I don't understand why people pay so much for computers. Really I don't. It is as easy as 1-2-3 to save money on your next computer purchase.
The first thing is to settle on a manufacturer, model, and mode--desktop or laptop--that you prefer. I wanted a Thinkpad (model) laptop (mode) by Lenovo (manufacturer). Why Lenovo? Because I like their style. They took over the IBM line of desktops and laptops and carry on with the IBM reputation for good design or at any rate nice, sleek black outer casing, which I have always preferred when it comes to electronic gadgetry of any kind. Tech should be like the ninja; its impact felt, but not seen. I needed a laptop in particular because I wanted to carry my computer to work.
I had two choices--buy a new Lenovo or a used one. I imagine that this is where my years of experience come in handy, because I felt confident enough to buy a used one on Ebay--and not just used, but broken. The seller fretted far too much over what I regarded as a trivial issue, the trackpad button, which I never use, preferring the mouse. I do not have a high opinion of trackpads and their buttons. Give me a mouse any day. The button probably was broken on purpose by a user irritated by the inaccuracy of the trackpad. The seller knocked off $30 due to this supposed severe defect, which I never notice. Indeed, I've considered disabling trackpad support in the operating system to avoid possible interference with my mouse. My final cost for a Lenovo Thinkpad R60 with 2 gigs of RAM, a 60 gig hard drive which passes S.M.A.R.T., and Intel Core 2 Duo processor was under $100, with free shipping. This rig is more than enough to surf the Internet. It is ridiculously overpowered for my modest needs. I don't give a fig about Windows, so I'm running Linux Mint Nadia KDE as my operating system, with Firefox 18.02 as my browser. As a rule, computer technology declines rapidly in value, so that used hardware with much life remaining can be purchased at a slight fraction of its original price. I think that any processor from 2008 will be perfectly usable in 2013, and at any rate that has been my experience.
But then I talk to my non-techie friends and find that they are still spending hundreds of dollars for a brand new laptop, because they think they need the latest version of Windows in order to be safe from viruses, and in some cases the new laptops arrive broken or crippled by malware. For my part, the first thing I do when a computer arrives is to repartition and format the drive, wiping clean any crap on there and especially getting rid of Windows, which takes so long to boot. The reason people are investing in SSD technology, which remains in its infancy, is due to the slow boot time of Windows. My operating system boots in seconds. On my system, with its slow 5400 rpm hard drive, Linux Mint Nadia KDE boots in 36 seconds! I would like to add that this is considered slow by Linux standards, and a desktop like Xfce would boot faster. But I don't mind waiting 36 seconds for KDE.
7 comments:
I suppose you're right. I have always despised Apple users for buying unnecessarily expensive computers just for the bragging rights. Am I, an everyday Windows user, now perceived to be in that same category of snooty know-nothings by someone else, someone more technically adept? The shame! I shall henceforth only use an abacus to solve my problems and communicate with the world!
P.S. In the interest of fair and balanced reporting, is there any caveats we should know about? Would the title be more informative if it said something like:
You can buy a computer for $100 (if you are qualified in at least two programming languages)
or
You can buy a computer for $100 (if you're prepared to limit yourself to the two dozen or so software apps written for its obscure OS)
or
You can buy a computer for $100 (but must provide your own keyboard, speakers, cables, monitor, and software)
or
You can buy a computer for $100 (but should be aware that it costs $100 for a reason and you will not be able to sell it if you change your mind)
Nowadays one only needs a single software app--Firefox, which Linux fully supports. Linux also has a respectable media player (VLC), word processor (LibreOffice), text editor (Jedit), and spreadsheet (LibreOffice), so I'm satisfied in most respects. I love my little $95 laptop. It boots in less than a minute and is stable and responsive. I only use Firefox on it--practically nothing else.
as a computer guy at home i agree with this guy, why buy a new laptop if you know nothing about computers at all? if this new computer has a problem or you or someone should damage this computer, you take it back where you brought it or send it back to the company that built it. now during the wait you are without a computer if this was the only computer at home then in most cases your computer will never be the same. i have seen this issue take place too many times. that computer if it runs even slow ends up in a pawn shop or a computer shop from a year or longer finally the owner of the computer shop ends upgrading it and if its really sharp he will keep that one for him self. unless a customer walks in with bank roll of money and buys it. which is business so advice is if you know nothing about computers the pawn shops and computer shops have very nice older laptop computers that work fine that you will be happy with especially with the latest up to date system for work fun and games a older laptop in my eyesight are really much better because within the next year the new computers today will be in the pawn shop or someone's computer shop think about it later.
I'd agree with buying from a pawn shop or computer shop, but suggest that one reformat the hard drive and install Linux. There is a possibility of the operating system on a used computer harboring a virus or other form of malware. A clean virus scan does not mean the system is unimpaired, only that the antivirus did not detect anything.
Linux Mint, KDE edition, is so wonderfully user-friendly that I cannot imagine using anything else. Download the latest version of Linux Mint KDE from linuxmint.com, get rid of Windows, and be happy!
Igor,
Well I'm a big believer in used computers also. But I mostly stick in the 200-250 range. I traveled with an old G4 Ibook throughout Central America running Ubuntu and never had a problem. Paid like 225.00 on Ebay. Then I finally gave up on Apple and running inexpensive Intel now. Currently running a used Dell laptop that I bought in Lima, Peru for 190 dollars and its Ubuntu certified (XPS M1330.) Love it.
I always get a kick of walking past Starbucks and looking at all the Apple users. I think, "man those Apples sure are nice, but the price is way to high for me." Plus I'm in love with Linux now. I was an Apple user for 21 years "the cult." But now I think Linux is what Apple used to be. More passion than fashion. Chow.
Scott
Yes, I think Linux is the best OS for today's computing world. I like cheap computers, because in many ways they are just as good as expensive ones, if one is willing to use Linux and avoid the Windows trap. Also, I work with the public and leave my laptop on my desk. If some hoodlum steals my $95 laptop, I won't be happy, but it certainly won't ruin my whole year.
Post a Comment