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I'm computer-illiterate, so tell me: how does this sound?

Discussion in 'Computers & Technology Forum' started by Abiyah, Jun 3, 2003.

  1. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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    My computer died -- or, at least, my computer
    repair person asked me why I was wanting to put
    more money into my old one in order to bring it
    back to life. --And right when this ridiculous
    Internet service coming through my cable was
    about to be no more in this town.

    So I am buying a new computer which was
    described to me like this:
    It has an Intel Pentium 4 with 2.6 gig and a bus
    speed of 800. It has an MSI motherboard with
    audio, lan, and a serial ATA, IDE 7200 RPM, 80
    gig, 8 megabytes. The video card is Radion 9000
    (to accomodate my present monitor) with DVI for
    later switch to LCD; DD464 megs RAM. The CDR
    has an aluminum case, and the power supply is 300
    watt. The memory is 512.

    Now, I have no idea what I just told you because,
    like I said, I am computer-iliterate. What I want to
    know is does that sound good? Right? Like the
    thing to do? Etc???

    Thank you for any information you can give me.
     
  2. Clint Kritzer

    Clint Kritzer Active Member
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    That actually depends on two factors:

    1) For what purpose will you be using it?; and

    2) How much is it costing you?
     
  3. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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    Hi, Clint!! I have not talked to you in a LONG time!

    I am using it for personal things: Internet, letters,
    creating flash cards and other things for my
    synagogue, drawing, creating other stuff and to
    get away from tis ridiculus system. The cost,
    including tax, is just over $1300.

    Nice to "see" you!
     
  4. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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  5. dianetavegia

    dianetavegia Guest

    Abiyah, We bought a new computer for me this past winter for about $600. I didn't need a new monitor tho. That sounds pricey for what you use your computer for. I'd check out Best Buys and Circuit City for some sales and rebates.

    Guys??? Help??? I can do lots of things with my computer but I have NO idea what all those gigathingys mean. But then, I don't believe that radio and t.v. comes through the air either. LOL
    Diane
     
  6. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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    ("But then, I don't believe that radio and t.v. comes through the air either. LOL
    Diane"

    Nope, there are little people inside those things. I saw the insides of a radio when I was a little kid (before they started sealing them up so that the little people could not get out and raid the fridge at night), and they have long glass tubular stage lights -- lots of them. They hide behind the lights and other stuff inside the radio when you try to see them. One of them is just a shadow, and he knows everything. I have seen him.)

    The reason I requested so much stuff on this computer is because I have never had a computer that did not run out of memory or that would do everything I wanted. I have spent too much time rebooting computers because they froze on me from being overloaded with too much whatever.

    I also wanted it to be able to handle my future needs, which will surely grow. It has happened with each computer that, computer illiterate or not, I have outgrown.

    I am using my old monitor, but everything else was too old.
     
  7. dianetavegia

    dianetavegia Guest

    I KNEW I was right, Abiyah! Wow.. all these years. Hey, is our head really full of hair waiting to come out? [​IMG]

    Diane
     
  8. td

    td New Member

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    I just bought a new computer this week. I never buy the latest and greatest...what's the point? It will be obsolete in a few months anyway. A local shop built it for me: AMD 1.8, 256k ram, cd burner, 30g hard drive, & 3D graphics for $446. Kept my old monitor, floppy drive and CD. My old 300mhz box finally quit after five years of faithful service. Didn't really want to spend the money on a new one, but how else could I post on Baptist Board?
     
  9. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    Abiyah, you've described a capable machine, but I have my doubts that you need all that horsepower.

    Dell and Gateway offer competent machines for several hundred dollars less than that; Tiger Direct has some lower-powered machines (that being a relative term, they're more powerful than the one I'm using here) for even less.

    I wouldn't discourage you from getting a high-octane machine if you really need it, but you might look at some other options if you'd like to save some money.

    Just my opinion, which is worth every cent of what you paid for it ... [​IMG]
     
  10. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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    Initially, I considered Dell, but then I realized that
    when anything goes wrong, it must be mailed in at
    my expense, it must use their parts, it is gone (out
    of my home) for at least two weeks, there is no
    loaner program, and my son can't just pop in and
    work on on it for me. I would feel like I am always
    at their mercy, always necessarily paying their
    prices. Is this right?
     
  11. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    Well, you got me there.

    At one time, I would have felt the same way. My first computer was a 386 SX-25 with everything built into the motherboard, and it was not expandable and almost impossible to upgrade.

    After that, I insisted on building every machine. But I bought a few well-used Dells for the extended family and was pleased with their performance and reliability.

    About a year ago, I gave up building new machines and am using a Gateway from Tiger Direct and a new Dell. Prices have fallen so much that I no longer feel the need to build my own.

    If this is a concern for you, go another route. Do whatever makes you more comfortable. And enjoy.
     
  12. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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    Being computer illiterate has constantly left me at
    the mercy of sales people. Eveerytime, I have,
    at their advice, bought machines that they
    assured me were adequate for my needs, and
    everytime, they proved otherwise. I don't know.
    Perhaps I did go overboard wth this one, but I
    am so sick of the things either freezing or giving
    me that little "low memory" notice.

    Much of the problem is my excessive use of
    graphics and my desire to connect pages rather
    than having a new file for every page.

    Of course, I am anxious to get to a machine that
    can handle the Internet (I accidentally erased an
    important program from my last one, making
    connecting to the Internet impossible for it) and
    I want to get away from this cable TV Internet
    service and its miserable keyboard.
     
  13. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    By all means, go for it.

    Without knowing the specifics of the machine you now have, it's hard to tell why it's so unsatisfactory. It might be lack of physical memory, other hardware limitations, the limitations of the operating system or even the programs you're using.

    The main thing is that it does what you want it to do.
     
  14. Pastork

    Pastork New Member

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    Abiyah,

    I purchased a Dell computer about a year and a half ago and have loved the computer and the support. I am not sure why you say that you have to ship it to them at your expense if something goes wrong, though. I have had only one problem that required a technician to fix, which was that I got the odd bad hard drive and it crashed a couple of months after i received it. I called Dell at about 11:00 on a Wednesday evening and the tech on the phone took me through the Dell diagnostics and determined that I had a bad hard drive. He told me I would be contacted about a new hard drive in just a few days. The next day (Thursday) at about 12:30, I received a phone call from a Dell certified technician in Springfield, Illinois (about 40-50 minutes away from where I live). He said he wanted to come over the next day (Friday) and install my new hard drive. We set up an appointment for 1:00 and he was out in and out by 1:30. He formatted the new hard drive and ran a couple of tests to make sure it was a good one, and reminded me that I could call the Dell 1-800 tech support number if I had any questions about re-installing my software.

    It is the best service I have had from any company in quite some time!

    Pastork
     
  15. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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    Well, perhaps I have over-paid. I don't have the
    computer yet, but it is presently being built and
    will come with Microsoft Publisher (my favorite),
    Microsoft Office XP, Power Point, Excel, etc.

    In fact, maybe that's it! I did not mention the
    software also bein installed. Does Dell an the
    others cme wit these things, or are they more
    things to be paid for after te price of the computer?
     
  16. Artimaeus

    Artimaeus Active Member

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    Abiyah,, you did the right thing. I have been selling computers for about 15 years and I always give the same advice to everyone. Get the fastest computer, with the most memory, and the biggest hard drive that you can afford (other options vary depending on what your purposes are). No one has ever come back and said, "Oh, I wish I had gotten a slower one". Your price is well within the acceptable range for what you got. I look at your new setup and then I look at my old dinosaur and I click on "Add Reply" while talking softly to myself, "It's a sin to covet...It's a sin to covet...It's a sin to covet..." [​IMG]
     
  17. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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    (8o( I'm sorry.)
     
  18. Sherrie

    Sherrie New Member

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    Abiyah...I am so happy for you! But also wanted to tell you..Dell does make house calls. Even to the college where my son is. I bought one for him 5 monthes ago. They brought him a part that was missing from it when it was delivered.

    Also Gateway pays all postage. My computer is Gateway. And they have replaced parts at no cost to me.

    Happy typing! Very Happy for you!

    Sherrie
     
  19. Artimaeus

    Artimaeus Active Member

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    Just kidding, Abiyah,. A long time ago when my father would see someone with something he liked real well and wished he had, he didn't want to be guilty of coveting so he would say, "I wish I had that one and they had a better one." [​IMG]
     
  20. Dualhunter

    Dualhunter New Member

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    That's a pretty good computer. It's more than you need so I don't think you'll be disappointed.
     
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