wherein Liz asks people for computer shopping advice

[edenfalling]

Today my parents visited me. We went to two wineries/vineyards up the east shore of Cayuga, had a nice picnic lunch, did some speculative computer shopping, and ate dinner at Moosewood.

Dad had the Sicilian cod, Mom had Tortino di Verdure (which is like a casserole with pretensions and eggplant), and I had mushroom ragout ("Portabello, cremini, and white button mushrooms and more simmered with Marsala wine; accompanied by rosemary-pumpkin polenta cutlets and Romano beans; topped with parmesan [opt.]").

Then I had a fudge brownie a la mode for dessert. Mmm, chocolate...

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Anyway, back to computers.

See, my current computer is a Dell Optiplex something-or-other, bought back in 2000. It runs either Windows '98 or Windows 2000; I'm not sure which, since it's never mattered to me.

A few years ago, I had a problem most likely related to switching from a constant ethernet hookup to a non-internet-connected setup, and the computer refused to work normally. It would only operate in safe mode. I thought I'd fixed that, and for a few weeks it worked right, but then it switched back to only running in safe mode while insisting it's still running normally.

Eh. Electronics, not my thing.

Anyway, I need a new computer. The thing is, I don't really have any basis for comparison shopping. I don't care about most bells and whistles. All I need my new computer to do is:

A) word process
B) allow me to transfer data to public computers for internet access
C) play DVDs
D) play my rather outdated collection of mp3s
E) have potential for internet access (should I get another two raises in quick succession and thus be able to afford it)
F) probably have a printer that can double as a photocopier

I do not want a laptop; they bug me, their keyboards and touch pads suck like sucking things and make my wrists ache, and their screens are always at the wrong height relative to my eyes. I do not want a screen with any sort of glare; those ultra-shiny things from HP, for example, are right out. Beyond that, I have no preference whatsoever.

Does anybody out there have any advice? Brand names, model names, anything?

(On a related note, I've been told that I can insert my old hard drive into a new computer as a slave drive and thus be able to access my files without having to laboriously transfer them one by one. Is this true, and if so, is it at all complicated? I'm good with non-electronic mechanical things, but wires and plugs often flummox me.)

Comments

[firedawn.livejournal.com]

Most Dell computers, even the really really entry level ones, come with an IDE slot even if the main is in SATA. It's not so bad, and I'd never done it before when I put both in. And yeah, I do build my own 'puters because it's just cheaper and better and more upgradeable, but then that's kind of out of the question, yeah?

But it's true that no matter what computer you buy, Liz, if it has Vista, downgrade. The nightmare that was XP SP1... ;_;

[valles-uf.livejournal.com]

I will third the disreccomendation of Vista. I've found it far less stable than XP, I have a knee-jerk loathing of its DRM infection, and if you're using any kind of real security software then its so-called features in that respect do nothing but get in the way with a gleeful vengeance. I'm going to be switching back to XP Pro the instant I can afford it.

Having done so myself for the first time only a few months ago, building your own PC box is shockingly simple, at least in physical terms. My motherboard's manual included detailed diagrams including a map of the entire board with where everything went and blow-up shots of what the individual slots were actually supposed to look like. Some quick googling should, IIRC, turn up a number of guides to the process written for every band of technical competence. A little caution about static and a bit of care to make sure that the parts you order are compatible ahead of time (experience speaking, here. ^_^;;) and everything should come together without any problems.

Honestly I think that putting the first OS in took longer than building the physical parts... and that's no more complicated than any other software installation, just longer.

[edenfalling]

Since I won't be hooked up to the net, security software is a little pointless. :-) But I will definitely see if I can avoid Vista.

The thing is, I am deeply non-technical (at least when it comes to computer stuff), so I don't trust myself to build a computer OR to install software, particularly since a lot of software these days seems to assume all computers have an internet connection and may bollix its setup when it can't reach out and phone home, so to speak.

I think it might be worth it (to me) to pay Best Buy an extra $100 to have them deliver the computer and parts and install everything for me. Otherwise I foresee several days of me swearing at electronics and unhelpful customer service phone lines, and I don't want to deal with that. :-)