Author Topic: New computer is arriving... (Read 6646 times)

mtnbkr · « **Reply #25 on:** June 21, 2005, 05:56:01 AM »

Quote from: Mike Irwin

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.

Make sure they're plugged into the correct port. With the way many systems are labeled, you might be plugging into the mic port. I STILL do that from time to time.

Quote

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.

Printer? What printer? Wink

I'll warn her.

Chris

K Frame · « **Reply #26 on:** June 21, 2005, 05:57:00 AM »

OK, I'll give it a try.

The big question though, how seamless is the integration between Word and Open Office Word?\

Nope, didn't connect it to the microphone port. That's pretty clearly labeled. There are two speaker outputs, I tried both, neither one worked. I didn't bother to get the Dell speakers out of the box to try them, though.

It's not that big of a deal, really, as I don't listen to much music through the computer. The subwoofer did make it nice when playing games, though, especially my flying games.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #27 on:** June 21, 2005, 05:59:11 AM »

Quote from: Mike Irwin

OK, I'll give it a try.

The big question though, how seamless is the integration between Word and Open Office Word?

For my admitedly light duty use, it's close enough. I have no problems opening and editing word docs. I don't need seemless integration since most of my home word processing is very simple (letters, etc). That said, my current version of MS Office is 2000. The latest version might be less compatible.

Chris

K Frame · « **Reply #28 on:** June 21, 2005, 05:59:14 AM »

Just like what Taurus.

I KNOW YOUR KIND!

K Frame · « **Reply #29 on:** June 21, 2005, 06:00:32 AM »

Well, I have MS Office 2K here at the office, so Open Office might be a better fit, then.

I do have Corel Word Perfect, that's the only software I took with the system.

GOD I LOVE WORD PERFECT!

K Frame · « **Reply #30 on:** June 21, 2005, 06:05:17 AM »

Oh, wait.

I HAVE to get Microsquish Orifice...

I need Powerpoint. I can't get around that requirement at all.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #31 on:** June 21, 2005, 06:07:18 AM »

http://www.openoffice.org/product2/impress.html

Can create shockwave files.

http://www.openoffice.org/product2/index.html for more info

Chris

K Frame · « **Reply #32 on:** June 21, 2005, 06:15:09 AM »

I've always dreamed of being able to create shockwave files!

Yep, I just ran through their website.

I'm definitely going to give it a try.

What impresses the hell out of me is that it's available in Welsh!

jefnvk · « **Reply #33 on:** June 21, 2005, 06:37:25 AM »

OO is a good program. The only problem I have, is that things just aren't in the same place as Office. If you are used to Office, it may take a little bit of getting used to.

But it is a great piece of software, especially considering the price.

DigMe · « **Reply #34 on:** June 21, 2005, 07:14:47 AM »

Mike,

If you're gettting feedback on the speakers it's got to be a problem with a mic somewhere I'd think. Otherwise it's probably not really "feedback" so to speak. It shouldn't be a problem with the speakers themselves.

I love Boston's PC speakers.

brad cook

K Frame · « **Reply #35 on:** June 21, 2005, 07:28:14 AM »

No, it's not really feed back. It sounds like a stereo when the ground has gone bad.

DigMe · « **Reply #36 on:** June 21, 2005, 07:42:22 AM »

Hmmm....do the speakers work when you plug them into some alternate source such as another computer or a discman or anything else with a 1/8" output?

brad cook

Vodka7 · « **Reply #37 on:** June 21, 2005, 08:08:59 AM »

I've never owned a Dell, but I have lots of friends and relatives who have.

The bad news is that every one of them had a problem of some sort at some time. The good news is, Dell tech support works like this:

1) Call India
2) Go through their "make sure which part is broken" diagnostics
3) Receive new part in mail the next day

Depending on which warranty you went with, you may even have 6 months of a year of free in-home service if something breaks.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #38 on:** June 21, 2005, 10:33:41 AM »

Kewl. Dell sent us a new printer. Tongue

Chris

Guest · « **Reply #39 on:** June 21, 2005, 10:51:13 AM »

Congrats Mike!

Sounds like a deal to me. Did yours come with the Service Packs installed? Some folks ( classmates) are having this done for $30 to $50 additonal fee.

We use Dells for desktops, Gateway for laptops in/for class. We do have new Macs for the Mac lab.

I have to disable Internet Security to access Cisco for on-line materials and classwork, what a pain is right.

I am still dealing with problems and some folks have gone to total Zone Alarm ( whatever they call their deal similar to Internet Security), I am not sure what or how I need to do. I am awaiting some input from those smarter than I .

Enjoy the new Dell Mike!

DigMe · « **Reply #40 on:** June 21, 2005, 11:16:02 AM »

I've never had to disable zonealarm to access anything on the net. Been using it for years and as far as I know I haven't had any problems that it should have caught.

brad cook

K Frame · « **Reply #41 on:** June 21, 2005, 12:23:34 PM »

"Hmmm....do the speakers work when you plug them into some alternate source such as another computer or a discman or anything else with a 1/8" output?"

Yep, they worked just fine on my old computer.

roo_ster · « **Reply #42 on:** June 21, 2005, 06:12:04 PM »

Zone Alarm is well-respected.

Sygate does the job for me. Once you train it to allow what you want through the firewall, it is unobtrusive.

DigMe · « **Reply #43 on:** June 21, 2005, 06:13:43 PM »

Mike,

In that case it's got to be something with the sound card or sound settings.

brad cook

K Frame · « **Reply #44 on:** June 21, 2005, 06:17:58 PM »

Well, I just plugged in the Dell speakers that were included with the system.

Absolutely no problem at all.

Go figure.

I also just downloaded Open Office, and got it configured. We'll see how it works out.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #45 on:** June 22, 2005, 01:54:40 AM »

[MontyBurns]exxcccelllent[/MontyBurns]

Chris

jefnvk · « **Reply #46 on:** June 22, 2005, 07:10:35 AM »

Try plugging the speakers into something you know works.

Or go out, get a 7.1 card and speakers. Makes computing real enjoyable

Seriously, surround sound was the best upgrade I think I have ever made to my computer.

K Frame · « **Reply #47 on:** June 22, 2005, 07:38:47 AM »

"Try plugging the speakers into something you know works."

Uhm... That would have been my old computer, which I was using up until about an hour before I brought the new one on line.

Azrael256 · « **Reply #48 on:** June 22, 2005, 09:02:50 AM »

Quote

Our IT people say that as a class they're more reliable than any of the other vendor systems we've had before.

I agree completely. I have received phone calls from Dell support about parts that they think will fail because I have a part from a lot with a high failure rate. They even offer to have a replacement part on my desk the next morning for replacement at my convenience. They even sent me a pre-paid shipping label. That really impressed me. IBM never did that for us, and neither did Apple before them. We have a couple thousand Dell machines between all the servers and workstations on campus. We recommend Dell to all the students who ask what computer they should buy, and we've been doing it since well before we were a Dell campus.

Their network equipment is truly craptacular, but for actual machines, I haven't seen anybody better.

News:

Author Topic: New computer is arriving... (Read 6646 times)

Guest