Buying a new Laptop

DOH!

For what it's worth, Stoat once said Dell had the best hardware and the worst support.

oooooh, bad support?

well, kris, offer a finger and the devil will take the whole arm, as we clever slovaks say. but thanks for directing me here and good night to all and to kris nextdoor.

So he said, within the last six months. I trust the Stoat, but don't really know who has good support either. On Abuzz, jeanbean has gone through the Perils of Pauline with Dell on something called data migration. Might send her a PM. I believe she's an a2k member as well.

hmmm, another slovak saying to ponder as I head to bed. G'night.

rog, she is

I've always been well served by Dell Support ... but I'll admit I haven't much dealt with 'First Tier" support. The last time I had an issue with Dell it turned into a 4-way chat with Dell, Microsoft, and a Third-Party Software Vendor. It was quite an adventure. M$ and the software vendor eventually published "Patches" which addressed the issue. It was not aDell Problem. Dell gets high reviews for support, and I'm sure most folks have simpler-to-fix problems than I create for myself.



timber

Dell did have some problems with their telephone support for a while there about 9 months or so ago. I'n not sure if that has been resolved or not because I'v never had to use it. They do have a GREAT on-line support function and I've managed to solve any problems I've had right there in a matter of minutes.

I would imagine that in the computer tech support field bad service turns to good service right quick.

She bought one! A Dell Inspiron 2650. She's very excited. Thanks all for your help (especially fishin).

I wanna chance to play with the new toy! lmao

Good for her. Glad to hear she found something she liked and could afford.

ok - so now that Dasha (hi Dasha <waves>), got a new toy, she should be happy to come and visit here - cuz she's gotta play with the new toy!

Hi lil'k and Dasha --

If you're both in the same house, will you "network" your computers, using only one ISP???

I'm asking because I'd like to get a second computer for my house.....

Well, Dasha, Happy New Computer (Ohhhh .... the wait for the UPS truck ... its woorse than hearing the bells of the Ice Cream Man from blocks away ...) welcome ... any freind of k's could well be a nice person anyway :wink:

Hope you enjoy your new machine, and hope you come to like this neighborhood ... it gets a little tiresome pickin' on the same folks all the time ... I enjoy a fresh challenge

Oh, and if you have any questions about your new machine, or about computers or software in general, feel free to ask fishin' ... it makes him feel loved.



timber

I'll be happy to offer you any help I can. I have several different machines and operating systems networked, and nothing has caught fire yet.




timber

Hi Timber....

Thanks! You mentioned 'network card' earlier, as being an option. That's what caught my attention.

Is it necessary to be 'networked' in order to both be on-line at the same time? We have a dial-up (no cable or DSL available).

Or, can we simply put a splitter on the phone cord?

You need "Network Cards" in both machines. The details differ a little depending on your operating system, but 2 computers can be linked directly, or can be linked through a hub or a switch, even USB wirelessly. The machines would be set up for Internet Sharing (A pretty much Wizard Driven Process in any flavor of Windows or Mac OSs), with the dial-up modem of one machine being the operating modem. There are some very simple networking tutorials available on the websites of networking equipment manufacturors.

www.3Com.com
www.linksys.com (I often spell that wrong ... be careful)
WWW.dlink.com

are some. You'll google up a passle of hits with Networking as a keyword. Dive in.


I'd go with a switch ... just a few bucks more than a hub, more versatile and "Upwardly Mobile" if and as your network expands and/or your connection improves. If 2 machines is all you want, then just the proper network cable can connect them. They will be able to share not only the 'net, but files; get a good firewall and anti-virus programs (all the time ... 1 machine or however many of them).

All that said, if you have typical dial-up, and the only reason you want to network the two machines is to share internet, splitting the bandwidth between two computers will likely provide an unsatisfactory web experince for both users. Don't go online at the same time. Get a $3 phone line splitter and take turns. You'll be happier, trust me.

And trust security software ... get it, use it, keep it current.


timber

Oh Dashas here!!!

HI!!!!

Nice toys..lots of help...aint this place grand???

Glad to see you dear, and glad you found something wonderful as well.

You all are funny.