Which?:Laptop or desktop?

Erm, emma chisett?

Oh...$550.

Sounds ok to me, but what the hell would I know?

Sounds OK to me, too. But hey, I'm not about to go around the place buying all the separate bits from different places, at the cheapest prices, am I? As if I'd know what I'm doing!

Indeed!


My friend has just surrendered his computer shop, and gone back to uni...so, unless he is gonna free-lance a bit, there goes my trusted computer compiler!

I would kill for a handy, trusted computer compiler! Sigh.

He may be a little hungry by the time I can afford a computer.

We'll see.

I doubt the band is gonna keep him in style while he studies.

You're in the market for a new computer, too?

I kinda was.....then I found my credit card was maxed out.

Now I am in the market for paying as much off it as I can...assisted by the Tax Dept, and Kevin's $900, if I ever see it!

All this nesting has taken a toll....

But my computer is winding down.

Hey, I received my $900 this week!
And have been doing the same as you, Deb. Absolutely NO credit buys allowed! This is partly why I'm taking the pre-loved computer option. Plus, my computer is fading fast! Dying days, I'd say.

Sure they do!!!

That is why you better understand such things as how to edit the register and that is why you need to be sure to get your monthly 10s if not 100 of megs of system patches.

That you better run third party system secuity and on and on.

If you are not running such security programs the OS complain to you, now why would you need this security and yet you need to get it from a third party? If you need it then it should be included would you not think?

And on and on we go.

OK, this is my last off-topic response in this thread...

1. "Edit the register" makes you lose credibility with me. I'm not usually one to call people on typos, but in computing a "register" is significantly different from "the registry".
2. Other operating systems are not necessarily inherently more stable or more secure than Microsoft OS's. They simply have fewer people, running fewer programs, and are targeted less often. Linux and Mac have had their share of bad apps and security flaws. Also, they have compatibility limitations. Driver support is particularly shaky on Linux.

Drew, your anti-Linux bias is as irrational as the anti-Microsoft bias you accuse other people of having.

Linux has real security advantages over Windows XP. The very fact that most people on XP had administrative privileges by default meant that casual Linux users were more secure than casual Windows users. (This was addressed in Vista). Microsoft has done several things, for example macros in Word defaults run by default, that were particularly risky. (The trade off was cool features they wanted to give corporate administrators at the cost of security). Advanced Linux users also have tricks available to ensure security. The advantage of Linux for an advanced user is openness... it is much easier to see and control exactly what is going on.


I also think you are grossly exaggerating the driver issue. There are very few modern devices that aren't readily usable in Linux. Linux has great documentation by a large and helpful user community-- so it is very easy to check a device for compatibility before you buy.

But, as far as Linux goes, drivers are a very minor issue.

I don't have an anti-Linux bias. If that works for you, then great. But don't expect everyone else to love it just because you do.

From a business standpoint, there are drawbacks to Linux. If there's a bug in the OS, or in a driver, who is responsible for fixing it? Sure, there's a community, but there isn't someone ultimately responsible.

I've been the first to find one bug in MS software, and someone else at my company was the first to run afoul of another. (These were not OS bugs.) Since MS wrote the software, and sold it, we called them and got a fix.

Linux has its advantages, but don't let the advantages blind you to the drawbacks.

Just as MS software has its drawbacks, but don't let those blind you to the advantages.

So you already have a computer? Do you have a monitor that is in good working condition? That's part of the equation. A laptop comes with a monitor built in. You could save a reasonable amount by buying a desktop without a monitor. I got one at Wal Mart for <$300 US last Christmas.

Now, why didn't I think of that?

DrewDad drivers support on a free OS such as linux would be a little more lacking then on windows with 90 percent of the market would you not think!!!!!!!

Good idea, engineer, but I'm afraid my monitor is about to have its last gasp. A really old, clunky thing. I'll be so happy to see the last of it!

If you can, you should look at the flat screen LCD monitors. Much better than the old clunkers.

I had two 17" CRT monitors that I no longer needed, one unopened in the original box. I tried to give them away for weeks, but had no takers. If you look around, I bet you can find a good CRT for free or next to nothing. The local repair shop here takes in homeless CRT's for folks on a budget. If you can go that route, you might be able to put another $100-$200 into your machine.

You won't believe this, engineer, but I had to do a Google search: "What is a CRT monitor"? (I am utterly useless with computer terminology! )
As it turns out I have the choice of a large 20"+ flat screen or a smaller 19" one, for considerably less. I think I'll go with the bigger one, though. For clarity & comfort. No fun sitting staring at a small screen for hours on end! (One of the reasons I prefer a desktop to a laptop.)