computers

[Guest KAW]

from reading this forum there seems to be quite a few computer wizards

the thing is i dont own a computer and i have got £1200 to spend on one

at the moment i`ve got one of those bush internet t.v`s and its a pain in the a**e not being able to download anything

can anybody suggest a decent system

thanks

KAW

 

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KAW

[Guest John S]

If you have a friend who can do it, get him/her to build a system for you. That way you'll get the system you want rather than one that the salesman wants you to buy (don't forget, they're probably on a commission for every one they sell, so it makes sense for them to fob you off with the most expensive they can). You'll certainly be able to buy a top-of-the-range system for £1,200 but someone could make it for you and save you money.

 

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John Suffill

 

john@go-fishing.co.uk

[Guest Steve Burke]

You're likely to get lots of conflicting advice on this topic. Here's mine for what it's worth.

 

The first thing is to decide what you're going to use the computer for. Then choose your software (i.e. programs). Then and only then choose the computer to run it.

 

As far as software goes, it's only worth having if you're going to use it. Otherwise it just clogs up your hard disk. Microsoft is becoming the industry standard, and once you've learnt one Microsoft program most of their other products are relatively easy to get to grips with. They may not always have the best, but they're rarely far short. It also means help is easily available from zillions of users. My wife, Peggy, teaches computers at school and can't stress this strongly enough. The vast majority of employers use Microsoft products as well. The main exception is in some industries like graphic design where Apple Macs seem to still rule the roost.

 

Turning to hardware, if you aren't going to play 3D games, you don't need to waste money on a fancy graphics card. Moreover, if you're going to use your computer just for the internet and word processing you don't need the latest superfast processor either. As Computer Active magazine demonstated in its tests you just won't notice the difference in practice. The saving in cost on these two items alone can be hundreds of pounds!

 

IMHO, something that is worth making sure you get is a 17" monitor. It doesn't cost much extra and certainly saves a lot of scolling up and down, and is easier on the eyes too.

 

If you're going to do a lot of printing for business, go for a fast laser printer. This will save you miles more time than a faster processor on the computer. Also look at the cost per page too, as over the life of the printer the running costs of even a home office machine totally swamp the initial purchase cost.

 

Finally, I'd always advise getting a 1 year on-site warranty. If a computer is going to go wrong it's likely to be soon after you get it. With an on-site warranty you won't be without the machine you've got addicted to for very long!

 

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Wingham Fisheries

www.anglersnet.co.uk/fisheries/wingham/htm

[Guest thecarpangler]

If you're a novice and want a good machine at a reasonable price with onsite warranty etc

You can create your own spec machine at Dells site. http://www.dell.co.uk

[Guest KAW]

Thanks for the advice steve but there was just one aspect i did`nt understand what do you mean by price per page as far as printers go

thanks mate

KAW

 

 

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KAW

[Guest loonyl]

Hi Kaw,

I reckon you can't go far wrong with £1200 !

Just pop into pc world or wherever & pick one you like the look off!

Personally I have 4 computers,

the fastest is 233mhz

(it was 450mhz but I blew it up.. fzizz)

cost £200, a 100 mhz one with monitor etc for £100 then 2 50mhz for £25 each.

a monitor costs £35

 

Well at least they'll never go outa fashion

(coz they've never been in ) )

by the way, did you know NASA still uses 386's (25mhz) on their space satellites!!!

If its good enuff for rocket scientists,

it good enuff for me.

 

and hard drives , the biggest I've got ia a gig, oh and I have 2 cdroms between the 4 computers.....

 

Err herrm I could do you one for £1200,

1 careful owner ! (then me )

Cheers

Liam

[Guest loonyl]

Microsoft is becoming the industry standard, and once you've learnt one Microsoft program most of their other products are relatively easy to get to grips with. They may not always have the best, but they're rarely far short. It also means help is easily available from zillions of users. My wife, Peggy, teaches computers at school and can't stress this strongly enough. The vast majority of employers use Microsoft products as well. The main exception is in some industries like graphic design where Apple Macs seem to still rule the roost.

 

Hi

"I spit on Microsoft !!" hgerrr *thut*

 

Linux roolz, Suse 7 is a dream,

and for £3 for everything you can't argue.

 

Apache is the web server thats free and every ISP use eg Freeserve.

 

The new kid on the block is QNX, it's used in nuclear power stations etc, and its gonna be used in hand held devices soon, details are at http://www.qnx.com/iat/

a WHOLE operating system on a floppy, no hard disk required.

 

The EU are campaigning like mad to break the strangle hold of Microsoft, and with the Blairy bunch wanting to put computers in schools, they are looking at Linux.

 

Come the revolution

Liam

[Guest KAW]

Thanks liam

but i have`nt got the faintest idea what you are talking about what are servers and stuff i`m a total machanical idiot when it comes to this sort of thing

 

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KAW

[Guest Steve Burke]

Originally posted by KAW:

Thanks for the advice steve but there was just one aspect i did`nt understand what do you mean by price per page as far as printers go

thanks mate

KAW

 

This refers to the cost of the cartridge and toner for a laser printer and how long it lasts. It's rather akin to the petrol consumption in a car. Many magazine reviews will give you the cost per page. We have a very fast and reliable Kyocera that prints for less than a penny per page. It also takes a lot of paper at once so printing multiple copies isn't slowed down by reloading the paper tray.

 

If you're not going to do a lot of printing, a colour ink jet printer would be a better bet. They're not as fast nor quite as good quality print as a laser but fine for home use. They cost a lot less to buy but the running costs are very high. Apparently the manufacturers make their money from the ink cartridges rather than the printer itself. The cheaper models especially are also prone to breakdown and repairs are expensive. In fact it's usually cheaper to buy a new machine. From her experience with umpteen ink jet printers at school Peggy would recommend Epsons.

 

If it's your first purchase, get an experienced friend to shop with you and, most importantly, to set the computer up plus give you a few lessons. Having said that some suppliers have a set up service/tutorial for a nominal charge. This can often be negociated out, especially if you buy more than just the computer.

 

Turning to software, if you're a beginner I can recommend Microsoft Works. It's a suite of linked programmes that's really easy to learn and has an on-screen tutorial. If your kids are going to use the computer check with your school which software they use - the vast majority use Microsoft.

 

Talking of software, make sure you also get an anti-virus package. If you don't it could be both expensive and frustrating!

 

Do have a look at Computer Active magazine. It's won a plain English campaign and is full of practical tips. Many of the others, including its sister publications, are for the enthusiast. Remember this when looking at magazine reviews; there's a lot less difference in performance in practice than it first appears. Above all, for office use, a fast printer will always negate the gain from a fast computer. Most important of all for a newcomer when talking about speed is how quckly you can learn how to use the machine, and particularly the software.

 

One final point. At this time of year it usually pays to wait until after Xmas to buy a computer. Not only do prices often fall then, but new models are often introduced after the rush. Also just try to get through to a helpline immediately after Xmas!

 

 

 

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Wingham Fisheries

www.anglersnet.co.uk/fisheries/wingham/htm

[Guest gray-catchpole]

all good and valid advice above, as steve said youll get loads of conflicting advice

here is mine

 

im in the middle of building a pc for the kids for crimbo(mainly so i can get on this one) i scrounged around and manage to pick up everthing i need, apart from a monitor wich i already had as a spare. all of it came to £130 and its no slouch either, 500mhz processor(this is the brain and controles how fast your machine runs), 64 mb ram(this stores programs and the like once run,the more you have the more you can do at the same time) 4.5 gig hd(this stores all you programs,pictures,letters,on your computer,voodo2 graphics card(games)sound card,keyboard, and mouse,

 

have a look here there really good http://www.computingwales.com

hope this helps, and is not to confusing

 

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gray-catchpole

 

 

 

http://catchpole.cjb.net

mailto:catchpole@go-fishing.co.ukcatchpole@go-fishing.co.uk