How to purchase a New Computer

[MossRoad]

Yep, David, I found some ways to get rid of all the personal information, but then I'd never taken a hard drive apart or seen the magnet discussed in the Chalkley Cup thread. I had two hard drives; a 20 meg and an 80 meg in it and I've already taken them out and torn them apart.

Hahahaha!!! The Chalkley Cup! God bless Mark and Harv, where ever they are!

For those that have not heard of the Chalkley Cup,

WONDERMAGNET.COM - NdFeB Magnets, Magnet Wire, Books, Weird Science, Needful Things

 

[riptides]

Someone mentioned wireless routers.

Cradlepoint makes a leading edge product. Battery operated, ultra small, leading edge, for the highly mobile crowd.

Piggybacks off the 3g networks, broadband speeds, totally cool.

Wireless, wireless....

-Mike Z.

 

[orezok]

I'm using an apple right now, my first. Had it 15 months and 0 problems . Actually, it's a Mac Mini, measures a whole 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" x 2". Only drawback is the need to purchase otherwise useless software to read Word documents.

A good open source software suite for Mac is available here NeoOffice Home

It reads, writes and works virtually the same as Microshaft Office.

The best part is it's free!

If you're looking for the equivalent for Windows (same exact program) go to
OpenOffice.org: Home

 

[dmccarty]

Why have a TV Tuner in your PC?

If you have a DVR you have a PC with a TV tuner. You can turn your PC into a DVR by adding a TV tuner. Search for HTPC, Home Theater PC, and you will get lots of hits. In the not so distant future, the old stereo/media system will be replaced with a PC. The PC can DVR, play music, play DVDs, etc. We keep looking at a new HP Media Center PC for all of the above reasons but the money gets spent on higher priority items.

Laptops are NICE. Its wonderful to be able to take your PC from one's office to a meeting, from the study to the living or the kitchen. I'm working at home today on my laptop. Currently I'm in the study. But I started the morning at 7:00am in the kitchen waiting for the coffee to finish and the bagels to toast. Now I'm in the study working while using remote desktop to work on three systems sitting in my cube. One of those system is connected to a mainframe I'm getting ready to torture.

The desktops are nice to run as a server and HP is selling servers for the home market. Our old desktop system has close to a terrabyte of disk space at this point. The first hard drive I worked on had 5 megabytes.

At this point I'm pretty sure we will buy HP or DELL. I have tried locally assembled systems since they could do it cheaper than I could. They used The Best Components of the day but I had more problems with that PC than anyone I have ever owed or used. It literally caught on fire. So its Dell or HP from now on.

Later,
Dan

 

[MossRoad]

I'm using an apple right now, my first. Had it 15 months and 0 problems . Actually, it's a Mac Mini, measures a whole 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" x 2". Only drawback is the need to purchase otherwise useless software to read Word documents.

Count your blessings. We have several Mac minis. They are not any more dependable hardware wise than a PC. I am currently working on a Mac Mini that has a disk stuck in the CD drive. All of the software tricks to make it eject do not work. We had to disassemble the Mac mini, and disassemble the CD drive because they do not have a manual eject button that you can poke with a paper clip like a "normal" Cd drive.

 

[milkman]

On the advise of an old friend and bank computer expert, I started using Norton utilities before we ever heard of Windows, so I've stayed with it. I'm using Norton AntiVirus and Norton SystemWorks.

I liked Norton and used it for several years, then I started listening to a computer show on AM radio while I was driving and heard about AVG antivirus by GRIsoft. It is a free download, works flawlessly, is not a memory hog, doesn't take over your computer, just simply works, updates automatically and scans when you set it to scan. Wouldn't go back to Norton if they paid me, and I liked Norton better than McAfee.

 

[1bush2hog]

I liked Norton and used it for several years, then I started listening to a computer show on AM radio while I was driving and heard about AVG antivirus by GRIsoft. It is a free download, works flawlessly, is not a memory hog, doesn't take over your computer, just simply works, updates automatically and scans when you set it to scan. Wouldn't go back to Norton if they paid me, and I liked Norton better than McAfee.

I'll second the AVG software. I previously used NOrton antivirus, but after trying to unsuccessfully upgrade several PC's in my office and spending hours on the phone with someone in India, I have abandoned Norton

AVG and Avast are both good alternative solutions for AV

 

[Eastinlet]

Ive been having good luck the last few years with an Apple Imac. Had a power supply issue that was covered under warranty, but it was fixed expeditiously. Their support staff is excellent and all seem to speak fluent English.

I could care less what brand i run, but the Apple OSX is a rock solid operating system and I couldn't recommend it more. I appreciate reliability and ease of use.

I still keep a couple Windows boxes around to run specialized work software, but I by choice spend way more time on the Mac. I've got to get around to getting Bootcamp so I can run Windows on this thing too...

 

[CurlyDave]

I have a non geek friend who has thrown his MicroSwear away and purchased an Apple and suffered the learning curve and extra initial cost because he's tired of fighting it and paying $200 to get it "fixed" when it hangs. Interesting to see this thought presented also on TBN... could it be a trend??

"Extra initial cost" -- my hairy purple donkey!

DW and I can't afford not to use Macs. She is a University Professor and runs a small consulting business on the side.

When I met her 11 years ago she was a committed PC user, and would never even look at a Mac. I could use either, but preferred Macs.

Part of her consulting business consists of writing ~100 page reports for the people she consults with, maybe 6 to 12 times per year. The deadlines for these are absolute, drop dead due dates.

What I noticed right away was that about every 6 months her PC would go belly up the weekend before a report was due. Now I was always able to fix it given about 3 or 4 days and the software that came with it, but she didn't have 3 or 4 days. So, we would go off to the computer store and get a new PC (always HP or Sony, never a cheapie), and she would finish the report on that.

Now, she always was paid enough for the report to justify the computer, but there wasn't a whole lot of profit in that particular report.

I could always get the old computer working in a few days with many instances of "blessing the keyboard", and she would donate it to a needy student.

Then she somehow decided to try a Mac, and since that day, about 5 years ago, we have never had a crisis requiring computer replacement. We get new ones from time to time, but always because we want to, never because we have to in order to meet a deadline.

I used to keep a cheap PC laptop around to update my GPS units, because they wouldn't work with Macs, but now I use Parallels and can do it all on my Mac.

Using Macs saves us $3-4 k per year.

 

[DavidVT]

Curly Dave, I know all about that critical need detector in those computers. I made good money many times for that exact same problem. Funny how I keep finding folks who mention that same thing over and over again. Maybe there is an Apple in my future some day.

========================= my thoughts on this thread ====

Many years in the biz, pc user, db analyst, early asp web dev, pc support and isp provider....

That being said, I am a firm believer that if the user is happy with what they have, there is no need to talk them into another brand / technology / OS / newer / or even better software. Sometimes a little advise on security or why they have to keep paying me to remove the porno site generated viri would be an exception.

I am also a firm believer in NEVER loaning your computer to family or friends. If you are the sort that wants to help others, which is a good thing, please buy a discount PC and use that for a loaner. For 'the kids', setup an older PC for surfing the web or playing. Please keep your work or household finance PC away from those who might UNKNOWINGLY and very INNOCENTLY cause you pain or worse. I also suggest folks to keep their financials on a PC that is unable to connect to the web. It is real hard to get it infected or worse when you just say 'no'.

My primary desktop is a 300mhz dell that I bought for $3500 in ?96. It runs 2000pro. Over the years I upsized drives, memory and moved it to the DVD world. That box and I have been through much and it has done me well. I will continue to use it until it fails. It runs 24x7 with the monitor off when not being used. I can reach this box over the internet from anyhere in the world via a VPN

I have several other late model desktops that are 2gig or better. They have XP or linux on them. I use them for a project now and then and then turn them off.

I have a fairly new high end sony laptop from my work. Dual core and XP. This thing travels the world with me and has never let me down. I dumped the corporate antivirus for AVG due to a long happy history with AVG. Despite having admin access to my laptop, I run most add on applications from USB (or a virtual USB 'directory'). What this means is that the applications do not hook into the registry and thus have little to no influence on the computer when they are not running.

My wife and I bought two matching $599 hp laptops from staples in 06. Yes, we can wirelessly instant message each other from both ends of the couch if need be.. Actually (showing I am human) I managed to destroy mine with a can of green tea but my wife remains quite happy with hers. As it starts to fail we will use mine for spare parts..... I had maybe 12 laptops over the years from various jobs. I buy the first one on my dime and promptly destroyed it.... go figure.... There was one in a payphone in Japan, trying to use acoustic couplers and balance the laptop on the phone.... well that is another story and long before the internet took off.....

I have backed away from my computing hobby for the most part. I still have a room of computers with development sw, linux, vmware, software based routers (smoothwall,IPcop,clarkconnect,freesco,etc). I slowly move important things to virtual computers (VMWARE). The goal to have only three computers running around the clock rather than as many as 10 or 12 I've had running in the past. Power consumption really adds up..

I sourced most of my computers from the state surplus. I did this for friends who needed a computer to learn about the internet, for my development projects, for my internet buisness when I had that, etc. I have a massive HP network office laser printer that I bought there for $100 and am still on it's original ink cartridge!!

my likes:
-AVG free for antivirus,
-COMODO free or several other good slim free firewalls,
-USB based apps as can be found at 'portableapps.com' and other places,
(you can save these on your pc without having to use a USB stick)
-VMWARE free 'server' for a dedicated desktop or free 'player' for your PC,
-Knoppix or other bootable CDrom based liveCD. Use this to check your PC hardware when you are not sure if $m$s$ is the problem or your hardware. If the bootable CD works, it is probably the software on your pc....,

I have nothing against Apple. I have tried a few recently and could see myself with an Apple laptop, especially since all the virtual pc software allows so much more flexibility now. I have years invested in the IBM/PC side of things so that is why I remain in that camp for now.

I am not a Microsoft hater. Honestly the dissapointment has never left me since being in the win95 beta program. Windows works but it could be oh so much better. I will put off Vista as long as I can. I am happy with win2Kpro and XP. Why do I need to change?

Sorry for the ramble, interesting thread in tractorbynet.

============
At this point the computer for most users is not much more complicated to buy than a TV.
Do your homework first.
Use a friends computer if it is similar to what you are considering.
Try out something new (an apple or pc) while you consider a new computer.
Check on users satisfaction (most everthing has an opinion somewhere on the web).
Try to find someone who is happy with the same or similar computer and retailer.
Try to stay with name brand and avoid the no name cheapo.
Unless you are a hard core gamer or CAD user or some other extreme hardware user, just pick middle of the road and buy it.
If you WANT to buy from a local PC builder (yes there are some still out there), just do the reference thing and try to determine if they are going to survive. Make sure the price is in line with what you could buy elsewhere. You might pay a premium but hopefully they have a reputation for years of free advice or something that makes the local purchase make sense.
For desktops I have and still do recommend Dell simply because I have had good luck. Their biz model has changed and they are no longer king of the hill.
Ask the seller what the return policy is and make sure you have it in writing.
Make your decision, carefully unpack the new computer at your home to preserve the packaging.
If you are happy, great.
If not, carefully repack the new computer and take it back............... (yes, often easier if you buy locally)
If I can get a PC with NOTHING but the operating system, I would go that route. I really can not stand all the extra garbage software that so many brands stuff onto a new computer. LESS IS MORE is my rule. Sure a full install of MS Office might save some money, but not if it is some weird trial version..