| Author |
Message |
    
tiffanymarie
Citizen
Username: Tiffanymarie
Post Number: 47
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 10, 2002 - 6:05 pm: |     |
My brother and I are buying a computer/Monitor/Printer for my mother. Where would I post a request to MOLers for helpful suggestions/questions? Ie: Dell vs. Gateway vs. having one made?
(Also not trying to go over 900)
Thank you |
Dave Ross
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 3938
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 10, 2002 - 9:22 pm: | |
Why not check out this most user-friendly of computers: Apple iMac (for a bit less than $800)?
Or the newer model for a bit more....
|
Nohero
Citizen
Username: Nohero
Post Number: 1200
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 10, 2002 - 10:39 pm: | |
My mother (who is somewhat north of 70)(but she doesn't read this board, so she won't know I just said that) has been happily working with her first home PC for about a year, which she obtained from Gateway. She had a good experience with their store, and the training she got along with her computer. |
tiffanymarie
Citizen
Username: Tiffanymarie
Post Number: 48
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 6:14 pm: | |
Forgot to mention that I have to teach mom the ropes (and so will my brother) and we are not mac-friendly (never used)
tx. |
Dave Ross
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 3946
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 6:34 pm: | |
Here's an example of the complexity of Windows PCs v. a Mac (and there are plenty like it):
To turn off file sharing in Windows 95/98/ME:
With a PC:
1. Click on the Start menu.
2. Go to Settings, and click on Control Panel.
3. Double-click on the Network icon.
4. From the Network window, click on the bar labeled "File and Print Sharing." A dialog box will appear.
5. Make sure that neither of the check boxes are checked. Click on the OK button.
6. Click on the OK button for the Network Control Panel.
7. You may be prompted to insert your Windows 95 CD, and you will need to reboot your computer for any changes to take effect.
On a Mac:
Go to Control Strip > TurnFile Sharing off
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Nohero
Citizen
Username: Nohero
Post Number: 1206
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 8:21 pm: | |
Dave's right, Macs can be simpler than PCs.
Life in a totalitarian state is often much simpler than in a democracy.
Since I doubt I'll ever be able to post again after that, let me just say that I'm gonna miss you guys. |
Dave Ross
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 3948
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 8:53 pm: | |
I think you have the totalitarian thing backwards.  |
Nohero
Citizen
Username: Nohero
Post Number: 1207
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 10:34 pm: | |
All I can think of in reply is,
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."
 |
lseltzer
Citizen
Username: Lseltzer
Post Number: 1249
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 7:13 am: | |
Dave,
The more important point about file sharing on Windows is that it is turned off by default, so whoever has to turn it on has already figured out how to turn it on.
And in Windows XP (and I think in Windows 2000) there is a wizard to turn file sharing on and off that runs automatically when you try to share something.
Why don't you tell us how easy it is to buy a computer running MacOS from someone other than Apple? Then tell us about that totalitarian thing again.
|
Dave Ross
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 3949
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 10:28 am: | |
About as easy as buying a PC from Gateway that doesn't run Windows.
I used Windows PCs for 8 years and always made fun of Macs. Until I actually used one. Worries of virii don't exist for me. My productivity doubled. I don't have to waste time with a "registry" getting corrupted. And it never ever crashes. Current uptime on my system is 80 days. |
lseltzer
Citizen
Username: Lseltzer
Post Number: 1250
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 11:16 am: | |
Maybe Gateway won't sell you anything but Windows, but functionally identical computers are available from hundreds of other vendors with or without Windows. Dell will preload Linux on a lot of their systems. But try buying an Apple running any other OS, or MacOS on any other hardware. You can't because Steve Jobs won't let you. This is a major reason why they are and always will be a teeny portion of the market. Which is why you don't worry about viruses. It's not like you can't write a virus for a Mac; in fact, about 10 years ago most viruses were Mac viruses, in the way now that most viruses target old versions of Outlook. Virus authors, like commercial software developers, write for the most popular platform.
You also apparently haven't used a recent version of Windows. My uptime on some of my Windows systems is similar. But it appears that you haven't applied any of the recent MacOS software patches from Apple, since I know most several of these have come out in the last 80 days and many of them require a reboot. I've been using an iBook for the last few weeks for a story I've been writing and I know that the patches have forced me to reboot. And there was also the one crash I had a few weeks ago coming out of suspend.
There's nothing magic about Macs, and for the life of me I can't see why anyone thinks they're easier to use. Every time I use one it baffles me why they still have this reputation. It was true up through about Windows 95, but it just hasn't been true ever since. |
Dave Ross
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 3950
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 1:33 pm: | |
There haven't been updates for OS 10.1 afaik, which is what my G3 runs. For Jaguar, which is my main system there have been a few updates. I think the choice becomes clearer when you're creating or using multimedia. Admitedly, it is a cult of Mac, but they are easier to use.
Now what about the rumors that MS is going to begin writing their software for Linux in 2004? |
lseltzer
Citizen
Username: Lseltzer
Post Number: 1251
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 2:00 pm: | |
I am running the latest Jaguar. BTW, I do like OS X a lot from a technical computer sciency standpoint. If Apple hadn't taken an operating system vacation through the entire 90's and done something quality like this they would not have lost so much market share.
An Apple PR person just reminded me to hook up my firewire camera to it and make some iMovies. I'm sure iMovie is a great app but I'm curious to see if its comparative value is as overstated as everything else with the Mac. I've been using Pinnacle Studio 8 and Windows XP MovieMaker and I can't imagine anything being easier.
>>Now what about the rumors that MS is going to begin writing their software for Linux in 2004?
Don't hold your breath. This rumor gets press every year or two, but I'll eat my mouse if it happens. Now how should I cook it? |
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