Buying a new computer?

[espee2]

I was wondering if anybody has purchased any "Compaq" systems from Radio Shack, I can't afford a "super PC" and they have some good deals on Compaq,they have some rebuilds for under 500$ would I be wasting my money? I basically know nothng about them. (computers)
and would like some advice. Thanks (this is on topic because I want to make my killer website kick ass!)

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espee2

Railroading in Southern Oregon
www.tunnel13.com (http://www.tunnel13.com)¤
layout: SP's Newberg Branch in N scale (http://tunnel13.com/newberg.html)

[Robin Matthysen]

My daughter has a Compaq cumputer which she got three years ago. She loves it and it does everything she wants it to. She is a registered member of a forum much like this one that deals with needlwork.
The PC works well with the scanner and printer she has. It runs MYOB financial program like a charm.
No problems with this PC and she is well pleased with it.

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Robin http://www.trainboard.com/smiles/096.gif

Maberly and Tayside (http://members.nbci.com/Matthyro/index.html)

[E-8]

I'm anti but I don't want to step on anyones toes on this. I say no to Compaq and Radio Shack completely. I would not buy a computer from Radio Shack under any circumstaces. I do not feel that they are trustworthy.

Charlie

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http://www.trainboard.com/e-8/jester.gif Ship It On The FRISCO! (http://www.frisco.org) | IAMOKA.com (http://www.iamoka.com)

[Robin Matthysen]

You must have had a bad experience Charlie.
Radio Shack in Canada is OK. I have not had any problems with them and neither any of my friends. No I don't have shares in Radio Shack and no relatives working there.

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Robin http://www.trainboard.com/smiles/096.gif

Maberly and Tayside (http://members.nbci.com/Matthyro/index.html)

[virtual-bird]

<Font face="Arial Rounded MT Bold" color=navy>Personally I would build my own.. and regularly do! New AMD 800 says it all... But I workin IT, I do it all day.

The problem is that buyers see machines in stores, and dont know what is what, and what value things actually have.. It is not their fault, but slick salesman are a PITA.. They can bamboozle you with gargon they get from a pamphlet and it has BUZZ words galore that the normal person has no idea what they are being told..

I have fallen for it with Model train things... But I'm new with MTrains so I expected to get shafted sooner or later... But lesson learnt.

What do you want the machine for?
<font size=4 color=blue>For basic things such as Word Processing and surfing the net.</font> anything from a Pentium 100 up would do. Windows 95, with at least 16 meg ram 1.2 gig HDD is ok...

This is a basic machine <U><font size=6 color=red>B A S I C..</font></U> and should cost you dirt. I have thrown out better machines than this...

If you want a machine for graphics, which it sounds like as you "want to make yer site a killer", and more processing, then spend more $.. better processor More RAM, Better Video card..

At LEAST a 200 more like a 350 .. go with 32 meg ram, 3 or 4 gig HDD.. and get at least a 2 meg Video card. The higher the better with most specs..

<font color="red"
YOU DO NOT NEED A Pent 800 128 MEG RAM 40 GIG Hard Drive 21 in Monitor TO SURF THE NET AND CREATE GOOD WEBPAGES... DONT LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE...</font>

Its hard to say, and I have my flame suit on ready for blasting, everyone has a different idea on what is <font size=5 color=red>BASIC</font>...

Basic and cheap can be 2 different things totally.

I had a CYRIX(Different to INTEL) 200 for ages, and I ran Paintshop, Photoshop, netscape, IE, WSFTP(used for uploading pages and images to the web server), did all my page on the AMD 200 and a P100!! 16 meg ram and all! Its not the fastest machine on the planet, although now its over clocked off its nut, has 96 meg ram and 4meg vid card, but it is a FINE second machine for the wife to surf with and do her thing.

Here in Sydney Aussie with out worthless $, you can pick up second hand Pentium 500's for about $700... thats about $350us.

As for Compaq we have 1 server and no PC's and the server is crap. Being replaced this month.. We also have some of their laptops... Fine machines... But there are good and bad in all.. Its pot luck!

HTH..
if ya got any questions just ask..
</font>
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CK& Bird Butt Railroad -
Its a coal mining region of a place far far away, that shares rails with SP, NS...
Era:
Time stands still round these parts, and we have everything from Steam, to Diesels...

[This message has been edited by virtual-bird (edited 02 December 2000).]

[This message has been edited by virtual-bird (edited 02 December 2000).]

[This message has been edited by virtual-bird (edited 02 December 2000).]

[This message has been edited by virtual-bird (edited 02 December 2000).]

[Chessie_SD50_8563]

Okay VB heres where the fun begans!!!
(Tabby Cat gets in flame suit on just incase)

I agree that a 100MHz PI 16MB of ram and 1.2 Gig HD with Win 95 will get you around the internet and allow you to do word processing.

But
Run a old Word Processor Program (Word Perfect 8.0 and Word 2000 run super slow on anything below a 200 MMX)

Run a non machine intesive browser
IE 5 will do nicely
and If you like to sit and wait for programs to load , Netscape is okay.

AOL 6.0 runs slowly on a K6-2 300 I cringe to think of it on a PI 100 but why would you want AOL... get AIM

Going on a 500Mhz or faster system is not Required but is Prefered (besides you really can't buy anything new under 500Mhz unless you build it yourself and manage to dig up a K6-2 400 or a PIII 400)

Used machines are sometimes okay depending on who you get it from and how it was used. A general rule in the US is that former Business machines (workstations) normally have been used to the point where everything is about to fail. Don't waste your money on former school machines. There eather so beat up that they are junk or so old they are junk. (Trust me on that one. I work at a school repairing machines. I wouldn't sell one of these to my worst enemy.) Former Home machines are questionable. It all depends on who owns them. Going back to former business machines. Some can be great deals. I have a friend who bought a IBM ThinkPad with a 300MHz PII processor for $100 US and it runs GREAT!
So when it comes to used machines the old phrase comes in "May the buyer beware!"

New Machines
Recomened Brands
Dell
HP
IBM (Though ordering program)
Compaq (Geting better at it)

Well now I have entered my 2 american pennys.





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Theres no such thing as having to many coal hoppers or GP40-2 when you model Chessie System
LONG LIVE THE KITTEN!!!
LONG LIVE BIG BLUE!!!
I looked at DCC... and stayed DC!

[E-8]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Chessie_SD50_8563:
New Machines
Recomened Brands
Dell
HP
IBM (Though ordering program)
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree with this. I have a new Dell desktop replacement (laptop) on the way right now.

Compaq computers are not big favorites of power users. They are okay I guess for the average home user.

As far as Radio Shack, I did buy an IBM laptop from them in the days before they sold Compaq's - they did used to be IBM dealers and had the best price at that time.

I bought the extended warranty and I did not realize that it was through Radio Shack and not IBM. Nor did I know that Radio Shack only hires inept technicians to work in all of their repair centers.

After having some problems with the computer - most likely caused by Radio Shack technicians - I threatened to sue. That still did nothing. I simply scrapped the computer and lost a lot of money.

Needless to say, I no longer shop at Radio Shack anywhere for anything.

Charlie

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http://www.trainboard.com/e-8/jester.gif Ship It On The FRISCO! (http://www.frisco.org) | IAMOKA.com (http://www.iamoka.com)

[This message has been edited by E-8 (edited 02 December 2000).]

[virtual-bird]

Originally posted by Chessie_SD50_8563:
Okay VB heres where the fun begans!!!
(Tabby Cat gets in flame suit on just incase)

I agree that a 100MHz PI 16MB of ram and 1.2 Gig HD with Win 95 will get you around the internet and allow you to do word processing.
<snip>
lets take this a few at a time.
Yup.. sure will.. And my wife does it daily!

But
Run a old Word Processor Program (Word Perfect 8.0 and Word 2000 run super slow on anything below a 200 MMX)
<snip>
Word Perfect is still in business? Word 2k on a 200, wouldnt try it.
Another point.. What users need more options for word processing that WORD 2? Professionals.. that would have the latest and greatest machines anyway! its not just hardware that people get sold on catch phrases!!!

Run a non machine intesive browser IE 5 will do nicely and If you like to sit and wait for programs to load , Netscape is okay.
<snip>
IE and Crashscape dont take more than 5 secs on anymachine... my 100, myy 200, or my 800. MMMmmmmmm.. 800.. Also depends on the homepage you tell it to open on opening browser. If its a large page it will slow that down too.
Machine speed also has sod all to do with the net. Your ISP's servers, your Modem and phone line control 99% of the speed...

AOL 6.0 runs slowly on a K6-2 300 I cringe to think of it on a PI 100 but why would you want AOL... get AIM
<snip>
Never used AOL, its not big here in Aussie so I hadnt considered that, and have no ideas on that one...

Going on a 500Mhz or faster system is not Required but is Prefered (besides you really can't buy anything new under 500Mhz unless you build it yourself and manage to dig up a K6-2 400 or a PIII 400)
<snip>
You said it so well.. "not Required but is Prefered"... on that theory.. 1200 is not Required but is Prefered... it will never stop and you will never catch up. My 800 is weeks old and prettymuch worthless now.. 1200, and new 1400P4... say no more. THey also have 2000's in the intel factory... so this shows how fast things are heading...

In the original posting, he is not talking about a new machine.. He said
"...they have some good deals on Compaq, they have some rebuilds for under 500$ would I be wasting my money"

Used machines are sometimes okay depending on who you get it from and how it was used. A general rule in the US is that former Business machines (workstations) normally have been used to the point where everything is about to fail.
<snip>
not always here. At Caltex Refinery and also at work, they upgrade some machines only cause the new software requires it. I had a $70k project to run.. Oracle DB, and it needed a min P350 to run. The machines replaced were under 6 mth old P266's! So there are bargains to be had.

Don't waste your money on former school machines. There eather so beat up that they are junk or so old they are junk. (Trust me on that one. I work at a school repairing machines. I wouldn't sell one of these to my worst enemy.) Former Home machines are questionable. It all depends on who owns them. Going back to former business machines. Some can be great deals. I have a friend who bought a IBM ThinkPad with a 300MHz PII processor for $100 US and it runs GREAT!
<snip>
Its a hard life that one!


So when it comes to used machines the old phrase comes in "May the buyer beware!"
<snip>
OH HOW TRUE THIS IS!!!

New Machines
Recomened Brands
Dell
HP
IBM (Though ordering program)
Compaq (Geting better at it)
<snip>
Personally out of the list, I would go with.... HP. IBM and Compaq have not impressed me at work, as with DELL.. ITs hard to say what I think of DELL, some days they are fantastic.. but when you get 4 new machines arrive DOA, and then have to wait for 3 days for parts, then the parts arrive DOA I think that says alot!

Well now I have entered my 2 american pennys.

you can work on a DONT BUY OLD theory, but I just sold my old AMD 400 to a mate, and would if in his position(P100, I gave him a Cyrix 200 to help out for a while) have upgraded to the 400 for the price. Nothing wrong with it and I would still have it myself for another 12 months if the 800 had not been a bargain from a mate who upgraded to a Thunderbird900


Good luck in your decision!

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CK& Bird Butt Railroad -
Its a coal mining region of a place far far away, that shares rails with SP, NS...
Era:
Time stands still round these parts, and we have everything from Steam, to Diesels...

[espee2]

I get confused with all the computer lingo but I am learning. I can't remember what the specs were on the compaq, but I do believe they were better than the "basic" example as explained by VB, and thanks BTW for the info, I printed it and will take it with me...



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espee2

Railroading in Southern Oregon
www.tunnel13.com (http://www.tunnel13.com)¤
layout: SP's Newberg Branch in N scale (http://tunnel13.com/newberg.html)