New Computer Advice

[goramsey]

Life is to short to waste my time talking about the pros and cons of which is best. I already know the answer to that. But to get to the question of getting a new computer – I know a number of people that can barley use e-mail and they bought expensive laptops. So sad. If you just use it for cruising the web and e-mail, just get a cheap laptop or iPad, and then with the money saved you could take another great camping trip. Woof, woof!!!

[ERV]

I have been with Mac from 1980 or around there. Right now am on a MacBook. If you do need to run PC stuff, they have two or three programs that turn your Mac into a PC. I am running Parallels. I can run everything for work that I have too. So far have had it running for about two years now. They came out with an up grade this spring and that works even better. Don't know if all your old programs will work, but I bet they will. I am running the PC side with Windows XP. Works for me.

Erv

[caseydog]

I'm a die hard PC fan, but I highly recommend that you look at both macs, and new pc's with win 7. Let your needs determine what you get, not someone elses recommendations.

BTW.. Drink Pepsi, it's way better than Coke!

I prefer Dr. Pepper, myself.

CD

[ssrjim]

Go to a company owned Apple store. It will be the most amazing shopping experience you will ever have, in a good way.

The one by my house is alway very busy.

They won't pressure you to buy and won't be upset if you don't. Just visit, I'd love to know if your experience is as good as the Apple stores I've been to.

[Jazzy Lynn]

Nice to know I can just run to the Apple Store if something goes wrong. And their customer support available by phone is in Texas rather than India.

That's the best reason I've heard for buying a Mac.
Barbara

[Micro469]

If you are happy with the speed of your present computer, but are getting RAM errors, change your ram.If you decide to buy a new computer, you can get Norton's ghost program.. which will copy your old harddrive to a new hard drive.. that way you save all your programs and settings and your new computer will look exactly like your old computer.

[deceiver]

Get a mac... no freezes, no viruses, auto updates of the OS until a major upgrade, It comes with much of the software you'll need but you can add more. And their software is designed to do what you want for the average Joe. Not complicated.
Apple makes the machine and the OS and much of the software and any company who makes software has to use their tools so it has certain standards. The result is that everything works together cleanly. And the whole design is elegant. I have a mac that I've updated but never done anything to. it's 7 years old. You just use it and forget about the rest.

At an apple store they have a dedicated 'genius' bar at the back of the store. They'll help you with all your stuff. If the sales people in the store sound enthusiastic when you go in there it's because they are Mac owners and want you to have a Mac. They are not on commission. There is a long waiting list of people who want to work there.

If I sound like a fanboy.. well I am. But for a reason.
Oh, if you want to run Windows... you can purchase it and install it and flip back and forth to either that or the Mac OS. But, you won't bother to and will eventually remove it after awhile to free up space.

[BobR]

I purchased a Lenovo T500 Think Pad last year on the recommendation of my son (25 years in IT for Disney corporate). This has been the most trouble free PC I have ever owned or used (including Dell, HP, Gateway to name a few). The price-value relationship and overall performance are both excellent. Do yourself a favor and include the Lenovo in your comparison shopping.

[Cliffmeister2000]

I have 4 computers at the moment, 2 HP and 2 clones. If you stay with PC (and that's what I would do), consider Costco. They double the warranty on all their PCs, so you get 2 years instead of 1.

I have used, and been pleased with, Dell, HP, Toshiba and Lenovo. Oh, and Sony.

I have found Dell's support to be top rate. I sometimes hang up and call back when using HP support, if I cannot understand the technician on the other end.

Unlike most PC hardcore folks, I have nothing against Apple. However, as a monopoly, it seems everything costs more.

[mspieth]

If you are happy with the speed of your present computer, but are getting RAM errors, change your ram.If you decide to buy a new computer, you can get Norton's ghost program.. which will copy your old harddrive to a new hard drive.. that way you save all your programs and settings and your new computer will look exactly like your old computer.

That won't work. Windows can't change hardware in that way (By design) even if it did, The drivers will be all wrong, as the new computer will at least have SATA drives and the old system probably doesn't even know what a SATA drive is.

[Cliffmeister2000]

If you are happy with the speed of your present computer, but are getting RAM errors, change your ram.If you decide to buy a new computer, you can get Norton's ghost program.. which will copy your old harddrive to a new hard drive.. that way you save all your programs and settings and your new computer will look exactly like your old computer.

That won't work. Windows can't change hardware in that way (By design) even if it did, The drivers will be all wrong, as the new computer will at least have SATA drives and the old system probably doesn't even know what a SATA drive is.

Changing the RAM won't invoke driver errors, but it probably won't cure the problem either.

[mspieth]

Sorry for the confusion.. I was speaking of the ghosting of the OS to another computer, not changing ram.

[Cliffmeister2000]

I have no experience with Ghost. My experience tells me the data can be saved, but the programs will have to be reloaded.

[S. Heisley]

Toypusher wrote:

If you go MAC, you most likely will have to buy all new programs (any that do not come with the MAC to start with)

…Good point, and, if you have to buy all new programs, you’ll have to learn how to use each of them, too.

Also, if you get a PC with win7, some (or even all of) you current programs may have to be updated (read repurchased).

…With each new PC that I’ve purchased, I’ve been able to use most of my old software, unless it was really "antique". I haven’t upgraded to Win7 yet, so I don’t know about that.

Cliffmeister200 wrote:

I have 4 computers at the moment, 2 HP and 2 clones. If you stay with PC (and that's what I would do), consider Costco. They double the warranty on all their PCs, so you get 2 years instead of 1.

…Good tip!

I have used, and been pleased with, Dell, HP, Toshiba and Lenovo. Oh, and Sony.
I have found Dell's support to be top rate. I sometimes hang up and call back when using HP support, if I cannot understand the technician on the other end.

…This can be true. Most of HP’s support seems to reside in or come from India; but, India is just another English-speaking country with an accent; and, if your problem is severe, they will transfer you to a higher level of help, here in the USA.

Unlike most PC hardcore folks, I have nothing against Apple. However, as a monopoly, it seems everything costs more.

I have no experience with Ghost. My experience tells me the data can be saved, but the programs will have to be reloaded.

…Ditto.
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…I’ve used IBM, an off-brand PC, a couple Dell’s, 4 HP’s, and, yes, a MAC. The MAC has always been innovative and very easy to use but the PC’s and their software companies have stepped up to the plate and done a fairly good job of matching that ease. I understand that the MAC has a following of people who have set up a kind of free classes club in some areas, too. (If they have a club in your area, it could be interesting and could lead to your finding that person you’ve been looking for!) But, if you already know how to use a PC and have programs that you use on the PC, it might be easier to stay with what you know. Also, the PC is still the industry standard. So, if you still dabble in industry work at all, you’ll want to continue with that to keep your competitive edge.

In conclusion, each type has its own good and bad points; so, look at both. It just depends on what you are looking for.

Oh, and 7 years is a long time for any PC or Mac to last. You did good with that one. A lot of people figure on 5 years.

[deceiver]

Quote:
Unlike most PC hardcore folks, I have nothing against Apple. However, as a monopoly, it seems everything costs more.

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Hmm. the only comapany that's ever been sued by the federal govt. and the govt of other countries is Microsoft. Apple has 5% of the computer market and you call it a monopoly? They do have 100% of their computer market. And it's those people who choose Apple. If not then they can go to the other 95% of the technology. A monopoly means that there are no choices. Apple is at least 10 years away from being a monopoly.