Recommendations for a desktop computer, please.
last year
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Time to buy a new computer...recommendations?
Comments (8)I am back with an update. I did talk to an independent computer tech person who immediately told me it was not worth fixing my machine. She felt that the problem I was having with it not turning on maybe the motherboard. I am also seeing the case suddenly deteriorating faster and faster. Opening the computer, moving it from my lap to a table, keeping the screen upright, are now something I have to think about and fool with every time I pick it up. So, thank you Sue for the suggestion but I've decided I am ready to get a new machine. I am especially anxious to get it done before it goes kapoot and I can't get my files off of it to a new machine. I do hope you enjoy your machine as long as you can though, Sue!! :-) I have enjoyed my Dell and would have been just as happy to stick with it. secsteve....the 'trackball' I refer to is the one that is part of the keyboard of my Dell. It is in the middle between the G and H keys and very small movements with the index finger make it very easy to place it right where you want it easily. The button to select once the pointer is where you want it is right under the space bar and I can reach it with my thumb without even taking my hand out of typing position. Very convenient and easy to use. On the Apple it is instead the pad which you swipe your finger across to move the pointer. The key to select it is below the pad, no where near the keyboard, so you are always having to change position and taking your hands out of typing position. I just don't know what they were thinking to let go of the arrangement that works so well with the keyboard, to adopt this style. We went in to the Apple Store last night and even the salesperson who demonstrated using the pad, didn't seem to have any more mastery over it than I was getting. Slow and awkward. They have NO computers that offer the trackball as part of the keyboard. He suggested a wireless mouse, which I think they offer, but didn't have in the store. From what I can see of it online, I am not sure how easily it will work. It does appear to be one that you don't actually move the mouse around so much as you move the tracking ball on the mouse. So that is one option. According to him, there are no manufacturers that are making the keyboard w the tracking ball any more. Hmmm...will have to check that out. I asked him, what about people who have Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, which is a pretty common problem for people who type. He looked at me like I was speaking Greek. [g] Most salespeople in computer stores are young people it seems to me..lol. Of course, makes sense. He did show me some sort of contraption that holds the computer on it, with front support to rest your wrists on and that elevates the computer for air circulation. But if you are using it that way, the ergonomics are just not right for both the keyboard and the tracking pad and buttons. And if you use the pad to raise the computer, now your arms and shoulders are in a much more awkward and unsupported position. Very strange that for a company that put so much thought into ease of use and common sense applications that they seem to have spent no time on ergonomics. So disappointing! It is a little frustrating because if it were not for that issue, I may have already bought an Apple. It is just an issue that I cannot ignore. I was very impressed with everything I read on their website about their machines. Another thing I like is that they will transfer everything from your old computer to the new one for you. There is a store close by too. So, this afternoon, I am going to call Dell and see what their story is. Not what I expected to be doing this week. :-( Anyone else who has some Apple or Dell experience, I pretty much have it narrowed down to these two. Thanks pm2...See MoreMy Desktop isn't showing when I turn on my computer. Why?
Comments (24)Wow, there is a lot of good information here. Glad I posted with my problem, now I have something new to try out. Thanks owbist. ravencajun, thanks for the compliment but I only had the first half of it figured out and cboy came to the rescue and helped me with the last half of it. I can't take all the credit. "Smiles" Then zep516 came in catching the fact that System Restore wasn't working right and gave me great information on how to correct that. This was the first time that I've had problems with my desktop, but I have changed the backround on it before and I remembered that and I thought why not check it out and see if I could get it to change and that is when I discovered that the backround had been changed and all I had to do was to put it back like I had it, but then I didn't know how to get the icons back and that's when cboy posted the solution for me. If that ever happens to me again I will know exactly what to do. Thanks owbist for telling me how to move the icons down to the taskbar. I will try that on Wednesday, I will have more time to try it out then. thirdfrt!!!...See MoreRecommendations for a desktop PC. Hope
Comments (3)Yes, definitely IMO. My post in response to your laptop question was really referring to all Macs. I've had an iMac desktop for almost a year now, and highly recommend it. To address the cost issue, my view is that you will pay with money, or you will pay with your time and frustration. I'm not exactly a computer dummy: I do a lot of system administration at work. The issues that I had with my Windows home computer (viruses and other threats, etc.) were just taking up so much time, it wasn't worth it anymore. After owning the iMac for this long, I can honestly say it's night and day. As I said before, the Mac isn't perfect, but the issues I've had have been minor and relatively easy to fix, especially if you buy the AppleCare support. Yes, that's an extra expense, but as I said, your time or your money, your choice. Good luck....See MoreNew computer recommendation
Comments (17)johnc, sounds like you were on the receiving end of a problem, as I mentioned above. And it sounds like Lenovo is a bit overwhelmed and stumbling in trying to get the right outcome for customers. Something that affects its reputation and is important to them. You may know that there is almost nothing tangible in a major brand name PC that the brand manufactured. Apple included. And that's nothing new or recent. Nearly all the components, subassemblies, peripherals, etc., etc. are made by outside suppliers and even the "manufacturing" (which is really just assembly and test) is done by third party companies. So when you say that the PC companies are distracted doing other things - they're busy but not distracted. These are all large companies and the departments doing each of those tasks are different. They negotiate hard in the competitive world of PC part suppliers for the costs they pay because their customers - YOU AND ME- have come to see PCs as undistinguished commodities and with just a few exceptions, make buying decisions based largely on prices. Airline pricing - not all that different, also the same with some car brands. Customers said - hey, we want lower prices. Airlines (and PC makers and some car brands) responded and said - Sure, we'll lower the price and sell basic models (or bare bones services). If you want something more, that'll cost more. And if you want a lot more, that will cost a lot more. In the past month, I was on a trip abroad. I had a flight segment to arrange and the most convenient flights were from one of the low cost operators. Did I want a specific day - Yes, well that was extra. Baggage - Yes, well that was extra. A reserved seat? Also extra. Did I want a window or aisle instead of a middle seat? Yes, that was extra too. When I was all done, the fare was reasonable but also about double the starting point. The days of fully-equipped or full service anything are long gone in these markets. In the end, except for people who are happy with bare bones choices, I'm not sure anyone is paying anything less. It just seems that way (to some)....See More- last year
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