My New PC

[kwselke]

I spent the weekend setting up Linux Mint on a virtual machine (VMWare). It isn't as nice as my Mac, but works better than I expected. I do data science/machine learning, getting the tools installed wasn't as easy as on the Mac. A lot of packages had dependencies that aren't properly configured, which caused failures to install.

I'll give it a try to see if it is worth spending $$$ on a real machine.

Since Windows 7 end of life is just over a year away, my plan for the ten plus year old Core 2 Quad is to convert it to a Linux machine. That is if it keeps running.

 

[kwselke]

I had an old Dell that may have been an identical twin to yours. Same case, same processor, and an Nvidia graphics card. I did upgrade the graphics card to a newer/better Radeon, though. It was a good computer. I used it for about 5 years. Then I gave it to my son who used it for about a year. Then he gave it away to a buddy who needed a computer but couldn't afford one.

My old Dell has a tag on it that states it was built on 4/18/2008. Dell's online records show I put it online on 4/20/2008. I ordered it with upgraded memory, the optional NVIDIA graphics card, and a Hauppauge TV tuner card for use with Windows Media Center. The only available option that I did not get was the higher cost and better Radeon graphics card. Later I thought about upgrading to a better graphics card and found I was limited by the power supply. The motherboard limited me to 4 GB RAM which is the maximum usable by a 32 bit processor, so even though the Intel Core 2 Quad was capable of 64-bit processing I have run Vista 32-bit and Windows 7 32-bit on it.

 

[BAM-BAM]

My Son a computer science major at Pitt built mine to his specs......... I have no idea what that means ....... but man do I love the 3 24 inch screen setup!!!!

 

[kwselke]

More ways to skin that cat. If you have a Google account tied to your Android phone, the you can have all your phone photos automatically backup to Google Photos in the Cloud, and then access them through the internet on your computer.

I am careful when using Google Photos and sending pictures to the cloud. I am also a Google Maps Guide. They ask me many things about places I visit, I do an occasional review, and most times I take a picture and use Google Photos Google Maps will ask if they may post it on their website.

I cannot walk by a luxury car sitting on blocks without taking a picture of it.

There is a lot of information on those pictures and as a guide Google Maps uses my real name and credits me for the image if they use it. Sometimes I'm not sure if I should go public with things, so I avoid using cloud services for the most part.

 

[kwselke]

Good luck with it! Sometimes you get a GREAT one and other times a Stinker! I hope you get the GREAT one!

I'm a Mac / Apple man myself and have GREAT luck with them.

The first home computer I ever bought was an Apple. It was an Apple IIe that I bought for word processing purposes when I started grad school in 1983. It was a fine machine and ran Microsoft DOS.

Apple is a great company and sells some fine equipment. I simply do not like their high prices. In all honesty, I looked at the new Mac Mini as a starting price point for this latest computer purchase. The Mac Mini with Intel Core i-3 four-core 8th Generation processor and 8 GB RAM with a solid-state hard drive priced out at ~$800 without a monitor.

My new Dell was ~$800 with sales taxes included and came with an Intel i-5 six-core 8th Generation processor and 8 GB RAM. A solid state drive was not an option so I end up with a standard 1 TB high speed hard drive. The Mac Mini used Intel integrated graphics and my new Dell has a discrete NVIDIA graphics card with 2 GB of dedicated RAM for the display. My $800 also got me a new 24" Dell full high definition monitor with integrated speakers which are not half bad.

My old Dell is still approaching 11 years of service and is still running strong. I do not hear folks talk much about having an 11 year old Mac that they are sad to put down.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2GfKUi9ghM&t=234s[/ame]

 

[johngalt]

The first home computer I ever bought was an Apple. It was an Apple IIe that I bought for word processing purposes when I started grad school in 1983. It was a fine machine and ran Microsoft DOS.

Apple is a great company and sells some fine equipment. I simply do not like their high prices. In all honesty, I looked at the new Mac Mini as a starting price point for this latest computer purchase. The Mac Mini with Intel Core i-3 four-core 8th Generation processor and 8 GB RAM with a solid-state hard drive priced out at ~$800 without a monitor.

My new Dell was ~$800 with sales taxes included and came with an Intel i-5 six-core 8th Generation processor and 8 GB RAM. A solid state drive was not an option so I end up with a standard 1 TB high speed hard drive. The Mac Mini used Intel integrated graphics and my new Dell has a discrete NVIDIA graphics card with 2 GB of dedicated RAM for the display. My $800 also got me a new 24" Dell full high definition monitor with integrated speakers which are not half bad.

My old Dell is still approaching 11 years of service and is still running strong. I do not hear folks talk much about having an 11 year old Mac that they are sad to put down.

Actually, the //e had Apple DOS (not Microsoft DOS). I still have mine in a box somewhere...

My 2011 vintage 17" Mac Book Pro is my primary workstation. Even though it is 7 years old, it is still a beast - 2.5 GHz 4 core i7, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, plus most every port there is and a DVD burner (unlike the new ones...). Support stopped at macOS 10.13, it will be a sad day when I finally have to put it away.

I think most macs are abandoned because Apple drops support, not because they age poorly.

The new mini kind of intrigues me - an upper spec one has a very decent amount of horsepower for the price, except for lacking a good video card. But if you really need it, is supports an external GPU. And it doesn't have the lousy keyboard Apple is using on the new laptops.

 

[johngalt]

I am careful when using Google Photos and sending pictures to the cloud. I am also a Google Maps Guide. They ask me many things about places I visit, I do an occasional review, and most times I take a picture and use Google Photos Google Maps will ask if they may post it on their website.

Have you ever used DuckDuckGo for your search engine? I'm giving it a trial run, as I've about reached my limit for the amount of abuse I'm willing to take from Google. So far my opinion is favorable.

 

[kwselke]

Have you ever used DuckDuckGo for your search engine? I'm giving it a trial run, as I've about reached my limit for the amount of abuse I'm willing to take from Google. So far my opinion is favorable.

I am familiar with DuckDuckGo. My searches do not concern me. Tracing compromising photos back to me that I took when walking past the event concern me. I volunteer data to Google maps. I just do not want Google Maps to know everything.

 

[kwselke]

Actually, the //e had Apple DOS (not Microsoft DOS).

I think most macs are abandoned because Apple drops support, not because they age poorly.

Exactly my thoughts. It's the Mac tax.