Looking for a new computer--any ideas??

[Ross]

Not a problem. Time Warner/AOL is so big, they'll just walk in there and take over the place, squash em like a bug and all will be well on the interweb.

 

[Nancy]

Ross-

About the hard drive, right now, I'm using an 8gb hard drive, so 80 will seem like paradise. But you are right, I'll probably be adding more in the future.

And I'm working with 64 RAM, so the new puter has so much more, it'll keep me happy for a while. It was the lack of RAM that was a real killer. I learned from the olden days to save large files to floppies anyway. Why clog up the hard drive memory when I don't access those kinds of things often. Remember, I cut my eye teeth on a computer with 2 80mg hard drives, and I was working on HUGE graphic files with lots of text. I learned all the tricks for saving space. Keep your cache clean, get rid of any extraneous things, reduce all files to their lowest common denominator and defrag often and save to floppies. Oh, and dust the inside of your computer. Makes your fan and electrical parts much happier. Dust can make heat build up and that can cause crashes and fried things.

Well, I'm going from a Yugo to a Chevy.

That's interesting about Road Runner. I'll wait a while before getting to see what happens.

 

[Ross]

Unless you've seen different, it probably won't even have a floppy drive in it. Many no longer come with them.

Yeah you've been a computering for a long time, so you know pretty much how things can be, just get set to have your socks knocked off by an operating system that never crashes and you don't have to reboot the machine 5 times a day to get back memory.

I have a bunch of XP tweaks and things if you really wanna have some fun with it, just let me know. As for the internet, it's not going to be any faster without the broadband connection, so when you can, I'd advise doing it. Cogent is going to tick someone off and get their little butts whipped, so I'm not to worried about it.

 

[The Bionic Duo]

Sounds pretty good to me, just spent the summer installing about 400+ Gateways with just about the same configuration as below (with the exception of the software, we put a lot of stuff on one machine) and the horsepower appears to be pretty good. I'm not real impressed with Gateway, I own two Dell's and I will probably go back to them again. Considering the horsepower you have been working with, you will be absolutely amazed at what you can do now--minutes vs hours (with the exception of your online speed with a modem won't change much). Happy computing.

Joan

Well, there was a deal on QVC that I couldn't pass up, it was a Today's Special Value. It's a Dell with P4 processor, 512MB DDR2 SDRAM and an 80 GB hard drive and 16X DVD-ROM and 48X CD-RW, Extreme Graphics 2, integrated audio, A425 speakers with subwoofer, and some other extra stuff that QVC added on. Oh yeah, a flat screen monitor 17".

Also got a Lexmark All-in-one printer with some bells and whistles.

Got some other software too, including Destroy It, and a good sized software package that comes with the computer, and some photo paper.

All told it came to around 1300.00 plus or minus with tax, shipping and handling and there is a 30.00 rebate on the printer and a 3 year warranty with tech support.

So not the top of the line, but enough to allow me to do much more than I can do now.

Beats my old machine by many, many miles.

 

[Phyllis]

As for the internet, it's not going to be any faster without the broadband connection, so when you can, I'd advise doing it.

Nancy,
If not a cable connection, then look into dsl- you should definitely have a broadband connection with all your new equipment. I use the local cable company here in New London and Bell South for dsl in FL. You'll never want to go back to a phone modem, once you do!

 

[Nancy]

Oh yeah--The dial-up modem has to go. It's so annoying BIG time, and it ties up the phone. My grandkids come here and want to use the computer and they say, "GRANDMA! your computer is so S-L-O-W." And I sympathize with the commercial on TV where the kid is complaining that the "download bar is stuck" Some things load pixel by pixel with a lot of downtime between each, I swear.

We have cable, so I'm going to get the cable modem/Road Runner. I should at least try to get into this century.

Now maybe I'll have enough RAM to load AOL 9. This old clunker couldn't handle it.

 

[Phyllis]

Ah, the grandkids- are you going to let them touch that brand new computer? My five and seven year old love to access "American Girl" and some Kid Pix software that I put on it for them. They are still young enough that they don't do any damage, but I hate when my kids use it. They leave and when I go to access my ATT account or Amazon, it has their user name and password in it- have to change everything back.

 

[Nancy]

You are right about the grannies using the computer. Last time, they were into some game sites, and my machine was so overwhelmed with all the big programs that it crashed, poor thing. I had to exit everything go into safe mode, and do a defrag right then and there. It was taking a long time to defrag, so my grandson turned it off because it was making funny noises (just normal computer defragging noises). So had to start the whole process all over again.

When I finally got it working again, after they left, I found that they had changed my settings on the size and shape of the desk top and program bars. Nothing terrible, just annoying to fix.

But generally, they're pretty good with computers and wouldn't do anything really bad.

Maybe they got so discouraged with grandma's slow computer, they won't ask to use it again. I couldn't even load some of the fast speed stuff they need for gaming.

 

[PJmomrunner]

One of the wonderful things about XP is that you can set up a guest account for the grandkids and it will give them only the access you grant and hold their cookies and leave yours alone and other good stuff like that!

 

[Ross]

Now maybe I'll have enough RAM to load AOL 9. This old clunker couldn't handle it.

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I know you like AOL, but why ruin a new computer with it. Honestly, the web is alot more fun without AOL!

 

[PJmomrunner]

Ditto what Ross said. Plus, if you are going to ante up for cable internet, you can offset some of the cost by cutting AOL....

 

[Ross]

Ditto what Ross said. Plus, if you are going to ante up for cable internet, you can offset some of the cost by cutting AOL....

You do realize we're trying to change the mind of a set AOL user don't ya?

RoadRunner is offering AOL free with the subscription, so I know it's nice and tempting for Nancy. I should just leave her alone, but AOL is.........well I'll just shut up now before I get banned.

 

[Nancy]

I know there are many AOL detractors. But if I go without AOL, it will like crossing the street without my mommy. Plus many of my family members are on AOL, and "we AOL members" KNOW things that you others don't. It's a secret society.

One family member who is just about as computer savvy as you can get, set up main frames for government agencies, left AOL and has had nothing but bad luck with his cheaper ISP. It's AOL revenge.

I'd be scared

All that being said, AOL has recently changed their security policies. They can now peer into your personal computer and track things and look your software too. Not too sure about that. But maybe they could always do that, and just now announced it openly.

 

[Phyllis]

Nancy,
You would be surprised how easy it is to use another ISP and once you get past the learning curve, how much better it is. I pay ATT $5.95 a month to keep my email address with them as otherwise I would have to change my email address every time I move between CT and FL. However, I use them just to download my mail which I access in Outlook Express - much better than AOL or any other ISP- when you receive or send pictures, they show up right in the body of the email- no clicking on files to download. XP and Google make it very easy to access everything you want on the internet and nobody is looking at everything you have on the computer- that's scary! Get use to the new computer and then give it some thought.

 

[Ross]

We'll never change her mind, but darned if I'm not going to try! Big Brother won't be telling you what mail you can and cannot receive, they also won't be nosying in on your computer, and you CAN DO everything that AOL makes sound as though it's exclusive to them, it's not. They've taken something and turned it into a monster that it should not be. Roadrunner works just fine without AOL, in fact, probably better. AOL is not a secret society of friends, it is full of people that have never come out into the real internet. Take a walk on the wild side and live a little. Leave the comforts of that thing behind.

Nancy it'll hurt, but take a look at this:

http://axe-s.com/aol/

 

[mntbiker]

Nancy,
As the others have said you need to get off aol. Send me a PM if you want to know why from the point of view from someone that has worked in the security side of the internet for many many many years.

And as far as outlook goes NOOOOOOOOOO NO NO NO! Get off it. That's just as bad as AOL. INternet explorere as well.

 

[Phyllis]

And as far as outlook goes NOOOOOOOOOO NO NO NO! Get off it. That's just as bad as AOL. INternet explorere as well.

Why no Outlook or IE- are you saying they present a security risk too, even with virus software and a firewall??

 

[mntbiker]

Why no Outlook or IE- are you saying they present a security risk too, even with virus software and a firewall??

Yes, they most certainly can and do. As far as your anti virus and firewall - anti virus can only protect you from known virus' and firewalls are fondly referred to as speed bumps in the industry. If you are relying on the firewall provided in XP just throw it away.

There are several decent programs (free) on the internet that do both but you will not be secure. Just to put this in context though, the only truly secure PC is disconnected from everything and powered off.

I like to make the analogy of securing your computer with securing your house. If you make it hard enough they will go to your neighbor, but if they really want in you will not stop them.

Put as many reasonable precautions as you can in place and make sure your habits don't add to the problem. I have a course outline I had written up when I was teaching a social engineering class. I will try to find it and if the powers that be don't object I wll post the relevant parts.

 

[Phyllis]

Would appreciate that- I use Norton virus protection, zone alarm Pro, automatic updates from MSFT, AdAware , and downloaded the beta of MSFT antispyware, and my wireless connection is encrypted. Don't know what else I can do- would appreciate the course outline!

 

[Ross]

Firefox isn't all that secure either!