[AT] OT:I need some computer help please

[David Bruce]

Ricky,
I've bought several used computers (none through Ebay - all local).  In 
Winston-Salem we have a local computer store that sells new (built by them) and 
used ones they take in on trade.  You might want to see if there is a local shop 
that sells used machines.  Most stuff you mentioned other than the picture stuff 
shouldn't take a lot of "horsepower".  My current machine has 512mb of ram and a 
Pentium 4 2.4 processor.  This is way more than needed for websurfing and 
emailing.  My previous machine has a Pentium III 733 and 512 mb ram - it would 
do almost everything I wanted but I got into digital video and it was a little 
slow for that purpose.  I would recommend at least 512 mg of ram for Windows XP 
- less means more use of the harddrive memory swap and will slow down things 
greatly.  I did have a machine at work with XP Pro on a 300 mhz processor - I 
did have 512 mb of ram.  It did run but it was SLOW.
A used machine with a P III or a similar AMD processor and Windows 98SE might do 
what you need and these machines are cheap (assuming you have a monitor you can 
use with it.
Windows XP is much more stable and is becoming required for lots of new programs 
and Microsoft is limiting or ending it's support for Win 98 (something to think 
about).  I did put Win XP on my older machine (just for fun) and it does a 
pretty good job of running it.
Computers are a lot like cars, trucks and tractors - new is not always better.

David


Ricky Prescott wrote:

> I need a new home computer.  The only thing is I am sending most of my money to Texas A&M right now so I am on limited budget.   I want to be able to surf the net.  I need to run my quicken program.  My wife likes to play with making pictures and I use the digitial camera for ebay stuff.  The kids need it for school stuff mostly.  How big of a computer do we need.  I have found some decent ebay deals I think.  Has anyone ever bought a used computer?  I have been told I need a 512 ram.  When you look at the new dells like that, they are over 1000.00.  I can't afford those.  What do you think?  Thanks, Ricky 
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>