Where do you guys buy your computers?

[skamikaze]

lookin for a deal on a new computer. ronnica's computer literally blew up last night for some reason, along with her monitor.

lookin at the vaio's for dvd burning and packaged with a 17in LCD monitor. but im not sure where to go besides compusa or circuit city.

i dont think we're ready to go to the dark side and bite into an apple jus yet...

[hKGuRLx0882x]

just do it... get an apple =) it's cooler

[SiRxVAdERxEP3]

why arent you ready?
didnt your PC just blow up?

Just remember.. everything is easier on a Mac.

all of the myths of yesteryear about Macs have all been eliminated.

[kardician]

dont do it jay. must...... resist the dark side....

haha. nah. it really depends on what youre using it for. macs are really good for video editing and graphic design. other than that, they make good paperweights. j/k scott and pam. :)


vios are nice, but a bit on the expensive side. i think dells seem to be the best all around value computer right now. you can get coupon codes for 10 - 15% off your order and basically get a whole system for less then a grand.

really depends on what youre gonna be using it for. alot of people build their own computers, that way you can customize it exactly the way you want to (hardware), and you dont end up paying for software from the manufacturers.

besides circuit city and compusa, you can check out byteware (byteware.net), personal touch computers, aliance computer systems, hawaiitechknow, sams club, and costsco... office depot / office max might sell desktops too. hope this helps....

[SiRxVAdERxEP3]

Hey Khyler
you seem to know what you are talking about... got any mac paperweights you wanna throw jay's way?

[da808gtsboy]

Dell.....I just use my computer for basic school stuff and internet surfing anways. Im not really a computer expert so their customer service is really good.

[SiRxVAdERxEP3]

Here are some reasons to switch:

1) Security - MS seems to have lots and lots of holes for viruses and worms to crawl through... Security patches and updates almost weekly. New holes in various apps found almost daily. Not on OSX. There are the occasional security patch but usually OSX's mach/bsd underpinnings are rock solid.

2) Ease of Use - Apple controls the creation of their hardware and their operating system software. This gives Apple greater control over the total Macintosh user experience. Each PC manufacturer has their systems come with different out-of-the-box software on top of Windows that may cause conflicts or incompatibilities with other software. Apple systems ship with only Apple created or approved software that is guaranteed to work with the operating system and each other, and not cause conflicts. This gives you a more consistent and stable user experience in the long run.

3) No blue screen of death!
Thats right. Memory protected applications means that if you are running 3 different programs and one of them crashes, it wont interfere with the OS or other apps running. Only that application will crash. There are no registry files that will get corrupted or .dll files that mysteriously vanish.

There are more reasons but i'll keep it at that...

Here is some reasons you may not want to switch:
Games - While more and more popular console and Windows/PC games are ported over to Mac OS X every week, the Mac is considered a second-class citizen for gamers. If the only thing you use your PC for is gaming, then you will probably not be happy with a Mac. If you are a casual gamer who doesn't mind waiting a few extra months for a Mac version of a game title to be produced, then a Mac will probably work okay for you. Because you can build a PC for relatively cheap, some Mac users chose to purchase a Mac for their main desktop machine, and build a cheap PC only for running the latest games. Others just purchase console gaming systems. While lack of the latest game titles isn't a problem for most people, only you know if this will be a problem for you. My motto: If ya wanna play games... buy a fricken PS2!!!!

Different Applications - Just about every major software vendor, from Adobe to Macromedia, even Microsoft, have Mac compatible versions of some or all of their applications. There are also many smaller software companies that fill the need of creating Mac-native applications that can replace many PC-only programs.
I always get the wise ass comment that PC's have more applications than Mac. I always then ask: "Ok. What applications do you use on your PC". The answer I always get is: "Ummm. Office. Uh... Photoshop... ummm... Internet Explorer... umm Entorage... WinAmp"
DOH! These are all available on the Mac with the exception of WinAmp which is eclipsed by the very well designed iTunes.
There will be that rare and obscure PC app that you may have that wont be available on the Mac, but only you can decide what that is... In any case, you can always get Virtual PC and run that Windows app on A MAC!!!

Here are some common myths and misconceptions about macs:

Myth: Apple is going out of business.
Fact: Some people call Apple the "company that's been going out of business since 1984." Ever since Apple introduced the Macintosh, it seems that at least once a month somebody predicts the companies' doom. Apple had some rough times in the mid and late 90's due to poor decisions by the CEOs at the time, but with the return of co-founder Steve Jobs as CEO, Apple is now looking better than ever, even better than some PC manufacturers. Apple isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Myth: Macs are too expensive.
Fact: You can get an all in one 17" eMac/1 GHz G4/40gig HD/ComboDVD/CD-R drive for $799 and if you are a student it gets even better!

Myth: Macs are only for graphic artists/other creative professionals.
Fact: Apple products are known for being popular to the creative industries, however the Macintosh is still the ideal Personal Computer. Not all Mac users work in the graphic art industries; many have just found that Apple computers are a better all around solution for their computing needs.

Myth: Macs aren't compatible with PCs.
Fact: Thanks to Apple's support for standards, your Mac will be compatible with many of the same networks, ISPs, VPNS, files, and documents you use on your PC today. This includes Office documents and presentations, Adobe, Macromedia and Quark files, and graphical and text documents. You'll also be able to chat on the same chat networks such as IRC, ICQ, AIM, MSN, and Yahoo!, as well as send and receive E-Mail documents with HTML and graphics to those on other platforms. Java and Shockwave are no problem either; Apple has these technologies included with the operating system by default. You'll also have your choice at web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Netscape, Opera, or Apple's own Safari browser based on open source and standards. Also, not only will you be able to run the Mac OS, but you'll find versions of Linux and BSDs for the PowerPC processor, as well as being able to run Windows, x86 Linux, Solaris, BeOS, and much more via Intel-x86 emulators like Virtual PC. Not only will you be on one of the most compatible computers in the world, you'll have choices that Windows just can't give you.

Myth: My current devices won't work on my Mac.
Fact: Many USB and Firewire (IEEE 1394) devices that you use on your PC will work as soon as you plug them into your Mac, many times without the need for additional drivers. Most brands of digital cameras, scanners, keyboards, mice, game pads, printers, and more are Macintosh compatible. Check with your product's manufacturer to find out their Mac compatibility status.

Myth: Macs don't support two-button/scroll wheel mice.
Fact: Many different input devices are supported in Mac OS X, including two-button (and more) mice, as well as mice with scroll wheels. Apple does not ship their machines with two button mice as convenience to users since usability studies show that one button is easier for many users to grasp, especially since the OS is designed to function just fine with one button. For those who wish to have more than one button on their mouse, just plug in a two-button USB mouse. Many Mac applications, as well as certain system areas, support extra options via the second button. And just about every scrollable window can be scrolled with a scroll wheel mouse.


i could go on for days....

I will say this much. I use Windows, Solaris, BSD, Linux and Mac at work and I have always gone back to Mac for everything I do.

[kardician]

i'd have to say i agree with you 100% on all three points. in fact, ive been thinking about picking up a g5 myself for video editing. but... for basic computer use, you just cant beat the price of a pc.

[SiRxVAdERxEP3]

you can buy a used mac or refurbished one for just as cheap... but you are right.
if you are gonna do basic email and web browsing you can get a pc. if you plan to do more in the near future... dont waste your time or money...

[Kaizer-Souze]

got a few things to add on this subject,
firstly: "if ya wanna play game buy a ps2" if you do play games on your computer then you can never get anything close to your computers power through a console game nor can you get anything close to the variety and styles of games on a console

secondly:using a mac reminds me of driving a beater around, yeah it gets you from point A to B most of the time however wouldnt ya rather be driving something nicer especially when the cost is cheaper for a pc most of the time

thirdly: cost now I am not sure what the bargain apples go for these days, but I know you can build the best PC out there for a little over a grand by just ordering parts and not going through stores, that also means you can build one for a few hundred if the best of the best doesnt concern you

lastly: in my life I grew up on macs and then saw the light and switched over to the pc now while I wait for my new pc to come i am forced to use a mac and all I can say is my god this is slow unresponsive and incredibly difficult to get exactly what you want done, atleast on a pc I have enough options to make a proper decision when i want to do something

didnt mean to flame any of this and everything i said is just based off personal experience and nothing else so hope it was of help, and if you do end up building one i would be glad to offer my assistance, although I have only built 3 or so, but keep in mind if you order something from a company like dell or alienware, you will pay a bit more but you will get the best service the computer industry has to offer,

oh p.s. Macworld compared there top of the line G5 mac to an alienwware area 51 and admitted that they could not touch the alienware with the G5, so hope this helps

[skamikaze]

dammit i didnt want to start a pc/mac debate :gap:

i'll pitch around the idea of a mac, but basically im gonna buy whatever ronnica wants. how well do files exchange between PC's and macs? it's mainly gonna be for internet and office applications, and media burning (with video editing in the future...) she needs to be able to transfer doc and spreadsheets between home and work computers. if it gets too complicated, we gotta stick with PC

i forgot about costco and stuff. thanks kyler. gotta check the navy exchange too.

[kardician]

file interopability is almost seemless, as long as youre using the same program on both ends. just gotta add file extensions if youre going from mac to pc.

[slopokegts]

my opinion is just that macs look cool.

apples run much more better security and stability wise, but if you know about computers enough, and you know how to maintain it, pcs run just the same with the exception of a hiccup here and there.

another thing is upgrading. upgrading macs require you to spend couple thousand dollars to buy another computer where pcs you can buy whatever upgrade you want that suits your need for a fraction of the price.

you can't custom make a mac from different components, but sometimes you don't have to cuz it already looks cool.

macs are the ultimate in the digital imaging department. pcs are starting to catch up, but macs are still moving forward.

again macs look cool.

i dunno...it all depends on preference of brand and stuff. just like how we here like toyotas, and other people like hondas.

as for which one to get...it all depends. if your girlfriend is going to be using it with files from another type of computer, best bet is to get the same type of platform as the one she's already going to be using. and it's not as easy as just changing the extension of files...cuz sometimes it doesn't read the same when opening. from mac to pc it works better...but from pc to mac it may not work all the time.

[gts_celicaCB99]

dont get a mac just cause trouble, compatiblity between mac and pc will have some problems. Blue screen of death only occured in the old days when you would run too much at once but now memory has expanded so much that i have never seen that on any new computer.
mac has the "little disk icon of death that blinks"
Dells are the best offer right now because they offer power without the cost of spending so much money.
there is a special deal right now:
Dell Dimension 2400 Desktop, P4 2.53GHz, 256MB, 40GB, CD-RW, 17" CRT monitor , XP Home, Stereo Speakers, Floppy, NIC, Modem, 2 Yr Warranty & Service

[skamikaze]

you know what, i just remembered. we have to retrieve all the old files off the old computer, so i think we will be sticking with a PC and adding the old hard drive to the new computer that we end up with. so prolly no mac yet

thanks for the link chris. we'll look into that deal. altho ronnica NEEDS a slim LCD monitor

[gts_celicaCB99]

here you go kamikazie
nice flat monitor for cheap
oh yeah and use this code to get 25 dollars off for the computer link that i gave before, ok: B036FDAB63CA
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000D17BF/102-2042650-5899369

[SiRxVAdERxEP3]

Originally posted by Kaizer-Souze
lastly: in my life I grew up on macs and then saw the light and switched over to the pc now while I wait for my new pc to come i am forced to use a mac and all I can say is my god this is slow unresponsive and incredibly difficult to get exactly what you want done, atleast on a pc I have enough options to make a proper decision when i want to do something
offer,


i wont debate on your other points what i wanna know is what mac are you on, what operating system are you using and what is it that you have to do that you think its sooooo slowwwwww?

[SiRxVAdERxEP3]

Originally posted by slopokegts
my opinion is just that macs look cool.

apples run much more better security and stability wise, but if you know about computers enough, and you know how to maintain it, pcs run just the same with the exception of a hiccup here and there.


But the thing is... you shouldn't have to.

Originally posted by slopokegts
another thing is upgrading. upgrading macs require you to spend couple thousand dollars to buy another computer where pcs you can buy whatever upgrade you want that suits your need for a fraction of the price.


Here is a common misconception. You can upgrade a mac. Want a bigger harddrive? 2 DVD players? a DVD+-R? Want more USB ports? Want more Firewire ports? All can be added... but the average user wont have to. Macs have USB 2.0, Firewire 400 and 800 (most), Ethernet, 56K modem, 802.11g wireless all built-in.

Originally posted by slopokegts

you can't custom make a mac from different components, but sometimes you don't have to cuz it already looks cool.


Again, a misconception. You can custom configure your mac in many different flavors direct from Apple.

macs are the ultimate in the digital imaging department. pcs are starting to catch up, but macs are still moving forward.


Originally posted by slopokegts
and it's not as easy as just changing the extension of files...cuz sometimes it doesn't read the same when opening. from mac to pc it works better...but from pc to mac it may not work all the time.

I have never had this problem.

[SiRxVAdERxEP3]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by gts_celicaCB99
dont get a mac just cause trouble, compatiblity between mac and pc will have some problems. Blue screen of death only occured in the old days when you would run too much at once but now memory has expanded so much that i have never seen that on any new computer.
[B]mac has the "little disk icon of death that blinks"
Dells are the best offer right now because they offer power without the cost of spending so much money.
there is a special deal right now:
Dell Dimension 2400 Desktop, P4 2.53GHz, 256MB, 40GB, CD-RW, 17" CRT monitor , XP Home, Stereo Speakers, Floppy, NIC, Modem, 2 Yr Warranty & Service

[Taesup]

I used to build computer to make some spare change. I still build my own computers. I would have to go with scotty on the whole mac thing but since your gonna use all your old files it's better to just stick with a pc. If you want, tell me what you want on your PC, I'll search out the price for all the stuff and I'll build your comp for free. I haven't done that in a while so it'll be fun cutting myself up on sharp metal edges and spending countless hours trying to find out what's wrong when I put the jumper in the wrong ports. haha jk! I'll do it for free and it shouldn't be a bother. Just lemme know what you want on the pc.

One more thing, Dell, Gateway and all those company build good computer for really cheap but they don't always have what you want or you end up paying for things you don't ever use, but none the less they are CHEAP. Sometimes it's cheaper to just buy the set from Dell and just deal with all the stuff you don't need. Just don't buy a comp that doesn't have everything you need. IMHO.

Oh yea, just in case your wondering, I give free 24 hours TECH support too! just don't call me when I'm drunk. heh.

And if you need some info, I built my own computer, the one I'm using now that has never crashed, my old one that i just pretty much gave to my sister, My dad's computer that also never had problems, and my friend that taught me all this currently runs his own ISP with 10 servers in LA, btw did I mention he's only my age too?

[slopokegts]

Originally posted by SiRxVAdERxEP3
I'd love for you to visit my I.T. department and help them fix the whole buildings PC's. They are overwhelmed with taking care of all the security problems and viruses throughout the company and corporate intranet.

then tell THEM to get macs :D

this whole debate of which is better is pretty stupid. i think BOTH suck! all computers suck! all computers cause MORE problems! ESPECIALLY MY CAR'S COMPUTER!!! stupid computers.

[SiRxVAdERxEP3]

i'm not saying one is better than the other. just dispelling some myths about a hobby of mine.

as i said before, i use them all... each has their own purpose.

[gts_celicaCB99]

Originally posted by SiRxVAdERxEP3
I'd love for you to visit my I.T. department and help them fix the whole buildings PC's. They are overwhelmed with taking care of all the security problems and viruses throughout the company and corporate intranet.

as for the blinking disk, you must be talking about OS 9 which was about a little less than 3 years ago. This usually happened when a harddrive died or the system became corrupted.


Oh and where do you work SiRxVAdERxEP3 ?

I alreday work at It department at UH. The law library where we fix a whole buch of computer PC's, and professors computers. yes we did have a problem with that new virus "so big" and the virsus welch is still out there that infects almost every new pc that is not updated. I know what it is like fixing both macs and PC, its just that PC's are easier to fix cause its not all crammed in like the macs.
Its like the old cars, you can fix old cars much easier than compared to the new cars like the celica. It is really hard changing the belt tensioner on the celica becasue u have so little space to work with.

[gts_celicaCB99]

Originally posted by SiRxVAdERxEP3
i'm not saying one is better than the other. just dispelling some myths about a hobby of mine.

as i said before, i use them all... each has their own purpose.
you are right

[gts_celicaCB99]

Originally posted by slopokegts
then tell THEM to get macs :D

this whole debate of which is better is pretty stupid. i think BOTH suck! all computers suck! all computers cause MORE problems! ESPECIALLY MY CAR'S COMPUTER!!! stupid computers.
thats true

[hKGuRLx0882x]

alrighty.. why are you guys so anal about using a MAC.. i don't see anything wrong with it..just because you haven't spent an adequate time using it to EVEN have a right to say that it's not WORTH getting.. can you tell me that you have used the new mac at work or at a friend's place or whatever..for a week to get how it operates and it still isn't good enough? I've had an imac for over 6 years my ibook for over 3 years.. since i switched to MAC OS X i have yet to have my computer freeze on me...to have a problem where i had to seek professional help.. a virus or anything.. So tell me how many times your computer froze on you.. how many times it had to be serviced? My computer is old..have little memory..yet works exceptionally fast..fast enough for me anyway.. So it's ok..you can be naive and just use your PC.. while .. i can perfectly use BOTH systems without problems! it's always better to no more than to know less.. ;) sorry didn't mean to sound like a *****.. but seriously.. you should open your mind to other things besides what you're used to..

[dsquared]

:rolleyes: :eatpop:

[kardician]

hey scott... im still thinking about getting the g5 later on (or possibly a powerbook if i decide to go mobile).

do you think we can discuss why i should switch through PM?
ive use osX in school at win2k / xp at home & work, so i have a pretty good experience with both. im not a game player, so its pretty much an open ball park for me.

i've known all three mac techs that worked for the UH IT dept. and 2 of them switched to pc. 2 mac technitions switched! personally, i dont know anyone who has gone from pc to mac. but im really trying to keep an open mind about it. i dont want this to be a heated debate. just think maybe you can enlighten me.

[hKGuRLx0882x]

Delo went from PC to mac and he loves his computer.. i think.. =P

[SiRxVAdERxEP3]

Originally posted by gts_celicaCB99
Oh and where do you work SiRxVAdERxEP3 ?

I alreday work at It department at UH. The law library where we fix a whole buch of computer PC's, and professors computers. yes we did have a problem with that new virus "so big" and the virsus welch is still out there that infects almost every new pc that is not updated. I know what it is like fixing both macs and PC, its just that PC's are easier to fix cause its not all crammed in like the macs.
Its like the old cars, you can fix old cars much easier than compared to the new cars like the celica. It is really hard changing the belt tensioner on the celica becasue u have so little space to work with.

I work at the Honolulu Advertiser. I too worked at the University of Hawaii doing IT at Krauss Hall and later at the Student Services Center managing and helping program their mainframe that accessed ISIS for registration. You have me to thank for dial in and web registration of classes. So I know a thing or two about fixing, setting up and administrating various different systems... more than just my personal computer.

I don't get it. What do you mean more crammed in? Are you talking about iMacs? Laptops?

One of the great joys in my department is not having to worry about viruses and worms the way our Windows counterparts in other departments do. We can open email without holding our breath that a worm is going to send an email to the entire north american corporate staff from our offices. Because we use macs.

[Taesup]

I've used both extensively and I have to I just love both of them! Can't we all just get along? although my preference is toward PC ONLY because I've been using them longer and i have gotten used to them, I'm a creature of habit, and that is the only reason why I prefer PC. But in any case, they are both good system, why ask which one is better? To each their own and yada yada yada. Where's the love?

Oh BTW I love you Scotty for making it so that I can register classes online. I'm so lazy.

[SiRxVAdERxEP3]

again im not trying to say which one is better or not... all im trying to do is educate a few about Macs. There are far too many misinformed and biased opinions toward macs that are either not true or no longer true.

[dsquared]

my PC is in a comma due to a virus so i'm forced to use my MAC for all my school work and a few graphics here and there

so far so good...i've gotten used to the system and have no complaints so far *crossing my fingers*

[hKGuRLx0882x]

Originally posted by Taesup
Oh BTW I love you Scotty for making it so that I can register classes online. I'm so lazy.

:werd: i remember waiting in those long ass lines just to find out the class was full =( i'm sOoOooOooooo glad there's such thing as online registration now.. even tho it sorta screwed me over for spring semester..

[gts_celicaCB99]

Originally posted by SiRxVAdERxEP3
I work at the Honolulu Advertiser. I too worked at the University of Hawaii doing IT at Krauss Hall and later at the Student Services Center managing and helping program their mainframe that accessed ISIS for registration. You have me to thank for dial in and web registration of classes. So I know a thing or two about fixing, setting up and administrating various different systems... more than just my personal computer.

I don't get it. What do you mean more crammed in? Are you talking about iMacs? Laptops?

One of the great joys in my department is not having to worry about viruses and worms the way our Windows counterparts in other departments do. We can open email without holding our breath that a worm is going to send an email to the entire north american corporate staff from our offices. Because we use macs.
thats cool....

i was talking about the imacs. I got a question about those i macs...........What do you do when the monitor breaks?

[SiRxVAdERxEP3]

make um into an aquarium or get them fixed.

[DA-newbie]

The answer is simple, get linux

[kardician]

Originally posted by dsquared
my PC is in a comma due to a virus so i'm forced to use my MAC for all my school work and a few graphics here and there

so far so good...i've gotten used to the system and have no complaints so far *crossing my fingers*

you planning to get it fixed? need help with it?

[dsquared]

kyler...yeah, that'd be great! some time after the semester is over would be good...if you have time...thanks for the offer man!

[skamikaze]

lol what have i done :gap:

jus as an update. my initial thoughts after ronnica told me her computer blew up i kinda thought power supply blew. and after doing a story on everybody computers going kaboom after the heavy rain i learned a lot of people had the same problem. so i went to the store today and bough a new power supply for $40, and here i am on her computer. back in business :thumbup:
still in the market for a new computer, but not so much in a rush. thanks all!

[kardician]

Originally posted by dsquared
kyler...yeah, that'd be great! some time after the semester is over would be good...if you have time...thanks for the offer man!

n/p. just remind me.. lol.