PC, what to get?

[fizzbangwhallop]

I'm no expert at what mine will talk to Rod but I can bluetooth stuff i.e. pics off my Nexus phone and tablet which run both on Android and it will manage my contacts list as well if I could be bothered.

Found Abi.....
https://www.google.co.uk/search?client= ... 8weQxbSQBA

Found Firefox too...
https://www.google.co.uk/search?client= ... ox+for+mac

The operating system updates are pretty comprehensive and I think I've only ever paid for one of the major updates a few years ago, had freebies ever since. With the App store it sorts itself out automatically with system updates and they're pretty rare. I've never updated the initial add-ons...iwork for office apps for example still running the originals. There's stuff in there I've never used too. iPhoto is pretty good too.

As for anti-virus stuff.... I've gone for a freebie but it does slow it down... never had a pop up or anything like that telling me it's detected anything untoward. My last pc ran windows 98 and that was always telling me to update the virus program...... and occasionally using current pc's it seems nothing's changed there. Drives yer nuts.

I wouldn't go back..... and if iPads weren't an expensive way to read the paper I'd have gone for one of those instead of the nexus tablet at half the price.

Cheers

Fizz

[rodp]

I use AVG anti virus but as you say even that seems to slow it all down now, never did before. I'll see what my future SiL has to say, seeing as how it's him I'll call if it goes ti*s up


Anyone on here gone the mac route but then gone back to windows ?

[sunndog]

(heaven knows what that works off)

Android

[sirhank]

Rod......Buy a Mac

Probably more expensive but a lot less hassle. Mine is 8 years old and going strong and has never given me any problems. I wouldn't go back to a PC that is expensive to run and needs an update every 5 minutes to keep ahead of the bad guys and up to date with the latest software. I reckon that I've saved loads over those 8 years...... and with a lot less hassle and aggravation compared to the previous pc which was slow to start up, bombarded you with crap and dire warnings and then stopped working for no apparent reason. Life is bliss.

A fair point Fizz but, at the moment, I do not have any real experience with the newer Mac computers so I couldn't honestly say whether Rod should get one or not ....

I had one for about 1 month years ago and dumped it because the price and availability of Mac hardware and software then was ridiculously expensive or none existent ....

times have changed and I have been considering getting a Mac mainly (a) as a second system and (b) to see what software is and isnt available for the general work I do on computers .... I know there are programs available which allows you to install Windows on the Mac ... to my way of thinking thats fine for the odd one or two obscure programs but otherwise why not stick to a Windows computer?

I prefer (and it seems half this country!) Windows 7 ... Windows 8 was more for touch screens etc and Windows 10 is out next month - should be interesting to try (I have booked my copy lol)

Windows XP was my favourite operating system but the support for that stopped some time ago

So as things stand from my personal experience I can only recommend a Windows computer ... maybe in a couple of months when I hope to have my Mac and used it for a while I might feel different .... 95% of the people I know use a Windows computer ....

[fizzbangwhallop]

Morning Rod, John,

The only gripe I have with the mac software is that I don't think the spreadsheets are as good as Microsofts Excel..... but then I've not had enough experience or any proper training in it.... I did an HNC in Computing way back in 1996 and we used M'soft Office at work so used it now and again and I haven't been in an office since being early retired 10years ago (Shizen! Where did they all go!! ) And my version of Numbers spreadsheets in the iWork package must be getting on for 8years old too....(just looked, it's iWork08 copyright 2007).

I don't think I can complain about the spreadsheets though it probably does what it says on tin.. somewhere. But it still functions happily despite 3 Operating System upgrades later... you couldn't say that about the generations of the M'soft Office software... it really used to get my goat having to upgrade everything else at an exorbitant price whenever you upgraded the OS or bought a new go faster pc running the latest os. Got fed up with being fleeced.... licensed pick-pocketing! The Word equivalent is fine and if I was too bothered about it I could probably go for a freebie... I don't know if Open Office is still around, Rod mentioned Abi Word.... Lol! Never heard of it!

I do run Avira free anti-v but think it slows everything down too much. Up to the point of installing that the machine booted up a lot, lot quicker than the old pc and everything else I've seen running Windows. I can't even remember what OS my old pc ran on... Windows '98 perhaps?

Cheers

Fizz

[sunndog]

When i was looking at getting my first computer, not that long ago, the techy bloke at work told me mac's were for wierdo's............so i should probably get one

I went windows in the end and found out just how rubbish pc's were

[rodp]

I think I'll stick to windows by the looks of it. This pc trickery just passes me by, I'm just not that sort of person. If you want a truck cut in half and put back together at a different wheelbase I could probably still do it,Fix a quad or Argo, no problem, or if you need canvas / pvc covers for some obscure shape then absolutely I can do it. But PC's and phones etc just don't register, therefore stick to what I can work (sort of).
Future son in law is on about building one for me now, and I know he knows what he's on about so may go that route.

John, thanks for the spec you gave, at least now I know what I need.
Fizz, thanks for the info on macs but I think I wouldn't cope with the change.

Adam, you need sandals, very baggy striped strides and a Nikon camera

Any more info on a build spec would be appreciated, items, sources etc.

[phoenix]

Generally, building a PC from scratch costs more than a complete one from the likes of PC World, especially if you just want it for general use rather than some high spec function like gaming or video processing.
I must admit, every computer I've bought in the last few years - desktop and laptop has been a Dell. - never had a problem with any of them.
Also - because I really, really hate Windows 8 with a vengance, I can still buy a new computer from Dell which has Windows 7 installed.

Cheers

Bruce

[rodp]

Ha ha, son in law has just more or less said what you have Bruce regarding building. He found this which he reckons is good value
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing/ ... l#longDesc

Any comments?

What's up with windows 8 Bruce, bearing in mind I run XP (which I like).

Any links to best value / spec would be appreciated gents

[phoenix]

The problem I have with Windows 8 is that Microsoft were so desperate to make it work with touchscreen tablets and all that swishing and zooming shit that they forgot that desktop and laptop users who have a mouse don't need those functions.
This article explains it better than I can http://www.techradar.com/news/software/ ... -8-1218497
If you like XP (and I agree it was a great OS) then go for a Windows 7 computer.
You will need to spend a bit of time getting used to it, but it's a logical and sensible progression from XP and you'll soon appreciate the improvements.
If you get a computer with widows 8 installed, I guarantee that within a couple of hours you'll have to be physically restrained from trying to throw the machine out of a window.

Cheers

Bruce