| Author | Message | ||
     Spdrxb |
I know i'm gonna catch crap for this but here it goes.Sadly i'm still using dial up and am in need of a better computer.I need to tap into my fellow Buellers for opinions and advise.My computer knowledge is very limited.However in any hobby I get into I learn quickly and always buy all the gadgets.That is the problem I have way to many hobbies and no time or enough money to support constant use of them all.Thus the reason I never got into computers, did not want to sink money into something I will hardly use,I'D rather be putting money into my bikes.Anyway I guess its time to upgrade a little. I would like a good desktop so I can get high speed internet and the ability to watch and edit dvds for making helmet cam vids.Also so i can post a dam profile picture! Thanks for any help you can provide. | ||
| Jimduncan69 |
get an imac it will do everything you want right out of the box. plus you don't have to worry about getting viruses. | ||
| Iamarchangel |
Macbook. Nothing to add, nothing to upgrade, easy to learn, fits in a backpack. Wireless everywhere. DVD software part of package. Had maybe 15 different Macs since the 80's: 2 hard drive failures; 2 mechanical problems easy to repair under warranty. Not a bad record. Look for academic pricing or Apple refurbished on bottom of Apple store page. (Message edited by Iamarchangel on April 04, 2009) | ||
| Froggy |
Every computer made in the last 10 years will do what you want, only difference between each is how fast they will do it. | ||
| Pogue_mahone |
if u want cheap and portable-- search for netbooks can be had with linux or windows xp for 250 and up.small cheap and portable are its strengths, you can also get a really good lower end laptop for 5-6 hundred.less if you go shopping for refurbished or returns. get a used laptop and add ubuntu linux and you can be up and running way cheap. | ||
| Eicas |
I bought my Dell about 2 years ago, no problems, good warranty and tech support if needed. I told them what I wanted it to do, they helped pick the correct model and options. Decide exactly what you want the computer to do, do not "overbuy" cause that costs extra for features that you do not need. | ||
| Panhead_dan |
You could do what I did about 9 months ago. I called Gateway and had one custom tailored for me. On payments for one year same as cash. It's my second Gateway and the first one still works great. | ||
| Caféelite |
Apple is not immune to vulnerabilities in their products. Safari on a macbook was exploited in 10 secs at the last PWN2OWN comp while IE8 was not exploited (YAYA I know its issues). Apple is not the best about releasing info on vulnerabilities let alone releasing a patch for them which is probably my biggest beef with them at the moment. I would also suggest staying away from a netbook since you want to avoid getting sucked up in the puter hobby. You also mention video editing as well, again not the best thing on a netbook. One thing you didnt mention was MONEY... how much you looking to spend? If you can drop 1400 I would probably suggest getting a MacBook. While my rant above may suggest otherwise I do actually like the MacBook (soooooo pretty) and they are fairly easy to use. If you looking at 1k or less I would just get one of the random laptops out there. Most PC laptops are all about the same in the end and they allow you a lot of room for running different OS's. Heck you could buy a HP box and throw OSX on it if you wanted. Key with a laptop is the hard drive, its the major peformance bottleneck. Try and find one w/ a solid state drive (will run a bit more in $$ side) but you will thank yourself later. If not make sure its atleast 7200rpm w/ a shit load of cache. Having a built in card reader is always nice to. Desktop = BAD.. just get yourself a nice LCD and use that while at home. Its always nice to be able to take your computer to the garage. Another thing to consider is support. Do you have any friends or family that are up to snuff on computers? If you have a friend\family that is good w/ PC's it might be a reason to avoid the Mac. If you have someone good w/ a Mac then I might suggest going that route. Your on dial up.. that shit isnt right man. My iphone gets better through put :P EWWW another thing.. Windows = ECMSpy.. (Message edited by Caféelite on April 04, 2009) | ||
| Icunh |
I bought a floor model toshiba laptop from circuit city for $400. 2gb ram 160gb hard drive. Does everything you could possibly want it to do and fast. You did say you wanted to spend money on other things so why overpay for a pc. Especially apple, way overpriced. Besides, if my $400 toshiba craps the bed (running strong for 1.5 yrs) who cares, it was $400!!!! I would be mad if I paid $1400 and it died. Peace dude and good luck. Tiger direct is a good site to buy refurbished pc's. | ||
| Spdrxb |
Thanks for all the info.Wife will be happy to hear about the laptop idea,Thats what she wanted anyways.I was thinking of only spending $500-600 if that was possible?But we are not picky so refurbished or not as long as it works well doesn't matter, will go do some shopping soon thanks. | ||
| Snackbar64 |
Get an ACER for $348.00 at Wal-Mart. | ||
| 03firebolt |
Macbooks are nice. BUT about the vulnerability. The guy at my computer service shop told me the reason Apple is Usually exempt to viruses is because that only about 5 percent of computers used are Macs. So it wouldnt make sense to write viruses to only effect 5%. I think he meant that they are not immune to viruses, But there are way less. Just what he told me. I own 2 macs, One desktop and the other a Macbook. I love my laptop, its fast, got everything i could want, It was a little pricy but it was a school purchase. The only thing i dont like about Macs is that Ecmspy isnt compatible with them. I had a sony viao which was nice, but i always had problems with it, and for as much as they cost you would think the product would be a little better. | ||
| Froggy |
Yep Macs are just as prone to viruses as anything else, you just don't hear about them. About the Vaio, Sony hasn't made anything in the last decade worth owning. They built up a reputation in the 80's and 90's, and are now milking the name for every dime they can get. | ||
| Pogue_mahone |
macs are virus resistant because of it OS more so than anything else. Linux is as well,as they both come from the same lineage. linux/mac user's are not given full admin priveliges so they cant wreck the computer,unlike windows where anyone on the comp is full on admin. and yes most virus and other crap is for windows.i have never had in 8 years a linux get hosed by a virus.i have had twice a virus hose my windows comps.plus all the crap u have to buy to use it,i thought i already bought the OS ??you mean i have to buy more crap????ugh get a comp with ubuntu on it. or get one then install ubuntu. www.ubuntu.com it is free and has a lifespan and has real support and free .and you dont have to upgrade ala Xp/vista if you dont want to. | ||
| Glitch |
+1 Ubuntu | ||
| Alii1959 |
Mac's vulnerable??? There are no known, public, viruses for OS X. Most, if not all, are experimental. I have been using OS X for 3 years.....no spyware, no viruses, NOTHING, NADA, ZIP. And, I do not use anti-virus programs or anything. My daughter, who is a technophobe, has a MacBook Pro, never a problem. Apple is #1 in customer service, always. Like Linux, OS X is Unix based and because of the permissions, not running as root, etc. makes it far less vulnerable than a Windows box. I use Windows (at work), have a MacBook, and use Linux at home....the only computer that constantly gives me crap (partly because of the crazy way the IT guys set them up) is the Windows box. Go to an Apple store, if possible, and play around with one.....it sure changes the way you think about computers. Even my wife now has a MacBook. We've had few problems and AppleCare has taken care of any issues that we have had.....immediately. | ||
| Court |
>>>>Apple is #1 in customer service By such a gap it's off the charts . . . I had a hard drive go bonkers . . . Apple had me an appt at the local Genius Bar in 20 minutes, I was in, diagnosed (the machine, he refused to diagnose me) and fixed pronto. If it were Dell or Lenovo I'd have been on the phone longer than the entire diagnosis and replacement of the hard drive took. | ||
| Swordsman |
Newegg.com .... every computer piece you'll ever need, at any price range you can think of. I built one helluva roaring machine, piece by piece, for $900, and it even looks cool. If you're going to turn computers into a hobby, there's no better place to start. ~SM | ||
| Saratoga |
If you're looking for cheap functionality and a simple means to surf the net, Apple isn't the way to go. That'd be like buying a BMW 750 because you need a commuter car on rainy days LOL. You could realistically get away with a sub-$500 HP or the like from Best Buy. | ||
| Nameso |
just get anything that feels right they all pretty much do the same thing the only diff. is the quality of the product. personally thinkpad or any mac = quality. anything else will get the job done. for the home get a mac, u can just use it without worries of any type of infections. i'm sure every pc user has been hijacked 1x or another. good deals: techbargains.com or gotapex.com is a good start | ||
| Reepicheep |
You can believe what you want, but any computer that lets you use or install software is "vulnerable". Linux and Mac machines are easier to secure because they have a rational security model, but that doesn't stop *&^& from happening. And there absolutely are vulnerabilities in OSX.. I'm no XP / Vista fanboy... and in fact I harbor fairly deep seated resentment against microsoft that so much of my life has been devoted to helping friends and family try and use their operating systems. But the current reality is that OSX / Linux / Vista can all be secure when managed well, and insecure when managed poorly. I will agree though, that I spend maybe 1 hour a year securing my Ubuntu server, and maye 15 hours a year trying to keep my Vista/ XP server secure. If you want real security... get a mainframe. And some of that has transferred to IBM's other products... their datapower box will burn out it's own brain if an unauthorized person so much as physically removes the cover. | ||
| Reepicheep |
And for fun, here are stats for Vista And a common Linux variant (Ubuntu) There is a valid point at the root of the "OSX is more secure" argument though. You have to be pretty stupid to make a modern OXS or Ubuntu system insecure. This isn't the case for XP and Vista though... more then once when I have set up something "right" I have said to my self "how the *&%% is a normal person supposed to know ***that*** and get ***that*** right. | ||
| Court |
All I can say is that my personal stupidity seems to cross platforms with ease . . . . . Bill, ever bother you that I build power plants?  | ||
| Davegess |
Bill, ever bother you that I build power plants? When I throw the light switch I says thankd to ConEd for keeping Court a long way from Wisconsin ;-o | ||
| Roysbuell |
I bought a 350 buck Acer laptop at Walmart. Never had a problem with it and you can throw it in a backpack and take it with you. | ||
| Court |
>>>When I throw the light switch I says thankd to ConEd for keeping Court a long way from Wisconsin ;-o You are too mean! . . . oh . . . and by the way . . . | ||
| Reepicheep |
Not at all Court. You are a lot brighter then you look  Actually, cyber security at power plants is a huge problem right now. If I decide to switch jobs, they will be my first call. They are hard to secure well, and present a lot of interesting problems, and are bound to become a prime target. | ||
| Blake |
Am I now an Appleseed? Finally picked up an iphone. | ||
| Blake |
I had no idea that it would sync up with the home wireless. Cool! I can BadWeB while... taking care of most any other "business". ![: ]](http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/clipart/proud.gif) What a productivity enhancer! | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Mike, iMac's were just made for guys like you. They do what you want without you really getting involved with knowing much about computers. Example: you take photos with your digital camera, you plug the camera into the computer, bada bing, the computer opens the photos in iPhoto, (which comes for free with the iMac), you delete the ones you don't want, save the others, email a couple to your buddies/girlfriend. Simple as that. Do I use iPhoto for my professional work? Yes and no. I use Photoshop CS4 for professional photography, but I do use iPhoto to load my web site, and my iPhone. By the way, I made my webby in a couple of days without learning anything about HTML on iWeb, another free Mac program: www.photomorse.com Plus, as Court said, any time you get stuck you just call Apple, and they REALLY help out. They have really improved their tele-tech support in the last couple of years. They cost a bit more to get into, but you get what you pay for, and the units have much better resale value when you want to upgrade, unlike windows units which are pretty much throw aways. Don't pay too much attention to the Windows pros on the board who have been using computers forever, probably build their own computers and don't know why everyone else doesn't either. (Hint: they can't).  |
