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Oklahoma Howdy to All,

When you think that you have all the surge protection that you need, come to Oklahoma. I am at least glad that I had quite a bit of protection. It only took 24 hours to get everything running again. I think the best way is to unplug the computer completely. In Oklahoma, that would probably mean you would only have to worry about a tornado or a direct hit from a lightning bolt and hope you weren't sitting there at the time.   ;D

By the way, don't ever take me up on the offer to trade computers with you unless you have an old Commodore or something of that nature.   :D  I was fortunate to have enough baling wire and duct tape to get it running again.

Today's Computer Tip:  In Oklahoma, don't type at the computer with your feet in a bucket of water and a copper plate on your head, specifically in a thunderstorm.   ;D

Love In Christ,
Tom

A computer is an expensive lightening rod.  ;D
(The monitor is also an awesome projectile in a tornado!)

That don't always work, a friend of mine's house was hit no fire, but it came in one wall through the tv then across the liveing room his putter, through another wall in kit. it took the frig. and ele stove. All 4 appl. had to be replaced.

Oklahoma Howdy to JudgeNot and Forrest,

Brothers, I will have to say that I've not had a lightning ball chase me through the house, but I have seen the aftermath.

 ;)  Well, my wife finally told me that I need a new computer. I'm sure that I won't get anything big or fancy, but it will not have duct tape or bailing wired holding it together. YES!!, we actually looked at computers today. I wonder if the Smithsonian wants my old one.   ;D

HP is what I've had for so many years, and it was built like a Sherman tank. What do you think about the new HPs? I'm thinking about one of the smaller ones, but it will be 10 times faster than what I have. I'm thinking about a 2.2 Pentium 4.

Better yet - what do you like in the new computers?

JudgeNot, very few will understand this next little attempt at humor.   :D  I'm a little bit sad to give up my card reader, and all of those tubes helped to keep things nice and cozy during the winter.   :D

Love In Christ,
Tom

Well, it depends on how much you want (have) to spend.

I'm itching to get my hands on one of the new Acer laptops; 17" monitor; numeric keypad; 100 gig hard drive; 1 gig ram; dvd player; dvd/cd writer; wireless everything; et al, ad nauseum..... ohhh, my but it's beautiful (even if it is a little heavy for a laptop; need a big lap for it!)

uhhh, just a tad on the expensive side too ($2500 cdn) but I hope to have one by the end of this year.

We own a custom built desktop with an amd athlon processor; and an ibm thinkpad with pentium 4 processor..... if I had a choice I wouldn't go back to the desktop, unless you want to go totally wireless (wireless keyboard, mouse, etc.)

I must have about 3 miles of wiring coming out of the back of my desktop - keyboard, mouse, speakers, usb hub (with 4 wires plugged into it; monitor; microphone; cable modem; internet gateway; camera cord. Even the cable guy had a fit when he looked at it. (http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/spezial2/christo/Christo_pull_hair.gif)

Wireless.....yep, going there soon (the thinkpad has wireless - it's very cool).  (http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/cool/cool-smiley-010.gif)

If you don't need high output though (mine gets used about 12 - 15 hours every day (except sunday)) ya could always just get a Dell, dude....hehehe.

Gracey  (http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/spezial/jasons_smilie/laugh4.gif)

uhh, here's a link to the specs for the Acer. It's on the Canadian site, but acer has a us site (basic model & specs, along with "upgrade info" so you customize your own).

http://www.acer.ca/APP/AKC/INTERNET/Canada.nsf/AllDocs/0D64C55661A9FE9888256E8D000DDE1A?OpenDocument (http://www.acer.ca/APP/AKC/INTERNET/Canada.nsf/AllDocs/0D64C55661A9FE9888256E8D000DDE1A?OpenDocument)

Brother Bep - I quit using punch cards at least five years ago.  ;D

As far as computers:  Speaking as district Computer Ops Manager - our company went with Dell a half a dozen years back.  They have been real work horses; we have about 12,000 units company-wide and maintenance is at an all time low per unit. I can't find anything bad to say about them.  I even have one at home (2.8 ghz, 500 mb ram, 19" flat panel monitor) and I try to work it to death.  

Our company Standards:
Desk tops: Dell
Notebooks: IBM Thinkpads
Printers: HP
Servers: Compaq
OS: Windows XP

More than a little thought and research has gone into establishing the company standard.

Nice!


Yep....very dependable and customizable. None of the businesses I know use Dell (mostly they use IBM) but I know a lot of home users with a Dell, and they are very happy with it. (I might be too if I were going for a desktop.)

Oklahoma Howdy to Gracey,

Thanks for the information. I don't have to worry about the $2,500 models since I don't have nearly that much to spend. I'll be looking for something smaller and definitely a desktop. I have tried to do some reading about wireless, and I will consider that.

It's been a long time since I've bought a computer, so the descriptions of modern computers look alien.   ;D Thanks also for the links. I'll have to do my homework because it will probably be another long time before I buy another one.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Oklahoma Howdy to JudgeNot,

I really appreciate the information. I have tried to educate myself some about the modern computers, but I have a ways to go.   :D

My old computer is an HP Tank, and I definitely got many years of good service out of it. I am looking very seriously at Dell. I'll probably wind up with something like a 2.2 Pentium 4, and I am exploring the idea of a flat panel. I remember reading about them when they were relatively new. They used to have a problem with overheating and burning out, but I understand there are no problems with the newer models. I think that I like the idea of a flat panel. However, my old monitor holds down one corner of our house in high winds.   ;D

I don't even know what some of the basic things are on the modern computers, so I guess that it's time to find out in a hurry. My son-in-law just got a smaller Dell, something that I could probably afford. So far, they are very happy with it, and it does have a flat panel screen.

I might just have to follow the advice, "Get a Dell Dude".   ;D

Love In Christ,
Tom

         BEP:
      You get your new puter yet?

Forrest,

Yes, Brother, I got it. It's been 10 years since I bought a computer, so I'm reading the instructions carefully before I put it up. Everything is almost like Greek with all of this new stuff. I'm also trying to copy family photos and other personal things I would hate to lose before pulling the plug on the old one. I imagine a puff of smoke of it gasping its last breath any moment.  :D

I think that I got a super deal on what I could afford and got an HP M495c. It has an Intel Pentium 4 - 3.2 ghz processor, so I guess it would be a middle of the road machine. I had no idea that the speeds were now up over 4 ghz, but I really don't need one of the big ones anyway. It is 6 times faster than what I had, so I'm sure that I will be happy. I'll let you know more when I find out what everything is.   :D

I assume it was some sort of door buster at Sam's. It has a Windows XP Media Center OS, and I'd never heard of that either. It will definitely do what my wife and I want to do with it, plus some. So, we will jump in with both feet and learn something completely new again. Tomorrow will be the day I put it together. I'm hoping to be doing basic things with it by this time tomorrow, God willing.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Well your clock speed is ahole lot faster then mine is,(http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/emoticons/sad2.gif) only 233 Mhz.(http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/emoticons/smily084.gif)

Dreamweaver,

My old one is a 550, and I've worked it really hard I guess over 9 years. I was really quite happy with it, but I've spent quite a bit in repairs recently and it still crashes all of the time. If it was still dependable, I would probably put a few more parts in it and keep using it, but the repair bills are getting too frequent for a computer this old. It sounds like you've had your computer for a long time too. I guess that you've noticed that it's getting harder and harder to find software for them.

Mine has a whopping 8 meg integrated video card that won't handle any of the games my son wants to play when he comes home. In fact, he calls it prehistoric.  :D  He will be home for a few days next week, so I guess that my new one will almost match his laptop. He's in the Navy and is trying real hard to finish his degree while he is still on active duty. He does a lot of his course work on the laptop, and it's small enough to store at sea. They actually have college instructors on the ship, and it's almost free.

Brother, the secret was my wife made me buy the new computer. The old one was no longer dependable enough for her to do lesson plans, etc. for her work as a school teacher.

Love In Christ,
Tom

yes it is an older model I built. Back when Pen II 233 MXX came out. :eek:
I need to build another one thats faster but, I need to have enough money to build another one. :eek:

Oklahoma Howdy to DreamWeaver,

I wished that I had the ability to build one. One would not believe how low the prices are for components not considered to be mainstream and modern (i.e. Pentium III parts, motherboard, etc.).

I still haven't put my new one up. I couldn't believe how many files I really need to save for the move. At least the instructions don't make it appear to be as big a job as I first thought. The new stuff is very light compared to my old stuff, so maybe my back will survive.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Theres talk about a Pen 5 next year. I'm waiting for that to come out, then I'll build a Pen 4.
The mintureizing of componets make the new computers lighter.