First of all, computers can be very frustrating. No matter how much you may know about them, they will often do things that make no sense. The more you learn, the more there is to learn, so don’t get discouraged.
If you have an old computer, you can keep it as a backup, as one for your spouse, or for kids when they come to visit. It can be networked very easily with your existing computer so that the Internet and/or your printer can be shared. Or you can use your existing monitor with a new system.
Would you like your computer to be a PC or a Mac? Nowadays, these are very similar, but there are differences with how things look on your screen, so you would want to probably have the same type of computer as you are used to, or as your family and friends have. The usual advice is for you to get the best computer you can afford.
The most important things are speed of the computer (the faster the better), how much memory it has (the more the better), and how large the hard drive is (the bigger it is the more you can store on your computer.) Hard drive space will be important for you because pictures take up a lot of space on your hard drive.
Start by looking at ads from computer stores. This will get you used to seeing how they advertise the different things I mentioned and give you an idea of prices. A computer doesn’t have to be a name brand, those are good, but like special cars, the parts may be more expensive. If you do want a name brand, I have had a number of Dell computers (once upon a time I ran an Internet cafe) and was pleased with their customer service and quick delivery. They also include easy instructions for setting up and connecting each part.
Next, make a list of all the things you want to be able to do on your computer. Then if you can get a computer with those programs on it, that will save a lot of headaches. Every time you install new software, your computer changes the information inside it and sometimes doesn’t work properly after. Plus, some programs are not compatible with others. So the more you can have installed initially, the better. If you are looking for a laptop, also make sure it isn’t too heavy or too difficult to type on, and that it has a good battery.
Ask other people to tell you the programs they find most useful. It’s easy to become addicted to buying software, and you can waste a lot of money buying software that isn’t much good, so save yourself the trouble. (Now if I could just follow my own advice and stay out of those software aisles.)
Here’s what happened to me when I decided to look for a used laptop and the hard lesson I learned:
I saw a Toshiba laptop for $200 – Pentium II, but was enough for my purpose. It was advertised with a 10 gig hard drive, but when I got it home it was only 4 gig. I should have checked the size while I was in the store. I also found out that the battery was dead. It worked fine with the charger plugged in, but defeats my purpose for a laptop. According to the Internet, a new battery for that model is $150 US.
Now my dilemma is should I pay for a battery? Who knows how long the machine will last? The warranty is only 30 days, so I don’t want the screen to go after paying more money. Only problem is that I can only get an exchange, no refund.
The other thing I learned is that when you get rid of a computer, make sure you take your information off it. This was a company machine and still had budget reports, specialty company software, etc. Unless this guy was fired and did it on purpose, I don’t know what he was thinking!
