Computer Hell...

Sounds like we're making a virtual batch of scrapple: Taking the axe to a pig's head?

Well I realize that this PC, now 7 years old, is not quite up to the task of today's internet, mostly due to the lack of enough RAM and the Pentium processor, the duo core processors are the way to go. I have a spot for another RAM card, but I think it would be a waste of time. Any PC over 4 years old is considered outdated. I'm considering an Apple desktop, as mentioned before I'm really not a fan of Microsoft. We have an MacBook here, I have some experience with it and I like the way it performs. Opinions?

If you don't mind running a Mac, go for it. Personally I think they are pricey just for a machine that will mostly see internet duty. My wife and I just bought a $600 HP laptop from Amazon, it has a 17" screen, full size keyboard, Windows 7, and is very snappy. I have a powerhouse desktop down in the office, but I have found myself checking out nepacrossroads via the laptop b/c it is right in the living room, and very quiet.

Wood'nCoal wrote:We have an MacBook here, I have some experience with it and I like the way it performs

Macs and PC basically use the same hardware now, the Macs would be comparable to the better PC's. When you buy a Mac what you're buying is the OS and it comes at a premium.

If you like the OS go for it....

How did you like Knoppix? You can get a barebones PC or one that already has Ubuntu installed which is another Linux variant. If you wanted to install Ubuntu and take it for test drive you'd can install over windows or install as dual boot machine.


https://help.ubuntu.com/8.04/switching/dualboot.html

AFAIK Ubuntu is most user friendly version of Linux.

How did you like Knoppix? You can get a barebones PC or one that already has Ubuntu installed which is another Linux variant. If you wanted to install Ubuntu and take it for test drive you'd can install over windows or install as dual boot machine.

With my limited knowledge and ability I thought Knoppix works great, I copied my complete documents and pictures file from the slave hard drive to the master hard drive with a few clicks. I wish Windows worked as well. That's part of my problem, I'm tired of getting tangled up in Windows nonsense.

Personally I think they are pricey just for a machine that will mostly see internet duty.

In addition to Internet browsing and email I use the computer extensively for accounting, both personal and for my small business, and since I'm not a salesman the company I work for doesn't provide me with a laptop so I also use it for work-related tasks such as email, expense reports, writing and placing orders, etc. So I can be in Quicken, then answering an email, on the Forum, streaming Sirius, and working on a document, all basically at the same time.

Doesn't look like Quicken has Linux version however a quick search brings up some open source alternatives. Works on all three platforms, you can download it here:

http://www.gnucash.org/

I'd imagine you should be able to import your Quicken data right into it if you wanted to test it out.

There is a review here:

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/openso ... iller/1887

Lots of stuff to research and think about...soon as I have the time.

I plan to keep this PC and continue to use it for Quicken, otherwise I have to buy the version for Mac if I go that route or for a new PC

Try out the free stuff, can't hurt. Only thing it will cost you is some time. You might be surprised.

By the indications I see that accounting program is pretty popular.

Went with an iMac (desktop), I had some Amex Rewards Points that I redeemed towards it, lowered the cost a bit. As I said I'm keeping this PC around, going to try out those programs as time permits. Will everyone still talk to me when I'm using the Mac?
BTW I have an extra flat screen CRT monitor that works fine if anyone is interested.

My computer has an insane processor & all kinds of memory ................ and it's STILL slow as molasses. Was great for, oh .... a month or 2. These damn computers are all the same ...

I think I've rescued the old '01 desktop pc! Bought a thumb drive and pulled about 6 G off the old 40 G HDD, dumped some old programs and files. Pulling off files took forever in the beginning. 2 -3 hours to pull a gig off via USB 1.0 interface. Ran check disk and defraged the old beast several times. So far it seems to be back to "Norton-normal speed" like it was about 6 months ago which is not nearly as fast as it was running under McAfee. Still shopping for something from this decade

I'm sure all the data on the HD of this PC (a lot of it is useless stuff) isn't helping, but it will never be up to the task of today's data-rich websites. My iMac is scheduled for delivery today but I won't have time to do anything with it when I get home, first problem is to find a new home for this PC where I can still use it.

My computer has an insane processor & all kinds of memory ................ and it's STILL slow as molasses. Was great for, oh .... a month or 2. These damn computers are all the same ...

I suspect it is all planned, buy a new PC, down the road it slows down, then you buy a program that is supposed to "clean out" and "speed up" the PC, then you take it to an "expert" to get it repaired, then you get mad and run it over with the tractor and buy another PC, and the whole process begins again.

SMITTY wrote:My computer has an insane processor & all kinds of memory ................ and it's STILL slow as molasses. Was great for, oh .... a month or 2. These damn computers are all the same ...

What are you running for an OS on that beast?

I've got a Dell I bought late '05 - Pentium 4, 1G ram, XP Media Center edition. I forget the HD size, but it's somewhat over 100G. Not sure what started it all, but it was starting to get really slow. Then I had a crash of some sort and was able to restore it from a backup. That got it working (sort of), but things degraded from there. It crashed again a time or two, and I was able to get it halfway running again with "PC Fix-It". Finally, it wouldn't even boot no matter what I tried.

Fortunately, Dell includes a "run home to momma" function whereby you power-up the computer with a certain keyboard sequence and it blows away everything and returns it to the same state it was when you originally opened up the box it came in. It's a pain in the butt, but paid off the second time around after scrapping the first try. Patience is the key. First I did all the "new computer" stuff. Then I uninstalled everything except the programs I actually use. All the free-ware, bloat-ware, and trial-ware was jettisoned. I then let the thing update itself over the next 3 days - HUNDREDS of updates that just kept coming, as would be expected after a six year time warp.

The upside, however, is that I was blown away at how FAST FAST FAST it was!!! I freaked out the first time I went surfing and ran through the usual programs! I'd always been religious about running Spy-Bot, CC Cleaner, AVG, etc., and it helped, but never made anywhere near this amount of impact. Even over a year later, it's still faster than I can remember it being for a long time.

Wood'nCoal wrote:I'm sure all the data on the HD of this PC (a lot of it is useless stuff) isn't helping, but it will never be up to the task of today's data-rich websites. :

The only real issue you might encounter is with embedded video and possibly other things that have to be rendered using flash. This requires processing power to decode especially with highly compressed web video. Having said that since most sites are just serving low resolution stuff it really shouldn't be an issue at all.