I’ve long been itching to buy a new computer. My laptop is 5 years old and my old pc is 8 years old. Both are dying, but I put off buying a new one because I am poor like most of the rest of you.
So finally today I got a new computer!
And it is so fast and pretty. lol
I also got a 17" LCD monitor, which I wasn’t expecting to be able to afford, but they have come down in price significantly and I was pleasantly surprised. So now I am tickled and excited about playing with my new toy.
Congrats!!! I too have old computers that are slowly dying. I am hoping to buy a new one after I finish funding my emergency fund. I hope the flat panels continue to come down in cost so that I will be able to get one by then.
Rhuiden
i’m having fun now… transferring all my old files–two computers and 8 years worth of them–to the new one to be sorted and organized. what a task!
but once it’s done i can back them up on dvd. fun fun!
Congratulations-
I got a P4 Last year gig of RAM - It was a gift; I couldn’t believe it; Its SUPER fast!
I’m hoping to install a DVD burner soon.
i just have half a gig of RAM but it is plenty for now. the dvd burner is really a plus… i’m quite happy with a cd burner but the price was right…
now i’m just having network problems. the new computer can’t see the old, but the old can see the new. at least i can still transfer.
Oh my, your computers are old! You deserve to get a new computer. Enjoy your new toy!
We just bought a computer for my husband’s father for Christmas. We got it through Dell. Earlier this week they had special offers (free upgrades on stuff, including a free 17" flat panel, free shipping, free RAM upgrade 256 to 512). Everything else was standard except for some extra optional features.
BTW, you should ping www.slickdeals.net from time to time, you might find some interesting deals, rebates, etc on stuff you’re already buying.
Wow! Thanks for the great link, mariek. Good deals there.
Am I the only Mac geek here?
William
i doubt you’re the only one, but you are in the minority.
i don’t have too much of a problem with macs for people who really need what they offer. i have friends who do graphic design, video, music, etc for a living and they use macs and that’s ok. otherwise i don’t recommend them.
my new machine is so slick.
I bought my Mac specifically because I wanted to be able to type ancient Greek. I wanted to use Greekkeys and they stopped developing that for Windows.
Ofcourse it was only an excuse: there are many ways to type ancient Greek on a PC also, who needs Greekkeys? I just wanted a Mac…
Regards,
Adelheid
Good luck with your new computer.
Yes, I am an art director so that’s why I have a Mac. Why wouldn’t you recommend a Mac? I have been using them since 1989 and have been getting along just fine. I think of PC’s being more or less equal to Macs (and I am comfortable on both). I’m curious about your comment.
William
That’s interesting. What else draws you to a Mac if your real reason wasn’t typing ancient Greek? Like I said above I think of them as being somewhat equal, all things considered.
William
Well, I had to buy a computer of my own (couldn’t keep on using my husband’s) and since I was a Microsoft systems administrator with a wish to switch to Unix, I decided that Mac OSX (based on unix after all) would be a cool idea (Linux not having so attractive a desktop). I also had good experiences with Mac before (started out with a second hand LC3 Mac a long time ago), so I was familiar with them.
I never regretted the ‘switch’, there is beautiful software around for the Mac and well, I DO type a lot of Greek on my Mac too.
Regards,
Adelheid
I dislike them for the same reason I dislike windowsXP (though I now have XP anyway on the new machine). they’re so “userfriendly” that you can’t really DO anything with them. i hate not being able to do the same backend things with xp that i could with prior versions of windows. and i hate little things about the mac, like not having a right-hand mouse button (cuz i actually use that all the time) and things like that. just not my thing.
Klewlis, I think I know what you mean. I think if you lift the lid of OS X, though, you may be surprised a little bit. There’s a lot you can do in there. But still no right button on the mouse…sorry! (It’s funny, my wife uses a PC at work and is constantly looking for the right button on my Mac mouse.)
Adelheid, what kind of Mac did you wind up getting? I recently got a supercharged E-Mac. Not bad for the price.
Best to both of you,
William
That’s interesting. Just last week I spoke to one of our die-hard Windows support staff. People always come to us to ask for suggestions for home computers, of course, and he has just decided to start recommending Macs. Partially, I think, because he’s had to work with them and knows more about them, but the main reason is: security, in particular, the zombie and spyware problem. Non-techincal people are being driven off their computers by this epidemic.
The addition to a Mac of a two-button mouse is the work of a trip to a computer supply store. It’s the first thing I did to my new iSlab, after the memory. It’s even got the rolly-wheel!
(Not directed at me, but I’ll chime in briefly).
I’m not actually a “Mac person.” I’m something much worse: a Unix fanatic. Until quite recently my stance on the PC vs. Mac question involved a disgusting satirical discussion about whether it’s better to be constipated or diarrheic, with the point being “why would you want either?” Not quite the same stance as “being somewhat equal” but similar.
These days I adore my iSlab since with very little digging I expose the Unix parts and can bend the thing to my will in nearly every way, while still having easy access to the usual sorts of things normal people use computers for (IM clients, office-y style tools, music management software, etc.). I had used Linux at home for quite a while, but I’m a Unix sysadmin at work, and frankly the thrill of fiddling with Linux kernels has paled. I don’t want to do this at home any longer.
But for most home users I try to find out what people are trying to do, and recommend based on that. So while I claim to be a Unix lunatic, in general I’ll recommend whatever tool seems best for the inexperienced user. Windows is the path of least resistance a lot of the time.
Excellent way to approach the question. I was hoping you would show up in this thread, William.
For a non-techie like me who has to send graphic art production files to other computers, a Mac is the only way to go. You raise a great point about less of a chance of getting spyware. (I read recently that only 5% of such devilish attacks are directed at Macs. Although that’ll certainly change if Macs get more popular.)
William B.
Congrats, klewlis!