Computer troubles!

[Dennis A Lederl]

I haven't visited her in a long while nor have I been able too.
I've been in computer limbo and nightmare.
On Sept. 14th I came home and smelled smoke in my computer room/office. My computer was off and I tried to turn it back on.
Nothing!
Big nada!
So I called some friends who fix and make computers. They said it might be the mother board and it would be costly.
So I went out and got a brand new, out of the box, Compauq Pressario, which was the most bang for my buck at the time. But it comes with Vista pre installed. That's when my real nightmares began.
I was in the middle of starting up a whole new novel and needed word processing right away.
I also pay almost all my bills on line.
I HATE VISTA!!!!!!
What a rip off by MicroSoft. Soft in the head maybe!
I couldn't load up any of my old programs or files.
It took me days to get anything working and when I tried install my XP home edition I lost everything.
I finally had to Fed Ex it back to HP and they found out the motherboard was bad on the new one.
Endless weeks of fighting and finally a friend at work took a look at my old one and it was just the power supply.
So now I'm back on my old computer with XP and able to do somethings again.
So I hope to get here once again, more often the I was.
Dennis
P.S. Record snowfall for the Chicago area and some really cold AND windy days so I haven't seen anyone in a skirt, not even women or girls.

[Stu]

Dennis

Throw away your computer and buy an Apple Mac.

Then kiss goodbye to all your computing troubles!

Stu

[ChristopherJ]

Most people who know about these things seem to say that Vista is rubbish. Like many others, I am hanging on to XP. If it works - then don't change it!

A good idea, of course - is to back up all of your stuff. Work files, photos, whatever. I use a 320GB external hard drive - which just plugs into a USB port on my computer. It cost £55 and I have everything backed up there.

[DavidsSkirts]

Dennis

Throw away your computer and buy an Apple Mac.

Then kiss goodbye to all your computing troubles!

Stu

I'm with Stu on this one - go with Apple -> I won't go as far as to say no problems (I have an iMac, not quite 3 years old, that has to go in for a service - crashes while booting..); but haven't had any problems with the iBook I'm using at the moment..)...


I installed the new Leopard OS a couple of months back, and haven't had any major upsets here either - you can match, or surpass, the best of Vista at a fraction of the cost - and without the reported hassles..


Reliability is probably more than 5 times higher than with Windows machines - while can still have problems, probably less than 20% of what you can see with the Windows OS.

[SkirtDude]

deleted

[crfriend]

I've run Linux on pc clones since circa 1994. It saves me most of the grief that comes with with Windows like viruses, bad security in Microsoft programs etc etc.

I'm with SkirtDude on this one; Linux solves many more problems than it introduces -- but, it's not for everyone yet. If really pressed into making a recommendation for consumer kit, I'd probably say Apple but don't like making such recommendations in the first place; it's far better for someone to do the research and exploration themselves and come to the decision that is right for them.

On any given day here, one can find at least two running Linux systems, two Solaris systems, and an IRIX box all happily booted and just working. Sapphire has her Windows laptop which blue-screens a couple of times a day (looks like a intermittent hardware fault; probably bad seating someplace); mine run from power-cut to power-cut.

Simple, "stupid" hardware is sometimes the best hardware.

Too right. Where's my vintage 1972 Data General Nova? At least that class of kit one can actually fix when it gets bollixed up.

[Stevie D]

Dennis

Throw away your computer and buy an Apple Mac.

Then kiss goodbye to all your computing troubles!

Stu

Stu - have you been converted then? (a bit like you were to wearing skirts? )

A few months back, I seem to remember you posting here saying how you'd just bought an Apple Mac and how much you didn't like it ! I assume you have now had the chance to reconsider!

Stevie D (15 years a Mac user)

[Stu]

Steve

have to say that, in terms of stability and reliability, my Mac Book is light years ahead of any PC I have ever owned. I turn it on and it just works - never a problem. It took me a good two or three frustrating months to get the hang of it, though. It's been a Godsend for my PhD work - in that way, it has really come into its own. So yes, I have been converted.

I may express strong opinions on things but you could never accuse me of being closed minded - you would have to agree if you saw me here wearing a skirt and typing on my Mac.

BTW - Happy New Year to Jan and yourself. This will be our last one in the UK as we emigrate in July.

Stu & Mette

[Bob]

I agree, get a Mac. You won't regret that decision.

[Jock]

I am a devoted Mac user as are most of my immediate family. All I'll say on that is that we like life easy.
However - Vista. I have read increasing reports that Vista is being shunned by big business, to the extent that microsoft are now extending XP support to at least 2014. Apparently the business community see little advantage in Vista, can't afford the cost of it, and most significantly, can't afford the hassle of change and compatibility issues. Most of the Vista sales a driven by people buying new PCs and getting stuck with Vista preinstalled. I have also heard ( but cannot confirm) that the Vista anti piracy scheme is a real headache to legitimate users.

If I should ever have a fever and decide to buy a windows PC then I would certainly ask, nay demand XP installed or at least a free XP CD.

[01/01/08]

I am also a victim of VISTA home basic. Ican't keep up with all the updates, pretty soon I'll run out of space on my hard drive. You can't fix junk.

[skirtguy22]

I am a devoted Mac user as are most of my immediate family. All I'll say on that is that we like life easy.
However - Vista. I have read increasing reports that Vista is being shunned by big business, to the extent that microsoft are now extending XP support to at least 2014. Apparently the business community see little advantage in Vista, can't afford the cost of it, and most significantly, can't afford the hassle of change and compatibility issues. Most of the Vista sales a driven by people buying new PCs and getting stuck with Vista preinstalled. I have also heard ( but cannot confirm) that the Vista anti piracy scheme is a real headache to legitimate users.

If I should ever have a fever and decide to buy a windows PC then I would certainly ask, nay demand XP installed or at least a free XP CD.

Never get a PC without the XP disk included. You will be restricted to going to the vendor for any repairs. And, you won't be able to install a MB without having it to get Windows re-validated, at least without going around Microsoft's rules.