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opheliaascending
Feb 9, 2005, 5:02 PM
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I'm thinking of buying a laptop so that I can work at home part time and at the office part time, but I don't know anything about laptops. Which are the best? I need one that's fast, reliable, multimedia capabilities and dirt cheap, of course. So far, I've looked at Dell and HP. I've found that some of the newer HP products have a lot of issues, but have no experience with Dell. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Nichole
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jumpingrock
Feb 9, 2005, 5:07 PM
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Registered: Dec 16, 2002
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I had constant problems with my Dell Inspiron. The only reason it was a decent machine is because I got three year warrenty and it was no questions asked so they were always happy to fix it.
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wingnut
Feb 9, 2005, 5:10 PM
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ebay, ebay ebay.
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blowboarder
Feb 9, 2005, 5:25 PM
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IBook, IBook,IBook... You'll never go back and wonder how you ever dealt before.
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clausti
Feb 9, 2005, 5:33 PM
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i have an IMB thinkpad.... i tell it i love it a lot, stoke it and am affectionate.... but most of the time it still hates me.
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camhead
Feb 9, 2005, 5:33 PM
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In reply to: IBook, IBook,IBook... You'll never go back and wonder how you ever dealt before. w0rd. New ibook G4 with the latest software and OS is $1000, so you can't even complain about the price of Macs anymore.
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opheliaascending
Feb 9, 2005, 5:43 PM
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Won't I have compatability problems if I'm using a Mac? I have to share a lot of files with other computers and what about networking? When I'm at the office, I'll need to be logging in to a network. Would that be a problem if I have a Macintosh?
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overlord
Feb 9, 2005, 5:44 PM
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my mother has a hp. never had any problems. i believe its still on the original install of the windows after 9 months or so.
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blowboarder
Feb 9, 2005, 5:47 PM
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In reply to: Won't I have compatability problems if I'm using a Mac? I have to share a lot of files with other computers and what about networking? When I'm at the office, I'll need to be logging in to a network. Would that be a problem if I have a Macintosh? What kind of files? Most windows software is now available for Mac's. Don't know about networking but my Ibook picks up my next door neighbors high speed wireless connection and he's all PC.
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overlord
Feb 9, 2005, 5:47 PM
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no, you shouldnt have any networking problems with a mac. but i dont know if the amcs "office" files are compatible with windows. but i guess they should be.
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blowboarder
Feb 9, 2005, 5:48 PM
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In reply to: no, you shouldnt have any networking problems with a mac. but i dont know if the amcs "office" files are compatible with windows. but i guess they should be. If you're talking about Word, Excell, Powerpoint, ect... The answer is yes, they work fine together.
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opheliaascending
Feb 9, 2005, 5:53 PM
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They're mostly microsoft office files. Are there any other problems people typically complain about with Macs?
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overlord
Feb 9, 2005, 6:02 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: no, you shouldnt have any networking problems with a mac. but i dont know if the amcs "office" files are compatible with windows. but i guess they should be. If you're talking about Word, Excell, Powerpoint, ect... The answer is yes, they work fine together. yes, i was reffering to those. and i would be really suprised if they didnt work. but even if they didnt, you could still use openoffice.org :P i believe they make it for macos too. or if not you still have linux. i dont know anything about the macs, but a slovenian magazine who tested some of them (theyre not really widespread here) and really liked them.
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bonin_in_the_boneyard
Feb 9, 2005, 6:05 PM
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Yeah, I whole-heartedly recommend a Mac. I switched this summer after having been a PC user for a decade. Fuck Windows. The funniest thing is that MS Office runs better on a Mac than it does on Windows! If you're a klutz like me, I recommend the PowerBook. I've dropped mine a couple of times and the titanium is dented to shit, but the thing still works fine. Good luck!
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jono
Feb 9, 2005, 6:14 PM
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if you can avoid a laptop do so, they are a lot more difficult to upgrade than a desktop. while everyone is voicing their opinions on mac.... http://www.happynowhere.net/mac_parody.php get a PC edit: a couple F bombs, probably not work safe.
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camhead
Feb 9, 2005, 6:22 PM
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dude, here is one lame thing I have found out about file sharing and macs: My old ibook, which had an OS-X from like three years ago, had no problems converting word files into its clarisworks word processor program. However, my new ibook and new OS won't do it! Every time I try to open a fricking word document, it gives me a window telling me that I need to purchase MS Word! Fuck that Microsoft muscling! If anyone knows any way to get around that, please let me know. As for file sharing of word documents, the mac version and PC version of MS Word are perfectly compatible. I guess I'll just have to sack up and buy the fricking program. dammit.
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blowboarder
Feb 9, 2005, 6:23 PM
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In reply to: if you can avoid a laptop do so, they are a lot more difficult to upgrade than a desktop. while everyone is voicing their opinions on mac.... http://www.happynowhere.net/mac_parody.php get a PC edit: a couple F bombs, probably not work safe. Upgrading an IBook couldn't be easier. Are you receiving what pass's for a State approved education down their at WSU or what? Please don't tell me you live in Pull-pud and don't go to school.
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overlord
Feb 9, 2005, 6:30 PM
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In reply to: dude, here is one lame thing I have found out about file sharing and macs: My old ibook, which had an OS-X from like three years ago, had no problems converting word files into its clarisworks word processor program. However, my new ibook and new OS won't do it! Every time I try to open a fricking word document, it gives me a window telling me that I need to purchase MS Word! f--- that Microsoft muscling! If anyone knows any way to get around that, please let me know. As for file sharing of word documents, the mac version and PC version of MS Word are perfectly compatible. I guess I'll just have to sack up and buy the fricking program. dammit. http://download.openoffice.org/1.1.4/index.html they say it runs on osx. my mother had it as the default office suite on her laptop and worked there too. works for me under linux.
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epic_ed
Feb 9, 2005, 7:17 PM
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I have a Sony Vaio and have been very happy with it. It met the criteria I was looking for -- light weight, but still with a good sized screen and keyboard; powerful (centrino processor); and wireless NIC. Toshiba's generally get good reviews, the Satellite line in particular. I've configured/supported/serviced nearly every laptop manufacturer on the market in their business line of laptops. I prefer Dell, but all of them have their pros and cons. Often, a tie-breaking factor is the quality of support offered by the company. Dell usually leads the pack in this category. Keep in mind that most manufacturers have two different lines of laptops -- one for the average home/retail buyer and one for the business user. The business lines are usually more robust and have a better warrenty. As for what operating system you're going to use, stick with whatever you can support on your own or one that your office IT department knows how to support. Since you'll be using this laptop for office work at least 50% of the time, this is an important consideration. Explain your new laptop wants and needs to your IT people and they will help you come up with some options for what to buy that will be most compatible with their network and file sharing environment. It's fine to step outside these parameters and go with something like an iBook, but only if you know enough about how to make it compatible in your business environment with little or no intervention on the IT departments behalf. There are most certainly ways to make a Mac/iBook compatible in nearly any network environment (we do), but you'll want to make sure that your IT department will be able to help you out, or if not, you have enough knowledge to do it on your own. We also use OpenOffice for our workers in the field. While it's a nice, free product and very functional, it's different than MS Office and the average user struggles with these discrepancies. Over all, most of our users aren't savy enough to figure out how to make OOo do what they already know how to do in MS Office. Supporting it, for this reason, is a nightmare. Ed
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phatcat
Feb 9, 2005, 7:22 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: if you can avoid a laptop do so, they are a lot more difficult to upgrade than a desktop. while everyone is voicing their opinions on mac.... http://www.happynowhere.net/mac_parody.php get a PC edit: a couple F bombs, probably not work safe. Upgrading an IBook couldn't be easier. Are you receiving what pass's for a State approved education down their at WSU or what? Please don't tell me you live in Pull-pud and don't go to school. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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opheliaascending
Feb 9, 2005, 7:35 PM
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Registered: Sep 24, 2004
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Thanks, epic_ed. That was a very helpful post. I think I'll look at Dell, considering we are a very small office and, as scary as it is, I have the most technological know-how in the place. :roll: I love tech support people. I have several tech support numbers on my speed dial. I used to get these temporary crushes on the younger (sounding) tech help guys..... :oops: They were probably pasty fat guys with cheeto stains on their fingers instead of the strong, handsome, intelligent type I always imagined.
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epic_ed
Feb 9, 2005, 7:53 PM
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In reply to: They were probably pasty fat guys with cheeto stains on their fingers ... Yep. Sounds like me. :mrgreen: Also give IBM a look. I think their laptops are ugly as hell, but they perform well and have excellent customer support. Ed
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bad_lil_kitty
Feb 9, 2005, 7:56 PM
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In reply to: Won't I have compatability problems if I'm using a Mac? No - Window's is based upon MACs - Mac can read PC - not necessarily the other way around. However, as it has been mentioned before, there are software programs for MACs that will translate PC files nicely (e.g. Office).
In reply to: I have to share a lot of files with other computers and what about networking? Not a problem - ask your IT department. At my old place, we had both MAC and PC users all on the same network (my old roommate was head of IT and my other roommate and I - into web stuffs, hence our MACs).
In reply to: When I'm at the office, I'll need to be logging in to a network. Would that be a problem if I have a Macintosh? again, IT can show you...
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blowboarder
Feb 9, 2005, 8:06 PM
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Basically, if Steve Jobs had half as much business sense as creative genius, we'd all be running Mac's and Microsoft would be a gaming company only, a historical footnote akin to Atari. But that's not the way it was..... Too bad for all you PC fewls. :lol:
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