Author Topic: New computer is arriving... (Read 6645 times)

K Frame · « **on:** June 20, 2005, 07:15:05 AM »

I have a Dell Dimension 2400 and a flat panel monitor coming.

It will be a nice upgrade from my old Gateway Celeron 366, which is, in computer year, about as old as you can get.

Best part of it is that my employer offers a 70%, interest free loan for the purchase of computer equipment, with repayment spread over 2 years.

Price for the system (I didn't have any software installed other than Word Perfect, is about $630. Even got it with free shipping.

Schuey2002 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 20, 2005, 08:10:26 AM »

What size flat panel did you get? 15/17/19"?? Wink

K Frame · « **Reply #2 on:** June 20, 2005, 08:22:04 AM »

17"

$239 from Dell.

I would have LOVED to have gone 24", but I don't have that kind of money just sitting around right now.

jefnvk · « **Reply #3 on:** June 20, 2005, 10:29:13 AM »

I will never buy a premade desktop again. So much easier for me to have parts replaced under their manufacturers warranty, than to spend hours on the phone confirming what I already knew was wrong with Dell, only to have them say they won't swap out the part, I have to send the entire unit back.

Plus, I question the motherboards that are used in those things. Way too much blocked off to keep a tinkerer like me from playing with settings to optimize it.

K Frame · « **Reply #4 on:** June 20, 2005, 10:33:20 AM »

Thanks for harshing my buzz.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #5 on:** June 20, 2005, 11:01:43 AM »

Quote from: jefnvk

I will never buy a premade desktop again. So much easier for me to have parts replaced under their manufacturers warranty, than to spend hours on the phone confirming what I already knew was wrong with Dell, only to have them say they won't swap out the part, I have to send the entire unit back.
Plus, I question the motherboards that are used in those things. Way too much blocked off to keep a tinkerer like me from playing with settings to optimize it.

Having been LAN support in a previous life, I have spent time on the phone with component manufacturers doing similar troubleshooting for, get this, a hard drive that was making noise and not working. It all depends on who's on the other end, not whether or not they're an assembler or manufacturer. In that same previous life, Dell was pretty easy to deal with as long as you knew what you were talking about and gave them specific, necessary information.

As for the "tinker" factor, it's just not important to most people. Heck, I know how to build my own computers and have built several, but I'd have a hard time passing by the deal Mike got if I needed a new complete PC today. As it is, I never replace an entire PC, so it's usually cheaper to get a new mobo/CPU and video card to bring mine back up to spec.

My homebuilt PC runs great and has been ultra-reliable. My Dell server was cheaper than buying a mobo/cpu/hdd alone, not to mention the case, keyboard, mouse, etc. It too has been great. It runs SUSE Linux and acts as my file/print/web/ftp server.

Chris

BryanP · « **Reply #6 on:** June 20, 2005, 11:04:32 AM »

jefnvk,

Rolling your own is fine for some people - myself included - but that doesn't mean that buying a good pre-made system is a bad way to go. When something goes wrong you or I have to diagnose the problems, figure out which part is indeed the cause, and then *if* it's still under warranty go through the replacement rigamarole. I'm willing to do that, not because it saves me money but because I like building an exact system to my specs, including motherboard model & such.

Mr. Irwin, on the other hand, gets a very nice system with a warranty. Yes, if he has a problem he'll have to deal with Dell tech support. So what? Not everyone wants to spend enough time to learn how to diagnose obscure system problems. There are times when I don't want to mess with it and I get paid for it.

Oh, and Mike - congratulations on your new computer. May it serve you well.

Sean Smith · « **Reply #7 on:** June 20, 2005, 11:08:29 AM »

For a basic system, you are hard pressed to make one for less, and most people don't need more than Dell offers; they simply don't put any stress on the system to see the Dell's various drawbacks and other weaknesses in the first place.

My last attempt to buy a Dell was a nightmare. Every person on the phone was clinically retarded. They bungled my (simple) order multiple times. I built my own mainly because I got sick of dealing with the idiots, really.

People can be snobs about computers (like anything else), but it is pretty pointless. Either the computer meets your needs, or it doesn't. That's all that maters; everything else is wanking.

Sylvilagus Aquaticus · « **Reply #8 on:** June 20, 2005, 12:30:01 PM »

Congratulations on the new computer, Mike. May it serve you well. I love warranties. Overall, Dell handles a fine product that is reliable and affordable.

As for me, I'm a tinkerer. I've built literally thousands of whiteboxes. I haven't had the side panels on my own computer in years- I'm always moving or changing things.

http://www.pricewatch.com is a fun place to look and drool over 'pooter goodies.

Regards,
Rabbit.

DigMe · « **Reply #9 on:** June 20, 2005, 12:33:55 PM »

Dell computers can be had for cheaper too. Just watch www.amazing-bargains and www.slickdeals.net for coupons and discounts. There's some good stuff on there...like they just ran a promo to get the monitor that Mike just got except for 40 dollars cheaper (sorry to say it, Mike!).

brad cook

K Frame · « **Reply #10 on:** June 20, 2005, 01:49:55 PM »

Yep, the kept working on the promo, DigMe. The price changed, literally, ever day.

Here's the thing.

My company now has over 5,000 Dells of all types in it. Our IT people say that as a class they're more reliable than any of the other vendor systems we've had before.

With over 5,000 on hand, and systems going in and out all the time, I have a virtually unlimited supply of spare parts.

A few weeks ago my monitor died on my home system. I now have a new Dell Trinitron, 17", on my desk. Free.

I've also got access to IT people at the office, not to mention MTNBKR's services (that's right, I lend you my Taurus, and I own you! MMMMWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!)

I heard the EXACT SAME THINGS about Gateways when I bought my system back in 1999. POS, not worth the parts, you'll never be satisfied, you'll go through hell screwing with the warranty, their people are morons, and a lot worse.

The Gateway on my desk, the one I'm using right now, has stood up brilliantly. I've been in and out of it multiple times. In fact, it doesn't even have a case cover on it right now. I've extended its capabilities, installed a new hard drive last summer (the SINGLE problem I had with it), installed a zip drive, added memory, the whole 9 yards.

If my new Dell is close to that reliable, I'll be very happy.

DarkKnight01 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 20, 2005, 02:28:04 PM »

The only problems Ive seen with dells is cheap parts... The reason their prices are so low is coz the price of the parts are very low..... just something to keep in mind..... Id never buy a dell... But it seems you have an advantage in your situation having an endless supply of replacement parts...

jefnvk · « **Reply #12 on:** June 20, 2005, 02:35:50 PM »

Eh, didn't mean to sound offensive. Prebuilt comps just don't do anything for me anymore. OTOH, if you just want a basic machine, they are the way to go. I couldn't build one with a monitor and Windows for the $300+ price range they always have them for.

BryanP · « **Reply #13 on:** June 20, 2005, 03:01:08 PM »

The business class desktops and laptops work quite well. For the laptops I tell people to spring the extra $ for the business-class Lattitude series instead of the consumer-grade Inspiron line. The difference in QC and overall quality is remarkable.

I'm not a big fan of Dell servers, primarily because while they will tell you they're certified to run Novell Netware they never work quite right. Also because of a horror story in my workgroup involving a Dell RAID controller ... one of those "Last night's backups were good, right?" moments.

roo_ster · « **Reply #14 on:** June 20, 2005, 03:12:40 PM »

Mike:

Congrats on the new machine. Getting 6 years out of your old machine brings a warm & fuzzy feeling to my belly, as I am one of the original cheapskates. I just gave away a Pentium (no dash) 200MHz Gateway P-200. In-de-freakin-structable. It would still run a linux distro with a lightweight desktop, but I just couldn't use it anymore.

Couple years back I built my home box: a mid-line box at basic price (Athlon 2220XP/512MB/160GB/64MB nVidia. This year, we bought a pre-made laptop for my wife (Averatec 3300-series). I wiped out the factory install of WinXP Home & installed XP Pro & the other SW that makes a machine worth the weight.

You might try out Open Office, if you need more than a word proc. Free and usable.

K Frame · « **Reply #15 on:** June 20, 2005, 07:02:44 PM »

" Prebuilt comps just don't do anything for me anymore."

If you know how to do it, great. More power to you.

If you have the interest, time, and inclination to do it, great. More power to you.

K Frame · « **Reply #16 on:** June 20, 2005, 07:04:30 PM »

Jfruser,

I'm getting ready to shut the old system down. For the time being I'll move it to the spare bedroom, but it will eventually end up in the basement where I'll use it as a backup system down there. I have no doubt that it will keep going for quite some time.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #17 on:** June 20, 2005, 08:10:38 PM »

Quote

You might try out Open Office, if you need more than a word proc. Free and usable.

+1

Chris

Sylvilagus Aquaticus · « **Reply #18 on:** June 20, 2005, 10:27:03 PM »

You should have seen the curb in front of jfruser's house a few weeks ago- he had maybe 7 cases and at least 2 monitors lined up, just waiting for the recycling truck to drive past. He was waving at me to stop, but unfortunately I was on a timetable and had to get to the airport. Dang, but I love free stuff. I'd have given him a case of Shiner for the whole lot!

Trouble is, I've got a lot more than that stashed around here and there already.

Regards,
Rabbit.

roo_ster · « **Reply #19 on:** June 21, 2005, 02:43:10 AM »

Not a single box or monitor made it to the recycling truck. All were picked up by passers-by. Heck, I even included video & power cables.

DigMe · « **Reply #20 on:** June 21, 2005, 05:29:18 AM »

These are the kinda Dell deals I'm talking about:

$750 off $1499 Dell Inspiron laptops
http://www.slickdeals.net/#p6199

brad cook

K Frame · « **Reply #21 on:** June 21, 2005, 05:51:18 AM »

Well, the new system is up and running. I LOVE the monitor.

I'll consider open office, but given the deal that I get through Microsquish for Office Professional for home use because of where I work, I'll probably go that route for the time being.

By the time I got the old system buttoned down and off the desk, and all the dust bunnies killed, and the new system in place, and new files recreated, it was 4:30 a.m.! Shocked

The only problem I'm having is that Norton Internet Security is WAY too secure. I have to shut it down to log on to the internet. Luckily, there's an option for disabling it for 5 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour. I like that -- you can't do that with Zone Alarm, and it's a pain in the butt because ZA interferes with some of the games that I play on Pogo.

Digme,

Mtnbkr is the one who alerted me to the Dell offer that was advertised at slickdeals. I've named my system Abby after his daughter. Wink

mtnbkr · « **Reply #22 on:** June 21, 2005, 05:52:46 AM »

Digme, that's where he got the deal. Problem was, Dell was changing the "deal" daily even though Slickdeals wasn't reflecting that. The original price was something like $350 for a CPU and printer, but you could remove the printer for a $50 savings. By the time Mike got to it, Dell had changed that (you had to buy the printer). The made other changes as well. Mike got to his price by adding an LCD monitor and some other odds and ends he wanted.

Chris

K Frame · « **Reply #23 on:** June 21, 2005, 05:54:25 AM »

Chris,

Yep, and had I really thought about it, I would have added the high-end speakers with a subwoofer. I thought could used the Boston Acoustics on my old system, but for some reason I get hideous feedback noises when I plug them in. Probably just not configured to run on the new system.

Hey, BTW, I e-mailed Mrs. Mtnbkr this morning, asking her to be on the look out for my printer. It's still in transit.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #24 on:** June 21, 2005, 05:54:50 AM »

Mike,

Just try OpenOffice. Installing it along with MS Office won't cause problems. One thing I like about OO is that you can save docs as PDF files. Can't do that with MS Office alone that I'm aware of.

I've been using OO on and off since it was a German product called StarOffice.

Chris

News:

Author Topic: New computer is arriving... (Read 6645 times)