I'm going to buy a laptop.
Any recommendations for websites? Dell etc?
( girlinthehole, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:09, 71 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

An actual laptop or a netbook?

( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:10, Reply)

A laptop.
Hi hon : )
( girlinthehole, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:11, Reply)

Don't get an Acer. The screen shatters if you drop them

( fuck shit up the best you never had, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:12, Reply)

eek, my netbook is Acer...

( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:13, Reply)

Don't ever have to choose between dropping lasagne or your netbook then. The netbook wont win

( fuck shit up the best you never had, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:14, Reply)

Oh I would so drop the lasagne
Tigger would clear it up in no time.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:29, Reply)

Acer-netbook-high-5!

(PenguinOfDeath is Scottish, and most likely angry, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:52, Reply)

HIGH HIGH HIGH FIVE!

( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:11, Reply)

I've had a couple of Acer desktops
and have found them to be excellent. their customer service has been superb too.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:29, Reply)

Hiya gorgeous
I haz a netbook and I carry it round the house like an accordionist.
EDIT: *stops carrying it round the house like an accordionist*
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:12, Reply)

My sister is getting my computer and my dad is paying half towards a laptop for me.
Then I can take it on long train journeys.
( girlinthehole, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:14, Reply)

Ace!

( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:14, Reply)

don't buy a dell,
www.ebuyer.com

What's your budget, and what are you going to use it for?
(PsychoChomp, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:16, Reply)

There's nothing wrong with Dell
I've had a Dell desktop and a laptop for three years and there is nothing wrong with them.
(Bazongaloid, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:21, Reply)

I used to work for dell,
there is plenty of things wrong with them, most importantly is the non standard parts they use. Making it very hard to get anything fixed cheaply after the waranty expires.
(PsychoChomp, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:23, Reply)

there ARE plenty of things wrong with them.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:31, Reply)

They use standard hard drives, they use standard PCI slots
they use standard RAM, they use standard PSU, what else likely to go wrong with your computer do they use non standard parts for?
(Bazongaloid, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:31, Reply)

tempans are the main thing, it's a metal board that holds parts rigid in shipping.
blocks access to a lot of the bits, and has a habit of dropping solder on to the motherboards causing shorts.

Not all the time or anything, still relativley rare, but it's a pain in the arse to fix and caused a few hundred waranty claims a day when I worked for them.
(PsychoChomp, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:37, Reply)

I've worked on many Dells with custom Dell ram that's useless in anything else

( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:40, Reply)

I endorse this.
Had a horrible job upgrading an Optiplex. Problem was the non-standard motherboard configuration.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:32, Reply)

About £500.
Usual stuff. Internet, storing pics, watching yesterdays hightlights from the BBC channels, music. Nothing fancy.

Although my porn storage file is getting quite large now.
( girlinthehole, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:24, Reply)

Get this,
www.ebuyer.com/product/179694
Maybe get an external drive as well, if you need more than 320gb of porn.
Although streaming is the way forward.
(PsychoChomp, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:26, Reply)

I was joking about the porn thing you know.
Oh and thanks for the help.
( girlinthehole, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:27, Reply)

It's got a built in webcam for cybersexing strangers on chatroulette as well.

(PsychoChomp, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:29, Reply)

I'll bear that in mind.

( girlinthehole, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:29, Reply)

Get an external drive anyway
Eventually your hard drive will fail. Having two copies means you don't lose your dataporn stash when it does.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:35, Reply)

You need two external hard drives
one as a backup and the other to backup your backup. And have a ghost copy of your internal hard drive too so that you can reinstall it back in your machine without having to reinstall all your software.
(Bazongaloid, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:36, Reply)

And carve everything you do onto stone and encase the stone in lead and bury it at the bottom of the ocean.
In a shark cage.
( thealternativefact, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:49, Reply)

What about sharks with chisels and arc welding kits, eh? EH!?
Didn't think of that did you little miss clever clogs. Hows you?
(Bazongaloid, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:51, Reply)

Their kits will implode.
Helloooooo! I'm fine thank you - how are you?
( thealternativefact, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:53, Reply)

Set yourself a budget and get the highest spec you can for that budget
Thats all the advice I can give. I see broken laptops every day and hardware faults are rare and the make and models are varied. Software faults are down to the software not the laptop. I have a cheap unbranded laptop with amazing specs for the price I paid and the hardware hasn't gone wrong since I owned it.

What ever you buy please please avoid vista, its by far the most problem ridden operating system I have ever seen.
( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:27, Reply)

Nah! I'm old and sticking with windows XP.

( girlinthehole, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:29, Reply)

fuck that, windows 7 is far superior.
xp is being phased out of a lot of stuff, no point getting a new machine and crippling it with an old OS.
(PsychoChomp, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:30, Reply)

No XP is not being phased out by a lot of stuff
unless you are a top end company who needs the very latest software to function most people will be fine on XP for another 3-5 years easily, by which time your laptop will be worth replacing anyway.
(Bazongaloid, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:33, Reply)

New versions of Direct X and silverlight aren't going to be compatible with xp anymore,
they're mainly used for gaming though.
(PsychoChomp, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:38, Reply)

Plus, if you're buying a new laptop it'll probably come with 7 preinstalled.
What's the point of rolling it back?
(PsychoChomp, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:41, Reply)

No gaming for me and I suppose I could get to grips with windows 7.

( girlinthehole, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:46, Reply)

7's really good, much prettier,
easier to use, safer, runs quick, seems to be stable so far. I can't think of a reason to go back to xp.
(PsychoChomp, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:50, Reply)

is it worth buying would you say?

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:51, Reply)

Yeah, you can get an upgrade oem version for about £45-£50

(PsychoChomp, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:52, Reply)

I think it's worth getting on a new machine
but probably not upgrading your old one too. But i've never used it so my advice is based purely on my own bigoted opinions.
(Bazongaloid, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:53, Reply)

One of my computers is an old Toshiba A30
and with a ram upgrade to 1gb Windows 7 is faster than XP.
( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:55, Reply)

I got a free copy of 7 Professional through work
And its great, especially if you have a good screen resolution. I use it on my homemade tablet too. Ipad? HAhahahaha loadashite.
( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:53, Reply)

interesting mix of views there
I have vista at the moment, and it seems fine for what I use the computer for so will probably stick with it for the moment. if it starts to go shit then I'll change it I reckon
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:56, Reply)

No seriously if you can get/afford windows 7 do it now
Will save you hassle in the long run. Vista is beyond shit.
( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:57, Reply)

I fucking hate Vista so much
it makes Montys hatred of Bowie look like a sloppy blowjob with a cuddle afterwards.
(Bazongaloid, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:57, Reply)

My job would almost be pleasurable if it were not for Vista
A steaming pile of fucking turd. Installing an AV will stop the fucking internet from working. Its ridiculous.
( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:59, Reply)

Folk at uni upgraded to 7 from Vista
Y'know, because Vista is so rubbish. I've got to say, it's far better to use. Looks better, and better functionality than Vista, and probably better than XP too.
(PenguinOfDeath is Scottish, and most likely angry, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:58, Reply)

see I've heard a lot of Vista is shit stuff
and I'm sure that everyone who says it is justified, it's just that it works perfectly well for me and my needs, so far at least.

To the extent that I'll probably only upgrade if someone puts a free copy of 7 into my hand and gives me a gentle push towards my computer
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:01, Reply)

Yeh and when vista stabs you in the back
then rapes you as you die you will be slowly cursing yourself for not upgrading sooner. A downgrade to XP would be better than the evil wicked terrible piece of sputum that you have installed on your computer.
( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:02, Reply)

you are probably right
but that is still better than expending £45-50 of my hard-earned pounds
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:03, Reply)

Then get it for free
I'm sure you aren't a fool
( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:04, Reply)

shows what you know!

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:07, Reply)

WooHoo!
The west country folk are fighting.
I hope you'll upgrade this to physical level at the pub.
( thealternativefact, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:04, Reply)

I would
but the straw contained in his dungarees and floppy hat would have too much of a cushioning effect on any blows I was landing
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:07, Reply)

His belly would do a wibbly wobbly thing
and it would mesmerise you and he would get a lucky blow to your chin.
(Bazongaloid, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:09, Reply)

this sounds likely

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:11, Reply)

I might not be able to make it.
Its looking less likely anyway :(
( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:13, Reply)

boooooo!

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:15, Reply)

I think everyone should come to me
cos I am awesome.
( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:16, Reply)

to on
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:27, Reply)

Oh yeh sorry typo

( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:36, Reply)

I use windows 7 on everything now
even my 6 year old laptop
( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:50, Reply)

I used to take XP into the shower
now I just use 7.
(Bazongaloid, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:52, Reply)

It is however
Being phased out by suppliers offering laptops with more than 1Gb ram. I've recently been looking at a replacement laptop for the wife (good swap) and laptops with XP are few and far between. Some are offering OS free systems at great reductions so if you already have XP one of those might be worth a look.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:44, Reply)

You can pick up a copy of XP Home for about 60 quid

(Bazongaloid, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:46, Reply)

Thanks for all the help.
I get quite nervy when having to buy new technology.
( girlinthehole, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:54, Reply)

It was all lies
Buy an iPad
( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 13:55, Reply)

OR
Give Phillie your £500 and let him build you something startlingly useful and pretty.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:27, Reply)

Hell yeah I should take commissions
Purple snakeskin is optional hahaha
( Peej, Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:37, Reply)

Then again
You being an old fashioned girl.

www.datamancer.net/steampunklaptop/steampunklaptop.htm
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Fri 5 Mar 2010, 14:42, Reply)