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Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?



 
 
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  #46  
Old December 18th 16, 08:03 AM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Char Jackson
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Posts: 10,449
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?

On Sat, 17 Dec 2016 15:24:31 -0500, micky
wrote:

My big objection to laptop keyboards is that without depressions it's
hard to keep one's fingers on the right keys. Even my small Dell corded
keyboard (the one with no wasted border space) doesn't have big enough
reverse dimples to let me immediately know my index fingers are in F and
J. I was thinking of putting drops of glue on them.

But I'm still working things out. When it gets dark out, I also can't
see the keyboard which makes it hard to do cntl-W for example, and
sometimes I've hit cntl-Q, which closes Eudora. So I bought an
illuminated keyboard, choice of several colors even, and though the
light part worked, I made many more typos than with the other KB. I'm
thinking of trying to get better with it, or even buying a different
brand. Until then, I have the burden of standing up and turning on the
ceiling light when it gets dark out. Life is hard.


They make wireless remote controls for that. I have three that I'm not
using. They came with the purchase of 3 ceiling fans but I've also seen
them available as a standalone product. These are the kind that are
expected to be hardwired and placed inside the 4"x4" electrical box. You
leave the wall switch turned on, and then control the light with the
remote.

Ads
  #47  
Old December 18th 16, 03:00 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Paul[_32_]
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Posts: 11,873
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?

micky wrote:

Until then, I have the burden of standing up and turning on the
ceiling light when it gets dark out. Life is hard.


They make wireless LED light bulbs. There are solutions for
doing remoting so you don't have to get up. You don't
have to use The-Clapper ("As Seen On TV").

HTH,
Paul
  #48  
Old December 18th 16, 03:00 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Mr. Man-wai Chang
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Posts: 1,941
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?

On 16/12/2016 11:53 PM, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
College kid needs a new computer as the old one was too big and busted
(dead battery, broken hinges, etc.)


The kid needs more sleep and rest, not more computer time that affects
their health.

  #49  
Old December 18th 16, 04:46 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Paul[_32_]
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Posts: 11,873
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?

Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
On 16/12/2016 11:53 PM, Hazuki Nakamura wrote:
College kid needs a new computer as the old one was too big and busted
(dead battery, broken hinges, etc.)


The kid needs more sleep and rest, not more computer time that affects
their health.


When I was in university, we didn't need sleep.

Paul
  #50  
Old December 18th 16, 04:50 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Mr. Man-wai Chang
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Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?

On 18/12/2016 11:46 PM, Paul wrote:
Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:

The kid needs more sleep and rest, not more computer time that affects
their health.


When I was in university, we didn't need sleep.


Either you were dead, or you were telling lies. I heard that ghosts
never needed sleep...

Sleep is important for kids. That's why governments worldwide create
noise to disturb their slaves.

  #51  
Old December 19th 16, 05:07 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)
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Posts: 5,291
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid? Inow finding keys)

In message , micky
writes:
[]
But I'm still working things out. When it gets dark out, I also can't
see the keyboard which makes it hard to do cntl-W for example, and
sometimes I've hit cntl-Q, which closes Eudora. So I bought an
illuminated keyboard, choice of several colors even, and though the
light part worked, I made many more typos than with the other KB. I'm
thinking of trying to get better with it, or even buying a different
brand. Until then, I have the burden of standing up and turning on the
ceiling light when it gets dark out. Life is hard.

[]
I found a clip-on light helped there. The one I have clips to the top of
the screen (but the LEDs point down), and has a spring-retract for the
(very fine) USB lead. (I wouldn't go for the ones that have a stiff
flexible neck - I'd worry about them putting too much wear on the USB
socket, and also getting in the way, both physically and visually.)

I also have the white model of the keyboard: this machine came in black
or white (I have black), but when I was trying to fix the keyboard funny
(which I _still_ haven't got to the bottom of! I just don't touch the
left Ctrl key), I bought a spare keyboard to see if that fixed it (it
didn't), and bought the black-letters-on-white variant; this is easier
to see in dim light (a bit), such as the light from the screen.

Still now going to get up and turn on the ceiling light. (The white
keyboard still requires some peering, and I'm not sure where I've put my
clip-on light.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Old professors don't fade away - they just lose their faculties.
  #52  
Old December 19th 16, 05:37 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Paul[_32_]
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Posts: 11,873
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid? Inowfinding keys)

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , micky
writes:
[]
But I'm still working things out. When it gets dark out, I also can't
see the keyboard which makes it hard to do cntl-W for example, and
sometimes I've hit cntl-Q, which closes Eudora. So I bought an
illuminated keyboard, choice of several colors even, and though the
light part worked, I made many more typos than with the other KB. I'm
thinking of trying to get better with it, or even buying a different
brand. Until then, I have the burden of standing up and turning on the
ceiling light when it gets dark out. Life is hard.

[]
I found a clip-on light helped there. The one I have clips to the top of
the screen (but the LEDs point down), and has a spring-retract for the
(very fine) USB lead. (I wouldn't go for the ones that have a stiff
flexible neck - I'd worry about them putting too much wear on the USB
socket, and also getting in the way, both physically and visually.)

I also have the white model of the keyboard: this machine came in black
or white (I have black), but when I was trying to fix the keyboard funny
(which I _still_ haven't got to the bottom of! I just don't touch the
left Ctrl key), I bought a spare keyboard to see if that fixed it (it
didn't), and bought the black-letters-on-white variant; this is easier
to see in dim light (a bit), such as the light from the screen.

Still now going to get up and turn on the ceiling light. (The white
keyboard still requires some peering, and I'm not sure where I've put my
clip-on light.)


We want Micky to have a BSR X10 household.

Someone I graduated school with, had virtually everything
in his place wired with X10. What a light show... :-)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X10_(industry_standard)

Presumably there is a better standard than this now.
Like the idea of wireless lightbulbs (control path wireless).

Paul
  #53  
Old December 19th 16, 06:58 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Gene Wirchenko[_2_]
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Posts: 496
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?

On Sat, 17 Dec 2016 15:35:56 GMT, Johnny B Good
wrote:

[snip]

Given the choice between a laptop sporting a 2TB HDD and one sporting a
'mere 500GB' of SSD storage, the SSD option wins hands down every time.


What about the case where you need 1 TB of storage?

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko
  #54  
Old December 19th 16, 07:08 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Gene Wirchenko[_2_]
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Posts: 496
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?

On Fri, 16 Dec 2016 20:46:28 -0500, Wolf K
wrote:

[snip]

Price-quality ratio. Your old desktop just doesn't cut it anymore. Only
cheapos like you and me hang onto hardware well past its best-before date.


No, actually, I find my laptop to be rather awkward to use for a
number of reasons:

1) The keyboard is awkward. A full-sized desktop keyboard is much
more ergonomic.

2) The touchpad is awkward to use.
a) My hands are very dry, and I occasionally cause a click when
my finger is just above -- but not actually touching -- the touchpad.
Other clicks can happen when I am moving the pointer.
b) I am accustomed to point and click. On the touchpad, I lose
my hand position when I click. With a mouse, I can click without
losing the position.

3) WiFi is much slower than my desktop system's ADSL.

4) My laptop's screen is smaller.

I pack a full-sized desktop keyboard and a mouse with my laptop
in case of serious use. I do not do much serious use though, because
it is awkward.

For me, a desktop system has much better price/performance than a
laptop. As the old joke goes, when evaluating price/performance, be
prepared for the occasional division by zero. A laptop is not that
bad, but it is not that good.

[snip]

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko
  #55  
Old December 20th 16, 02:05 AM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)
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Posts: 5,291
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?

In message , Gene Wirchenko
writes:
On Fri, 16 Dec 2016 20:46:28 -0500, Wolf K
wrote:

[snip]

Price-quality ratio. Your old desktop just doesn't cut it anymore. Only
cheapos like you and me hang onto hardware well past its best-before date.


No, actually, I find my laptop to be rather awkward to use for a
number of reasons:

1) The keyboard is awkward. A full-sized desktop keyboard is much
more ergonomic.


Agreed.

2) The touchpad is awkward to use.
a) My hands are very dry, and I occasionally cause a click when
my finger is just above -- but not actually touching -- the touchpad.
Other clicks can happen when I am moving the pointer.


With many touchpads, there are adjustments for both of these.

b) I am accustomed to point and click. On the touchpad, I lose
my hand position when I click. With a mouse, I can click without
losing the position.


Don't you tap-tap? I, at first, thought I'd never get used to a
touchpad, but am now very used to it. I use a mouse at work. On the
whole, I switch between them without difficulty; occasionally, I find
something that one does better than the other, but I think it's about
the same number for each.

3) WiFi is much slower than my desktop system's ADSL.

A lot of laptops still have an ethernet port - but of course have wifi
as well. (Actually, I've never found wifi to be the limiting factor -
more likely the processor power, or occasionally the external internet
connection speed. But I can see the wifi _could_ be the limiting factor
for some people.)

4) My laptop's screen is smaller.


No argument there! (Though the difference in _resolution_ isn't as great
as it once was. But desktop still usually wins - especially if it's
_not_ shortscreen [unless you're actually watching a widescreen film].)

I pack a full-sized desktop keyboard and a mouse with my laptop
in case of serious use. I do not do much serious use though, because
it is awkward.

For me, a desktop system has much better price/performance than a
laptop. As the old joke goes, when evaluating price/performance, be
prepared for the occasional division by zero. A laptop is not that
bad, but it is not that good.


No argument. Lappy's main advantages are portability and ubiquity.

[snip]

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"Grammar is there to help, not hinder."
-- Mark Wallace, APIHNA, 2nd December 2000 (quoted by John Flynn 2000-12-6)
  #56  
Old December 20th 16, 03:41 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Ken Blake[_5_]
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Posts: 2,221
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?

On Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:25:41 -0500, Wolf K
wrote:

On 2016-12-19 12:58, Gene Wirchenko wrote:
On Sat, 17 Dec 2016 15:35:56 GMT, Johnny B Good
wrote:

[snip]

Given the choice between a laptop sporting a 2TB HDD and one sporting a
'mere 500GB' of SSD storage, the SSD option wins hands down every time.


What about the case where you need 1 TB of storage?

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko


External drive. Which one should have in any case IMO.



As far as I'm concerned, the value of a laptop as opposed to a desktop
is only in the laptop's portability. It's good to take with you when
you are traveling.

But also carrying an external drive makes no sense. It's heavy and
bulky.
  #57  
Old December 20th 16, 04:03 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Ken Blake[_5_]
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Posts: 2,221
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?

On Mon, 19 Dec 2016 10:08:12 -0800, Gene Wirchenko
wrote:

On Fri, 16 Dec 2016 20:46:28 -0500, Wolf K
wrote:

[snip]

Price-quality ratio. Your old desktop just doesn't cut it anymore. Only
cheapos like you and me hang onto hardware well past its best-before date.


No, actually, I find my laptop to be rather awkward to use for a
number of reasons:

1) The keyboard is awkward. A full-sized desktop keyboard is much
more ergonomic.

2) The touchpad is awkward to use.
a) My hands are very dry, and I occasionally cause a click when
my finger is just above -- but not actually touching -- the touchpad.
Other clicks can happen when I am moving the pointer.
b) I am accustomed to point and click. On the touchpad, I lose
my hand position when I click. With a mouse, I can click without
losing the position.

3) WiFi is much slower than my desktop system's ADSL.

4) My laptop's screen is smaller.

I pack a full-sized desktop keyboard and a mouse with my laptop
in case of serious use. I do not do much serious use though, because
it is awkward.

For me, a desktop system has much better price/performance than a
laptop. As the old joke goes, when evaluating price/performance, be
prepared for the occasional division by zero. A laptop is not that
bad, but it is not that good.




Ditto to almost all the above, and I'll add a few other points, even
though they re not about a laptop's being awkward to use:

5. Since it is carried around, a laptop is more vulnerable to being
stolen.

6. Since it is carried around, a laptop is more vulnerable to being
dropped and severely damaged.

7. A laptop is harder to repair.

8. A laptop is more expensive to repair.

9. Because a laptop is an "all-in-one" unit, if a major component,
such as the screen, fails, the whole laptop needs to be replaced.

So, despite their becoming more popular as a basic computer for many
people, I personally think they are a very poor choice. I think a
laptop should only be for traveling.

I basically use a desktop with two 24" screens. I used to carry a very
small laptop (a netbook) when I traveled, but I no longer even do
that. Since when traveling, all I want to do is read e-mail and
occasionally browse the web, I now use my smart phone when I travel,
and the laptop stays in the closet.
  #58  
Old December 20th 16, 06:25 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Nomen Nescio
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Posts: 825
Default Old Dogs / New Tricks

In article
Ken Blake wrote:

So, despite their becoming more popular as a basic computer for many
people, I personally think they are a very poor choice. I think a
laptop should only be for traveling.

I basically use a desktop with two 24" screens. I used to carry a very
small laptop (a netbook) when I traveled, but I no longer even do
that. Since when traveling, all I want to do is read e-mail and
occasionally browse the web, I now use my smart phone when I travel,
and the laptop stays in the closet.


Basically this thread comes down to the fact that you can't teach
new tricks to an old dog.

  #59  
Old December 20th 16, 06:55 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Gene Wirchenko[_2_]
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Posts: 496
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?

On Tue, 20 Dec 2016 01:05:20 +0000, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
wrote:

In message , Gene Wirchenko
writes:


[snip]

2) The touchpad is awkward to use.
a) My hands are very dry, and I occasionally cause a click when
my finger is just above -- but not actually touching -- the touchpad.
Other clicks can happen when I am moving the pointer.


With many touchpads, there are adjustments for both of these.


Not on mine that I have found.

b) I am accustomed to point and click. On the touchpad, I lose
my hand position when I click. With a mouse, I can click without
losing the position.


Don't you tap-tap? I, at first, thought I'd never get used to a
touchpad, but am now very used to it. I use a mouse at work. On the
whole, I switch between them without difficulty; occasionally, I find
something that one does better than the other, but I think it's about
the same number for each.


No. I am accustomed to move, click, move, click, move, click. It
is fast. Tap-tap loses my precise positioning and is slower.

3) WiFi is much slower than my desktop system's ADSL.

A lot of laptops still have an ethernet port - but of course have wifi
as well. (Actually, I've never found wifi to be the limiting factor -
more likely the processor power, or occasionally the external internet
connection speed. But I can see the wifi _could_ be the limiting factor
for some people.)


It is what is available at hotels. It is noticeably slower. It
affects my workflow.

[snip]

No argument. Lappy's main advantages are portability and ubiquity.


Yes.

I am reminded of a definition of golf attributed to Ambrose
Bierce. Paraphrase: Golf is a game where the idea is to hit a little
ball into a little hole with implements that are ill-suited to the
purpose.

Laptops are a form of computer golf.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko
  #60  
Old December 20th 16, 07:07 PM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general
Mike Easter
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Posts: 1,064
Default Recommendation for an xmas present PC for a college kid?

Gene Wirchenko wrote:
I am reminded of a definition of golf attributed to Ambrose
Bierce. Paraphrase: Golf is a game where the idea is to hit a little
ball into a little hole with implements that are ill-suited to the
purpose.


Bierce produced a little book 'The Cynic's Word Book' later retitled
'The Devil's Dictionary' in which he attributed this definition to
Winston Churchill:

"An ineffectual attempt to direct an uncontrollable sphere into an
inaccessible hole with instruments ill-adapted to the purpose."

Elsewhere WC is quoted as: "Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very
small ball into a even smaller hole, with weapons singularly
ill-designed for the purpose."

--
Mike Easter
 




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