MT Minds

The Question

I’ll bet you can identify with this, you’re at the post office or a coffee shop and you can see the intent in someone’s eyes, they’re going to ask you “that question”, ie:

“I need a new computer, what kind should I get?”

I used to have very long conversations with people, spend lots of time discussing the merits and demerits of the various operating system choices, application alternatives and in general giving away a lot of free consulting.

Note: If they preface the question with the statement “Hey, You’re a Computer Guy” it’s going to be a rough one, guaranteed.

No more.

Like the guy on Youtube who condenses the entire Evolution of Dance into a few minutes, I have it down to a science now. In about 3-5m, with a series of questions, I can tell them exactly what to get, and where to get it. Well, I try to keep it down to 3-5m, (I often wear a BT headset, fake-answering a call is our generation’s version of Fred Sanford acting like he’s having a heart attack) but it doesn’t always work.

My First Question

If we’re both really lucky, I can take them out with the first question:

What do you want to use it for? Do you just do email, browse the web and use online apps like gmail?

If they answer yes, (and I’ll chat a bit more to make sure they don’t have 3rd party app needs) they are getting one of the raft of Linux-based NetBooks, I’ll write the top 3 on the back of a card and send them off to Froogle.com (google.com/shopping) or Shopper.cnet.com.

But some people answer no.

My Second Question

Ok, so this isn’t going to be one-shot, one-kill, so I ask them the second and more important question:

What specific apps do you have to use? Are there Mac versions of those?

They’ll typically tell me they have to have MS Office, or QuickBooks, or maybe an Adobe product, none of which are a problem, we just have to know. IF they have 3rd party app needs but all of them have Cross-Platform versions, they’re getting a Mac. There are a lot of places to get a big discount on used/refurb Macs and you can catch deals on Apple’s refurb site fairly often.

If they are of sufficient age, and they have a child in college, I tell them to go shopping with Sonny-boy or the Princess at the University Bookstore for Mac deals, the savings can be pretty good, and they’ll typically get one for each, so they can do mutual tech support.

Note: Sometimes, I am talking to someone who is somewhat technical, or has a profession that I know uses particular 3rd party apps that are tied to Windows, then we’re probably going to get some coffee and chat about this later, they’re not so easy, but that’s another type of conversation.

My Third Question

Actually, the only real choices this category of person has are about the type and form factor of Window machine they’ll be getting, and that’s sort of a sad situation. It’s like I’m condemning them to a life of virus-checking, software-update nightmares, DLL problems, mis-typed activation codes, and Vista locking them out until they prove they are a valid user.

So, I ask them the last (and admittedly selfish) question:

Do you know Scott?

See, if they are in the “Dude, you’re getting Vista” category, I really don’t want to be involved in them getting a computer; because like some sort of slightly-demented technical duckling, they will return to the person who helped them decide what computer to get for all their tech support.

And if they’re getting a Vista machine, I want nothing to do with it, it’s like recommending someone take up a drug habit. So I send them over to talk with Scott, he’s the local Windows-centric tech guy, he’ll talk with them, make a machine recommendation and in general be helpful to his future customer. I mean, after all, if they’re getting Vista, they’ll be back to him for help, and he’ll charge them a modest fee to fix whatever thing Microsoft has decided paying customers should have to put up with.

So, how do YOU answer that first question?

RossB

There are some days that an article from The Onion is JUST the thing:

Enjoy,

RossB

Frequently Asked Questions

A question I get asked a LOT is:

What computer/laptop do you recommend?

My immediate answer is always:

What do you want to do with it?

If they fall into the category of someone who needs a laptop, then my next question is:

Are you looking to replace your desktop, or just need a computer to check email etc?

If they are primarily looking for a small and light laptop to do some email and casual surfing on, then they should get an Ultra-Portable, or as I call them “Tinybook”.

What are the Choices or “He Chose…. Poorly”

First off, I usually recommend that someone who is looking for a good laptop for any use, that’s small but has a stunningly good screen, should consider an Apple MacBook.  Apple has recently dropped the MacBook price to under a Grand, but anyone who has a kid in college or is friendly with a college student can get a good discount on them through the campus store.  Buying a MacBook has the added benefit of keeping the person safe from viruses, spyware and all the general creeping crud that WIndows Laptops are victim to, no one has yet seen a single Mac virus or spyware piece of code, none.  Price: $999.00

What’s the difference between Windows and Linux on Laptops?

Second out of the gate is to make a choice between Windows Laptops and Linux Laptops.  The vast majority of laptops out there come pre-installed with MIcrosoft Windows Vista Something, you can’t even get Windows XP anymore, except on the Acer reviewed below.  Since Windows is the majority of the Desktop market, with only a few alternatives, people either suck it up and buy a Windows machine, or experiment a bit with switching to a Mac or try out a Linux machine.

WIndows has the most driver support, and it’s easier to fix in most cases, mostly because a lot of people have gained a great deal of experience fixing Wndows over the years, you might say that doing computer repair for Windows machines is a target-rich environment.

However, since Windows VIsta costs at least $50 per unit, you see that vendors can’t reduce the price of most laptops to less than around $400 if they load Windows on it, and thats where LInux really shines.

Linux is free, no cost, and anyone can load it on any machine whatsoever, and lately there has cropped up a large market of small, light, feature-packed laptops that have a custom or semi-customized version of Linux on them, often costing less than $400 and even down to under $250 with the odd rebate.

What’s the catch with a Linux Laptop?

If you require any commercial applications, such as games, Microsoft Office or Quicken you should avoid a Linux Laptop, but if you almost exclusively use email, a browser, manage a few pictures and sometimes want to talk via chat or by video on Skype, then a Linux Laptop is truly a cost-effective way to go for you.

Note:  Look at the specifications closely on the TInybook category of machines, you should insist on a supported Webcam and compatibility with or included Skype.  All of the Linux versions on these machines come with a similar set of applications, and if you just know you run a word processor or if you refer to your browser as “The Internet”, you’ll be fine with what’s included.

The Linux Tinybook Players

Asus EEE PC 900 - This little beauty is a real nice piece of equipment.  It has a 8.9″ screen, Intel Mobile Processor, 1 GB RAM, 20 GB Solid State Drive, runs Linux, has a long-lasting 4 Cell Battery and weighs 2.2 LB’s.  Price: $415.00 on Amazon, but they offer a $ 65 rebate reducing the price even further.

HP 2133-KR922UT - There are several 2133 models that run Linux, and others that run Windows, included below, this is an extremely nice laptop, I am typing this on mine, it has a 8.9-Inch gorgeous screen with built-in speakers on each side, a 1.0 GHz Processor, 512 MB RAM, 4 GB Flash Drive, comes with SUSE Linux and weighs 2.3 LBs.  Price: $299.00 from Amazon only.

Tinybooks for Windows Users

MSI Wind - Slightly larger in the screen at 10″, it features a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 3 Cell Battery and weighs 2.2 LBs.  Price: $499.00

HP 2133-KX868AT - Running Windows Vista Home, this little beauty has a 8.9-inch screen, C7-M 1.2 GHz Processor, 1024 MB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive and weighs 2.3 LBs.  Also, you can bundle it with a DVD/CD drive to make loading and reloading easier, cause let’s face it, if it runs Windows, you’ll be reloading it sometime in the future…  Price: $ 404.00

Acer Aspire One - I don’t normally recommend Acer machines to anyone, their monitors, that’s fine, but having been around the computer industry for many years, there are brands I will do without rather than buy, but lately Acer has been earning respect and trust, so here goes.  The Aspire One has a 8.9-inch screen, a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, has XP Home and features a longer-lasting 6 Cell Battery.  Price: $ 429.00

What’s Missing?

You’ll probably notice that I didn’t include the first generation of EEE PC’s from Asus, they were just too small for most people, they have a very very small 7″ screen and positively Lilliputian keys on their chiclet-sized keyboards, making it literally a 2 finger machine for anyone with hands close to the size of grown man.

Hope this is helpful stuff, look back for any updates and other FAQ posts, as there are many to write!

RossB