read elsewhere have generally
> given good marks to the system. I did read today about an accountant
> who actually got his finger sliced off so that thieves could operate
> his car which used a biometric pass...but that's a pretty extreme case,
> don't know what you think about that.
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4396831.stm
>
> Ibm has a rep for its laptops and among my friends my thinkpad is the
> only one never to develop any serious problems. They all are burning up
> with jealousy at my laptop. After you go ibm, everything else seems
> mundane, too bad they carry the premium that goes hand in hand with the
> brand name.
>
> Hope that helps

I also have the same experience (not regarding fingers), as a student the
only laptops I've known not to break down are Thinkpads, and Acers. HP I
would avoid, Sony are good (apart from service), Dell have problems, as do
Toshiba etc..etc.. The business ranges are different.

Have a T40, has been very good. I imagine the finger print system is
extremely secure if it's coupled with the security subsystem, which I have.
This is theoretically much more secure than software encryption, as the key
is held in the hardware. It's a bit OTT for most things. I scared myself
silly by setting the password (for fun) and then having difficulties (it
asked for windows password, which I hadn't set - but actually just required
pressing return). If you read about what happens to the laptop if you get
the pin wrong 3 times... you might think twice. Also, you may not be able
to recover encrypted files on the hardrive.

Scary stuff

Duncan.