I Hate Computers

StoneHeartFarm · Aug 14, 2001

Harv,

I have to agree. The biggest and newest are usually over priced. My practice has been to buy 1 or 2 steps below the "top of the line", run it for a year or two and then upgrade with new CPU/Memory and run that a year or two before starting the cycle all over.

I think it's less important to have the newest and fastest than to have something that will accept the newest and fastest chips. For instance, when I bought this machine, my business programming was rated as requiring a 266. So I bought a PII 350 when the 400's were well out. I just upgraded with a PIII500 (and could have gone to a 600 if I could have found one) and a bunch of ram. That's bought me another couple of years as my business programming is now rated as requiring 400 mz. Well, maybe not, since the wife has designs on my computer.

As long as were discussing this, how hard is it to build one of these guys? I've installed ram, cpus, video cards, hard drives, floppy drives, CD drives and CD R/W, modems and sound cards. Think I'm up to the task? Or should I just be looking at on the shelf units?

SHF

Bird · Aug 14, 2001

Harv, I certainly do not disagree with you, but it seems there might be a slight analogy there to tractors. I know folks who have very old tractors. Now if that tractor will do what you want it to do, and you pretty thoroughly understand the operation, repairs, maintenance, etc. then the old tractor is all you need.

On the other hand, if your knowledge is limited to barely knowing how to drive one, scared to open the hood, don't know how to customize anything, but want plenty of power, automatic transmission, warranty, and convenience. Well, I think you see where I am./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

I disassembled a keyboard and reassembled it once (after I knocked over a glass of wine into it)./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif I opened the case on the last computer I had and installed a Soundblaster, and I opened this one once and installed a Zip drive. And other than wiping the dust off and connecting various cables on the back, that's about the extent of my computer mechanic experience./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

And besides that, like a lot of other dummies, I don't always just buy what I need; I buy what I want, sometimes whether I can afford it or not./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Bird

GlueGuy · Aug 14, 2001

how hard is it to build one of these guys?

If you've done that other stuff, it's not hard at all. Biggest problem will be finding the components at a price that will make it worth your while. If you have access to Fry's, they sell "bare bones" kits that include everything but disk and memory. I've seen pretty decent versions of these kits for about $200 (+/- depending on CPU speed). With 256MB of memory running < $50, and decent hard drives going for about $100, that means you could cobble together a decent machine for about $350.

That said, I've seen a lot of machines in that price range already built that you can get from the major vendors (which includes a warranty).

I guess I'm like Harv in this respect. I tend to buy "just behind" the knee of the curve. You pay a lot extra for that "little bit more" performance.

The GlueGuy

Harv · Aug 14, 2001

how hard is it to build one of these guys?

If you're referring to my mention of the ones I've built, I was actually referring to my first couple of computers where I worked with some hard-heads (what programmers call hardware engineers) to design the schematics. Bought the chips and other components, stuffed them into perf boards that had built-in edge connectors and wire-wrapped the whole dang thing. We even built our own power supplies -- wound the transformers by hand. I still have one of those computers, and amazingly, it still runs. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

My last endeavor to "build" a computer was to create a MultiBus Unix system, using mostly cards I picked up at auctions 'n' such. That was also the first/last time I wrote a unix kernel from scratch. A learning experience fer sure, but never again. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

These days I'm more concerned about using the computer rather than building one, so I just buy off the shelf.

StoneHeartFarm · Aug 14, 2001

Harv,

I'm just looking at the price break. I'm really not sure there is much of one at this point. The on the shelf stuff is looking pretty good. Building does have an advantage, however, in that I have a brand new video card, ram and a new modem laying around, plus I KNOW that the darn thing is upgradable (generic and not specific to one manufacturer).

SHF

mikim · Aug 14, 2001

FYI - I just looked at a Consumer Reports mag that rated Dell right at the top for reliablity etc. --and we're real happy with them here at the office. I'm about ready to buy one of 'em myself. Currently running a P233 at home with 64 MB mem that I assembled a coupla (4 - 5?)years ago. Wife keeps saying something about the town's mechanic always drives the worst car in town?? hey - it gets me where I want to go. ...
mike

glennmac · Aug 14, 2001

My hate is more focused: I hate Windows computers.

I worked for IBM for 17 years. Never learned how to use a PC. Of course, for many of those years I had a DOS machine, which was trying to learn Sanskrit.

When I left IBM and opened an office in my house, I needed a computer. When my 10 year old son showed me how to operate a Mac in 10 minutes at Staples, I bought Macs. Installed them, learned them, updated them all myself. Simple. Never had any problems except an occasional freeze-up.

Went to work at large law firms, which all have Windows networks. Windows is frustrating, non-intuitive (why is there a Start button that doesnt start the computer but stops it), is a pain to attach anything, always breaking and spewing out error messages.

I'm thinking about giving up my work computer--which is still in the hospital because of my C drive problem, while I use a piece of trash 28.8 Winbook--and buying my own Mac Ibook. The only problem is my so-called systems people dont know how to include a Mac into our network. I think it can be done, but I'm years out of date on Mac technology.

Harv · Aug 14, 2001

Bird -

I was neither approving nor disapproving of your computer purchase. Just expounding my personal approach to these things. I think you will be very happy with your new computer, probably for years to come. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I hadn't thought of the tractor analogy, since I wasn't in a position to pick and choose from the latest models at the time. As it turned out, however, I did wind up following my own philosophy -- the one I got was not in its first year of production (Kubota had a chance to fix any manufacturing glitches), plus I let someone else deal with any "new tractor" problems before I bought it.

I don't always just buy what I need; I buy what I want

That was me before I got married (uh-oh! the truth comes out!). /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Harv · Aug 14, 2001

Glenn -

I totally agree with you about Macintosh computers (Apple corporate problems notwithstanding).

I have used many computers and many operating systems over the last few decades, and IMHO the Macintosh is the cat's whiskers.

However, since most of the world belongs to Bill Gates, I have learned to stay off of this particular soap box. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

looch · Aug 14, 2001

I can second that. I'm a system administrator and I really don't like windows. Install this - reboot; configure that - reboot; it's been a month since you rebooted? reboot. I have an HP-UX machine that I administer that's been running since Christmas. It would have been longer but we upgraded the building's electrical entrance to 1000A so we shut down our server room.
I also have a Linux system at home that I built out of my old P166MMX. It's not bad, but I've found that it is not as stable when using it as a desktop computer - better suited as a server.
Sun has a pretty cool system now - the Sun Blade 100. I don't have any first hand experience with them - just what I've read in articles. It's a UNIX workstation - for under 1000 bucks! For an extra grand or so, you can add a PCI card that kind of acts like a second motherboard so you can run windows in its native environment on your UNIX workstation.
Of course, compared to the Intel platform, software choice is limited.
The new Mac OSx has caught my attention. Anyone using this? Looks like the best of both worlds (UNIX stability with Mac power and interface)