I guess I really screwed up a few months ago and bought a new desktop. It has Win 8.1, i7-4770 CPU @ 3.40 GHz with 16 GB of RAM running IE11. It also has a 2TB HD. This replaced a desktop bought back in 2003 and has been limping along on Xp with a Pentium 4 processor. I have had no issues with the new computer. And yes, I bought a new printer to mate up with the new computer. But I must be the oddball.
Steve
After today, it's all historical.
I HATE laptops. It's bad enough that "real" computers come with $5 piece of shit keyboards, but a laptop keyboard is even worse.Originally Posted by Kadmos
I still use an IBM Model-M "clicky key" keyboard with a PS-2 to USB adapter. It's the only keyboard I can use.
(not mine - but mine looks just like this)
I rescued a bunch of them from the scrap heap years ago, popped off the keycaps and cleaned them, cleaned the cases, blew out the dust with an air hose and they're as good as now.
They are heavy and built like a tank. They last forever.
Gentlemen may prefer Blondes, but Real Men prefer Redheads!
A braille label maker is a good way to add texture to a flat keyboard such as most laptop keyboards.
"I'm fucking furious, I'm violently angry, and I like it. If you don't know what that feels like then I feel bad for you"
I have a personal Toshiba that replaced a Sony Visio and have had several Dells and Levonos at work over the last few years. At best they all seem to last 4 to 5 years if you travel with them...
Lately having the latest USB spec and a lot of them plus as many other ports as possible is more important to me than having the latest fastest processor and most memory.
Also, the ability to run dual external monitors is great. If you ever run a matched set of 19" to 24" monitors, you will never want to do without them.
We found out what "dealing" with progressive lefties is all about. Our side gives up something, they give up nothing and the progressives come back in a month or a year and want us to give up more... rinse and repeat...
We still run XP in this house. I personally still use it on my old Dell 1501. The same one I posted about awhile ago, and still have not upgraded.
I need to upgrade 2 desktops... maybe 3.. not sure if I want to throw 100. at my mothers dell 10 netbook or not.. she really only tries to use it twice a year when she goes to the beach. She still works at the beauty shop at 80!! Anyway.. Anybody know the cheapest place to get 7 home premium? I don't want a download from web OEM.. I want the boxed retail version. That's what I run on the 3 laptops here I have to deal with for family. I like 7.. just HATE spending money!!! I saw they use to sell a "family pack" for 3 users.. for 150. Can't find that anymore. Don't know any students or how to get those discounts either.
Mac. I don't bother myself with the plight of the average windows user.
Gunsnet member since 2002
Salt Water Cowboy - Dolphin 38
I know of no plight. Please explain, maybe I'm not doing something right.
"The power of accurate observation is frequently called cynicism by those who don't have it" - George Bernard Shaw
Wait.. you have a BUNCH of them? Might one be for sale?I HATE laptops. It's bad enough that "real" computers come with $5 piece of shit keyboards, but a laptop keyboard is even worse.
I still use an IBM Model-M "clicky key" keyboard with a PS-2 to USB adapter. It's the only keyboard I can use.
(not mine - but mine looks just like this)
I rescued a bunch of them from the scrap heap years ago, popped off the keycaps and cleaned them, cleaned the cases, blew out the dust with an air hose and they're as good as now.
They are heavy and built like a tank. They last forever.Though I haven't been typing as much as of late... I can hardly break 70 wpm...
I am the master of my fate
I am the captain of my soul
"(The Second Amendment) isn't a law but an enumerated right, a right that we cannot allow to be corralled to make politicians and ant-gun fanatics happy." ~Old Grump
Concur, IMHO an iMac is the way to go, albeit expensive. In my experience, all Windows/Intel systems become so trashed with hardware and/or software problems at some point they become unusable and unrecoverable.
IBM Model M keyboards are like spam cans of Chinese steel core... rare, hard to find and painful to part with.Wait.. you have a BUNCH of them? Might one be for sale?
By "bunch of them" I mean that I have 12 (not counting the one I'm typing on now). I have 12 wrapped in plastic and stored in boxes in a closet.
I really don't want to sell one, but I might be able to be persuaded.....
(click image for larger pic)
This is the keyboard my fingers are pounding on right now..
Gentlemen may prefer Blondes, but Real Men prefer Redheads!
You know that the newer Macs are Intel based and MacOSX runs on most PC's?
MacOSX is BSD Linux/Unix under the hood. If only we could have the Windows GUI but running Linux under the hood (and LAGC no I don't mean running Wine).
Gentlemen may prefer Blondes, but Real Men prefer Redheads!
It's been awhile since I've messed with Linux, but didn't the KDE interface come pretty close to emulating Windows? Or is it GNOME that's more popular these days, with Ubuntu and all?
I know there have been some pretty good knock-offs of the Windows 95 user-interface at least, but yeah -- you'd think someone would figure out how to make it look, act, and feel just like Windows XP or Windows 7, and roll with it.
(Of course, the biggest headache with Linux is installing new drivers or software. You often can't just go and download a 32-bit or 64-bit .EXE and run with it, you have to get the exact version for your particular build, which could involve compiling source code depending on the particular release. Not exactly something '"newbies" or casual users want to be trying to figure out, that's for sure.)
"That tyranny has all the vices both of democracy and oligarchy is evident. As of oligarchy so of tyranny, the end is wealth; (for by wealth only can the tyrant maintain either his guard or his luxury). Both mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of their arms." -- Aristotle, Book V, 350 B.C.E
apt-get install (name) or yum install (name) works for a great many things.
I am the master of my fate
I am the captain of my soul
"(The Second Amendment) isn't a law but an enumerated right, a right that we cannot allow to be corralled to make politicians and ant-gun fanatics happy." ~Old Grump
True, but the very notion of even having to open up a command prompt or console shell to enter commands is anathema to most casual users.
I'm thinking of something the parents or grandparents can use without calling you for tech support all the time.
"That tyranny has all the vices both of democracy and oligarchy is evident. As of oligarchy so of tyranny, the end is wealth; (for by wealth only can the tyrant maintain either his guard or his luxury). Both mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of their arms." -- Aristotle, Book V, 350 B.C.E
From your post, I would guess that your last experience with Linux was many years ago.
You don't need to "install drivers" or "compile your own programs" anymore.
There is a thing called "Ubuntu Software Center". You can search for keywords (like "word processor") and the available software with descriptions and screenshots will be shown. Anything you want, you just click the "install" button and that's it.
As far as distributions (distros) are concerned, there is Ubuntu (Linux with the Gnome interface):
I don't like Gnome. I think it's too difficult to navigate. They try to "graphicalize" everything and it makes finding stuff difficult. It's great for an average Windows user though.
Next there's KDE:
Again, I don't care for it's layout. My favorite is XFCE (screenshot of my computer):
(click image for full size)
You can lay it out any way you wish. I have mine sorta laid out like Windows... a "Start" button in the lower-left corner, an auto-hide quick launch and task bar at the bottom and a few clickables on the desktop.
Realize that all of these are the same Linux "under the hood", it's only the GUI that's different. Any Linux program runs on any Linux distro.
You should try XUbuntu (or any other Ubuntu) version now. You will probably be pleasantly surprised.
Gentlemen may prefer Blondes, but Real Men prefer Redheads!
Linux... I like the way this thread is going... :-)
-=Alex=-
Please send me a message of ANY and ALL server / forum / site related issues that need to be addressed. This does not include personal problems with users or moderators. Dont ask me for help on posting a picture, video or whatever in a thread. Ask someone else. I'm busy.
Hmm, I might just have to do that. Last time I tried Ubuntu on my 10-year-old laptop a couple years ago, it crapped out -- screen kept flickering then turning off.
How are the office productivity apps for Linux these days though? I've tried OpenOffice, its installed on one of the machines at work, but I've run into numerous times where certain features weren't supported, or translated incorrectly. (PowerPoints, Word documents, etc.) That's really the only reason I've stuck with Windows, is for the Microsoft Office suite.
Maybe I should just bite the bullet and do the online Office365 subscription and dump Windows altogether?
"That tyranny has all the vices both of democracy and oligarchy is evident. As of oligarchy so of tyranny, the end is wealth; (for by wealth only can the tyrant maintain either his guard or his luxury). Both mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of their arms." -- Aristotle, Book V, 350 B.C.E
Linux has an Office suite that is completely compatible with MS Office (and even has more features).
Oh and the price will be to your liking: $0
Gentlemen may prefer Blondes, but Real Men prefer Redheads!
Ubuntu (Linux) LTS has support through 2017 and it's FREE!
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