Starting to need a new computer, what to get?

[target2019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by omni550 target, Aaack! I hadn't even considered the printer angle. And, yes, I have an hp laser printer that I love. It's a true workhorse that has performed flawlessly for probably 7-8 years. I'd prefer to keep it if/when I replace the current PC. I'll have to get an adapter, I suppose. Any foreseeable issues with printer software/drivers, etc? omni

Is it attached through parallel or USB or network?
Check the back of the printer. You might need one of these if it is parallel only:

Newegg.com - Koutech IO-UP111 USB to Parallel Port Adapter

What printer is it?

[Zero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donheff I take it you are a gamer Zero? I have never gotten into it so I don't need anything like this. Guys who worked for me were fanatics and built or bought high end machines. You have to be pretty particular about your Internet access as well since a little latency could overcome the advantages of the box. Next step will be specialized furniture to fit.

donheff, nah, no gaming, just like to push the edge sometimes. I built a nice rig about 2 years ago that was 50% overclocked and when you clicked on something like MS Word or Excel, it would be open before the mouse clicked back.

But yeah, I also had many nerds colleagues that spent lots of water cooler time comparing gaming performance.

BTW, look at the internet speed available in Seattle from CondoInternet, and I've visited a friend who lives at Escala and his internet is 400Mbps. Downloads happen instantly if coming from the right websites.

[omni550]

Quote:

Originally Posted by target2019 Is it attached through parallel or USB or network? Check the back of the printer. You might need one of these if it is parallel only: Newegg.com - Koutech IO-UP111 USB to Parallel Port Adapter What printer is it?

target,

It's an HP LaserJet 1012. It has a USB connector.

What are the new computers (PC/laptops) equipped with these days?

omni

[martyp]

I was a lifelong PC user but I replaced my aging Dell with a 13" MacBook Air 256GB a couple of months ago. I considered an iPad or tablet but I wanted the power of a computer to be able to use Photoshop and other real programs. The Air is about the same size as a tablet so if I am going to carry something around it might as well be a real computer. I also bought an Apple Time Capsule so I have wi-fi and 2 TB of storage space at home. When I am using it at home I am connected to my old Dell monitor and a wireless keyboard and mouse. I've got an external disk drive for the rare occasion I need to read/write a CD/DVD.

It took me about a month to "learn" the ins and outs of Apple software. It also took me a while to get used to keyboard shortcuts required for a a laptop and the small wireless keyboard. Overall, I am very happy with my decision and setup.

[target2019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by omni550 target, It's an HP LaserJet 1012. It has a USB connector. What are the new computers (PC/laptops) equipped with these days? omni

You are in good shape. All new systems have USB.

When you get new computer, search for the driver software for that printer at HP. Stay away from the other hits you may find.

Here's an interesting thread.

[omni550]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyp It took me about a month to "learn" the ins and outs of Apple software. It also took me a while to get used to keyboard shortcuts required for a a laptop and the small wireless keyboard. Overall, I am very happy with my decision and setup.

martyp,

The few times I've tried to help a friend (who is brand-new to using computers) to do anything on her Apple computer, I've been sorely tempted to pitch it into the nearest large body of water.

It seems like I'd always be saying something like "Well, on my PC, I'd be hitting control and key x...but I don't have a clue how it's done on an Apple."

Having been a long-time PC user, it seems as though learning to use the Apple products is sort of like learning a new language.

I was gifted with an iPod about 4 years ago, and did not find it particularly intuitive (or useful, for that matter).

I suppose it's a matter of what one feels comfortable with.

Did you 'take to' the Apple easily...or was it a struggle...or ?

omni

[target2019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyp I was a lifelong PC user but I replaced my aging Dell with a 13" MacBook Air 256GB a couple of months ago. I considered an iPad or tablet but I wanted the power of a computer to be able to use Photoshop and other real programs. The Air is about the same size as a tablet so if I am going to carry something around it might as well be a real computer. I also bought an Apple Time Capsule so I have wi-fi and 2 TB of storage space at home. When I am using it at home I am connected to my old Dell monitor and a wireless keyboard and mouse. I've got an external disk drive for the rare occasion I need to read/write a CD/DVD. It took me about a month to "learn" the ins and outs of Apple software. It also took me a while to get used to keyboard shortcuts required for a a laptop and the small wireless keyboard. Overall, I am very happy with my decision and setup.

U.S. Mac share is about 15%, and PC sales are declining. So buying a Mac is not an unusual decision these days. It is very much like a fine car. BMW gets you there for 50K. OTH, a PC is like a Hyundai, maybe half the cost and the interior will not get you a model girlfriend.

I've been the whole cycle with Apple Mac. I had most of the models in the first ten years. Business market share was anemic, and after a while I left the Apple fold and specialized in PC hardware, as that is where the business market went.

Still, as wife reminded me this morning, "Why didn't you buy Apple stock ten years ago?" It is a very successful company. If you are near a store, the tech support is really fine. Even out of AppleCare warranty they do stuff for free.

For a home user, a Mac is probably the finest bottle of wine. Some people like beer, though. I still run my business out of an old Powermac 7500 on M.Y.O.B.

[omni550]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyp It took me about a month to "learn" the ins and outs of Apple software. It also took me a while to get used to keyboard shortcuts required for a a laptop and the small wireless keyboard. Overall, I am very happy with my decision and setup.

martyp,

The few times I've tried to help a friend (who is brand-new to using computers) to do anything on her Apple computer, I've been sorely tempted to pitch it into the nearest large body of water.

It seems like I'd always be saying something like "Well, on my PC, I'd be hitting control and key x...but I don't have a clue how it's done on an Apple."

Having been a long-time PC user, it seems as though learning to use the Apple products is sort of like learning a new language.

I was gifted with an iPod about 4 years ago, and did not find it particularly intuitive.

I suppose it's a matter of what one feels comfortable with.

Did you 'take to' the Apple easily...or was it a struggle...or ? Any tips/tricks on making the conversion?

omni

[martyp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by omni550 martyp, Did you 'take to' the Apple easily...or was it a struggle...or ? omni

I know what you mean. I used to hear people rave about their Apples and how easy it was but I never saw the appeal. As an engineer I was always annoyed with having to accommodate people with Apple's that were generally not compatible with our systems. Also, the Apples didn't seem to be any more reliable than the PC's but the Apple users always seem brainwashed to overlook the limitations.

Once I retired and was not required to run programs that could only run on PC's (in particular CAD programs) I became a little more open minded. Once I decided on what kind of system I wanted I felt that the Apple hardware was all nicely integrated and it just seemed like an easier purchase than a PC purchase.

I'm an engineer and have been using PC's since the 1980's. I thought DOS was just fine and throughout the years learned new operating systems and programs as they came along. So I knew that I could adapt to Apple software in about a month if I put my mind to it. Also, since I'm not working I didn't have to worry about my productivity during my learning curve. As I mentioned, it is not just Apple software but adapting to keyboard shortcuts required for smaller laptop keyboards. I have to say, that I depended on internet resources to figure out how to do what I wanted to do. You can easily enter questions into Google and find what you need to know pretty easily. Of course, like anything you need to use what you learn in order to retain it.

My mother is old, not naturally comfortable with computers, and not a frequent user. I would never recommend a switch from a PC to a Mac for her. If you are adept at computers and motivated than the switch from PC to Mac is doable. I don't regret my purchase decision.

[target2019]

Some interesting things you need to adjust to with a Mac.

The mouse has one button. Keyboard is a little different as mentioned.

The browser, Navigator, sometimes has problems with web sites. For instance, my wife and daughter always have Yahoo difficulty. Just get another browser and that is solved.

PC software you have purchased needs additional software to run on a Mac. MS Office is a good example. What is your total investment in software?

Peripherals may not have drivers for Mac. May have to buy new.

Sharing between different OS takes a bit to learn. Do you have other computers at home?

I'd keep it in the comparison, though. It can work for you.

[target2019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyp I know what you mean. I used to hear people rave about their Apples and how easy it was but I never saw the appeal. As an engineer I was always annoyed with having to accommodate people with Apple's that were generally not compatible with our systems. Also, the Apples didn't seem to be any more reliable than the PC's but the Apple users always seem brainwashed to overlook the limitations. Once I retired and was not required to run programs that could only run on PC's (in particular CAD programs) I became a little more open minded. Once I decided on what kind of system I wanted I felt that the Apple hardware was all nicely integrated and it just seemed like an easier purchase than a PC purchase. I'm an engineer and have been using PC's since the 1980's. I thought DOS was just fine and throughout the years learned new operating systems and programs as they came along. So I knew that I could adapt to Apple software in about a month if I put my mind to it. Also, since I'm not working I didn't have to worry about my productivity during my learning curve. As I mentioned, it is not just Apple software but adapting to keyboard shortcuts required for smaller laptop keyboards. I have to say, that I depended on internet resources to figure out how to do what I wanted to do. You can easily enter questions into Google and find what you need to know pretty easily. Of course, like anything you need to use what you learn in order to retain it. My mother is old, not naturally comfortable with computers, and not a frequent user. I would never recommend a switch from a PC to a Mac for her. If you are adept at computers and motivated than the switch from PC to Mac is doable. I don't regret my purchase decision.

Marty, I agree with all you wrote. One thing I will do different in retirement is buy an all-in-one-Mac if it is still available. I've set up a few of those for business owners, and the complete package is really nice. Displaying pictures and movies is awesome on the large screen.

[martyp]

I needed to purchase a new version of Photoshop for the Mac. I had been upgrading my PC version for 10 years and stopped at version 6. Fortunately, I was able to get a very good deal on the Mac version.

I lost my recipe software which only works on PC's. I was able to export all the recipes to txt files. I haven't purchased a Mac recipe program but I know there is one out there and I will get to it eventually.

You can purchase a fairly cheap version of Microsoft Office for Mac.

My flatbed scanner was only 2 yrs old and it worked just fine on my Mac.

The Mac Lion X operating system is very nice. Yes, the mouse is one button but it is also a touch pad. You can just swipe your finger vertically or horizontally to get additional performance. I love the mouse!

I had to download a program call VLC to play mpeg videos. It was easy and free. iMovie and iPhoto are both very nice programs and come free with the Mac. Better than the programs I purchased for my PC.

I also have an iPod and iPhone so there is some nice integration with these devices through iTunes.

[martyp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by target2019 Marty, I agree with all you wrote. One thing I will do different in retirement is buy an all-in-one-Mac if it is still available. I've set up a few of those for business owners, and the complete package is really nice. Displaying pictures and movies is awesome on the large screen.

I agree. The all-in-one-Mac's are nice and have awesome large monitors. My decision was based on only having one computer that was mobile but at the same time preserved my desktop experience.

After leaving work I missed my laptop!

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by target2019 Some interesting things you need to adjust to with a Mac. The mouse has one button.

When I was using Macs (I'm mainly on Linux now), I always bought a cheap 3-button scroll wheel mouse. Just plug 'em in and they work fine (you might need to activate the third button in the preferences, I don't recall now).

I haven't played with their new 'touchpad' mouse, that probably works well. Sounds like martyp is a fan.

As far as difficulty moving from PC to Mac, just remember that in most cases it is mostly a matter of what you get used to. Sometimes, when people say it is hard to adjust to the Mac, they make it sound like the Mac is hard to use, but mostly it is just small differences, and is a matter of perspective. Someone going from Mac to PC would have many (if not more of) the same issues. I noticed that on my DDs new MBP with Lion, they actually did 'fix' a lot of long standing things that bugged me - like you can finally re-size a window from any edge, about 20 years too late).

I've used both Mac and PC (at work) over the years, moved to Linux for my main machine a few years ago. I really should try re-assigning some of the keys to be like the Mac. Control-C, X,V,B ,N are so much more convenient as Command (Apple-Key)-C, etc (ALT Key on a Windows keyboard). That extra stretch is awkward. But Linux uses the Alt key for some things, and it would probably get confusing.

-ERD50

[TromboneAl]

Marty, consider putting your recipes on Googledocs. You can then use NoteMaster on the iPod touch to access them in the kitchen. Works great for me.

Jobs once said "Having only one mouse button makes it very hard to hit the wrong button.". That's cute and sounds profound, but it is dead wrong.

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Jobs once said "Having only one mouse button makes it very hard to hit the wrong button.". That's cute and sounds profound, but it is dead wrong.

It was probably right for 98% of users in 1984-1987. But I think their stubbornness against shipping with a multi-button mouse hurt them in gaining any crossovers from Windows.

-ERD50