So now the rules say you can bring a regulation-size piece of luggage and a purse/briefcase/laptop bag as a second piece. My question is, how big of a laptop case can you consistently carry aboard?

My standard case is pretty darn big. It's well-padded, and easily has room for two laptops in it (though the second compartment is supposed to carry cords and cables and stuff, I guess). But the point is it's pretty bulky, and usually weighs more than my carry-on duffel.

I swapped it out for the smallest Targus bag I could find recently. I figured, there's no way someone could deny me the right to carry it, since it's not much bigger than the computer by itself.

I'd rather carry my bigger bag, though. The Targus is so small I can barely fit my power cord in it. Forget about taking an extra phone line, it won't fit. You could stuff a few papers into the paper area, but not much. Certainly not a paperback book (which I usually stuff in my large-size computer case).

So what have people's experiences been with taking on (or witnessing) those larger computer bags -- or briefcases or purses, for that matter. I've seen some seriously big purses before!