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Hello Flora,

Sorry to hear about your problem - it certainly sounds horrible but a qualified engineer should be able to sort it!

If and when you buy a new machine or if you start again with your old one I would advise you to avoid AOL at all costs and do without Norton.

This is of course my own personal view but it is based on experience of these awful products - AOL in particular will insinuate itself in all sorts of ways and Norton is very intrusive! At the very least they are crammed with stuff you don't need.

I have absolutely no problems with any of my machines (including laptop) and they all run on Windows XP + AVG antivirus + Adaware + Spybot + Microsoft Antispyware (a Beta version at present).

Good luck.

Alfa.

 

 

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[quote]Hello again,thanks so much for all your input.I use my computer for our gite business ( website, all enquiries and bookings), general e-mails and, with our numeric camera and for leisure surfing or 'd...[/quote]

Hi,

I would really get your laptop to a computer guy ASAP as it sounds to me to be very fixable. Indeed I have seen this type of problem before and know this to be true although the actual problem can vary from machine to machine. It might be, if you are using XP Home Edition, that you have a operating system running one language (English) and have introduced a piece of software which is in a different language (say French, or the other way round) which on the XP Home Edition can cause problems simular to this. Only Windows XP Pro supports multi DLL's so can support programs of different languages.

Three years old is not a problem, our desktop PC is a Compaq (6 years old now) and has been migrated from Windows 98 through Windows 2000 to Windows XP Proffessional with service pack and fully up to date patches. All that was required was extra memory and apart from the CD drive going bang it's been a very good work horse, runs like a dream and totally reliable. My current laptops are Dell, Sony and two Toshiba's (I used to be a computer consultant and these were all freebees - Apple never gave me a Mac funny enough) all of which run Windows XP (Pro) and again are up to date with patches etc with McAffee AV installed and they all work fine. I am not a big fan of MS but it does work and is installed on more machines than any other desktop software in the world. Windows XP is probably one of the most stable operating system MS has produced in many a year.

So spend a few Euros on a PC guy to fix it and save the rest of your money (you could have a good holiday on the balance). Don't forget if you buy a Mac you may need to replace some of your software with Mac versions as not all Windows stuff runs properly through the Windows emulator especially if it's none Microsoft. Also although very, very, very few there are viruses that can attack a Mac but hardly anyone ever gets one so you should still use AV software even on a Mac. I don't know how the Mac copes with mixed language programs although I am sure one of our Mac users here will tell us.

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I think the assumption that a Mac will be trouble free is false - no computer is. I have to reboot my Apple iPod, and that doesn't really do anything!

As others have said generally the problems with XP come from either ISP software, anti-virus software, spyware, bad drivers (particularly video drivers) or - and this is very possible with blue screens - hardware problems. You should note the details on the blue screen before taking it to an engineer so he can see. Macs tend to do better because there is a lot less custom software, less spyware and the hardware is defined by Apple so many fewer driver issues.

Another option I have yet to see mentioned that is much cheaper than buying a Mac is to install Linux on your existing machine. You can generally get the install CDs on magazines for 10 euros, and you will be able to try it without wiping the existing Windows install ("dual-boot").

It will solve many of your problems and will let you see how you cope with some of the limitations of not running Windows (missing applications, unreadable file types etc).

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Having used Macs a lot in the past, my experience is that they crash at least as often as Windows machines - Windows XP is (or should be) much more stable than earlier versions and the latest Mac OS is probably better than its predecessors too. I know nothing about Linux other than often reading that it is much more suitable for computer gurus than those of us who just like to switch on and go.
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My brother has just been visiting (with his laptop Mac). One thing we wanted to do was to get webcam’s going. However, the Logitech webcam he had purchased in the UK did not include Mac drivers. We thus tried my Philips webcam on his Mac – again, no Mac drivers. I thought both Logitech and Philips were pretty mainstream companies but neither had Mac support.

There were some 3rd party Mac driver web sites around but none had drivers for the particular models (the nearest site wanted $19.95 for the driver anyway !!).

From this limited experience I would agree with the previous comment about more limited ranges of hardware.

We also did a search for multi-host IM software (i.e. one client to support AIM, MSN, AOL, IRC, Yahoo, iChat, Jabber, Skype, etc.). I use such software on my PC but we could find non that came close functionality wise for the Mac – so selecting a Mac may include software constraints.

How relevant such constraints are clearly depend on what you are looking to do with the computer. In my brothers case he does a lot of (professional) video work and has thus Mac is a sensible choice for that reason. However, even he admits that for a general purpose computer he would probably use Windoze.

(I am actually a fan of neither Windoze nor Mac so have no axe to grind).

Ian

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>I know nothing about Linux other than often reading that it is much more suitable for computer gurus than those of us >who just like to switch on and go.

I agree completely - and I write software running under Linux for a living and have some clusters of Linux machines at work which I use every day. Linux frustrates the hell out of me, there is no way I would have it on my personal machine.

I was suggesting Linux as a way of seeing what the drawbacks of a non-Windows machine could be, without spending serious $.

Also missing are a lot of the toolbars and Internet Explorer plugins a lot of people have.

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I just thought I would ask some questions of other Mac users/lovers out there (I have a G4 iMac which I love, and an IBM compatible laptop which I hate - I used to work for IBM but that was a VERY long time ago so not much use to me now).

1. I'm on OS 10.2.8 - should I upgrade to 10.4 or not bother? Any problems with 10.4 - and any personal favourites?

2. I need to set up a database of potential customers to mailshot and want to use my mac not the pc - any suggestions of software to use? I've used Act in the past but my version will only run on the Classic environment which doesn't work with my current printer (an HP 5510). I don't want to spend a fortune but want to be able to use the information input to create a live database.

3. I draw floorplans for my job but have to use the laptop (with some awful cheap software). I only need to do scale drawings in B&W but then slot in pieces of furniture (mainly bathroom items) and then print these out (with a legend or two). Any suggestions? I've come up against a brick wall with this one! Don't want to go down the route of something like InDesign (I've been a Quark user in a past life) due to cost - and I'm sure there must be something out there to solve my problems!

Thanks to all - I just thought I'd hijack this thread!

Ewa

(27 & Devon)

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Ewa - yes, 10.4 is significantly different, and better. One feature is Spotlight. This makes a directory of every word used in any document (including pdf) on your computer and can then search not just by title but also by content. It will even find the name of a place on a pdf map...

I didn't think much of this at first but now I am getting used to it it saves me loads of time (just a few minutes ago it found a document I had written last January and then lost - it also found the associated Powerpoint presentations). Another is Widgets - small applications which do single jobs, such as translation, dictionary, thesaurus etc. There are also some wonderfully silly ones - my favourite at the moment is one which shows me where in the world is in sunlight and where it is dark. It is also faster and more stable (even) than 10.2.8.

As for databasing look at Filemaker Pro. It is a brilliant piece of software, transparent to Mac and PC and very powerful as a relational database. It is FAR easier to learn and use than Access and much better looking, and very easy to transport to other machines. And there is a widget for it!

As I said before, if you can rake up any kind of educational association (teacher, student, governor etc.) you can get good discounts on Apple hardware and software.

Richard - According to Steve one of us has to get rid of his Macs (only 2 on the whole forum, he said) - which will it be? PC or death?
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Fabulous - thanks Dick! Will look into upgrading to 10.4: I love my gadgets too (Panther, Tiger, Pussycat, whatever!!). And will investigate Filemake Pro as I believe in personal recommendation as a good starting point. Thank you!

Ewa

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1. I would always choose a Mac for keeping dry in the rain. A PC would be no good at all

2. Using a Mac makes you sound a bit arty and different. "I use a Mac" might be a good line for pulling a certain type of arts groupie.

3. If you do pull the groupie, do not use a Mac instead of a condom. It won't work at all.

That's all I have to say on the matter, and I think it makes as much sense as anything else I've read here.

Patrick

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Can't help myself, so here goes....I too use a Mac for both work and play and love 'em (in a healthy sort of way you understand - nothing funny).

I've only used Windows fleetingly, but I'm sure XP is fantastic. Crikey, 98% market share can't be bad, can it? Large companies buy Dell computers with Windows by the lorry load. Now there's a testament not to be sniffed at. The amount of software for Windows.... so colossal it fair blows the mind. And the choice of hardware.... jeepers, there are so MANY different manufacturers.

But I like the Mac. And as with any purchasing choice any of us makes, the issues can be complex. One reason for me, is that amongst all those myriad software items available for Windows, there are tens of thousands which I DON'T want to run on my machine thank you very much. They're called viruses, spyware, trojans or what you will.

It's worth noting here that no malicious software has been found for Mac OSX. I don't care what the reason for this is, it means I get to sleep at night. And I certainly don't have to spend at least 2 hours a month cleaning out my machine as some friends do; or absolutely, without fail make sure that my anti-virus software etc. is up to date.

Here's what the Wall Street Journal reported the CEO of Intel, Paul Otellini, as saying back in May of this year, "buy a Mac if you want to avoid security risks". In the article he revealed that he spends an hour a weekend removing spyware from his daughter's computer and suggested that the mainstream computer user in search of immediate safety from security woes should buy a Mac instead of a Wintel PC. And this is the man who is in charge of the company that makes the chips which are probably in the computer you are using right now. So he must know a thing or two.

But the most important reason is the issue of Open Standards. They're not talked about much, and maybe here is not the place, but for me the adoption of open standards is the single most important means of preventing us ALL from being held to electronic ransom. Apple have publicly stated that where open standards exist, they will support them. From what I see, Microsoft try to subvert standards in order to gain control.

I know which position I prefer.

(climbs off soapbox looking flushed and exits stage left leaving an embarrassed silence )

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You know it's all well and good people saying "I've got a Mac and it's better than a PC with Windows" and others saying "I have a PC with Windows and there are trillions of applications that will run on it compaired to the Mac". When it gets right down to it most people using computers of any kind do so from their own home and their needs are somewhat basic. All they require is to do a bit of WP, access the internet and send a few emails. If they have kids they probably let them load games. There are a few users out there who might want to use a spread sheet or two. Some have a digital camera and want to save their pictures or print them off. Apart from the games thing these activities can all be done quite happily on both the Mac or a PC.

We then get on to people who use their PC for home/business use, like myself. I use a cheap accounting package and use Microsoft Money but then a MCSE I get copies of all Microsoft products sent to me FOC once a year. I have a B&B booking system and various software for my garden railway, none of this is available for the MAC. If it was not for this I would look at a Mac just the same way I would look at any computer.

The biggest mistake that computer consultants make is NOT to listen to the end user who are normally not technically orientated but just use the computer as a tool like a pen or a calculator and quoting CPU speeds, memory and disk size etc means little or nothing to them, they just want a machine thats reliable and does what they want.

There is no point in saying things like "the Mac has the most up to date version of Windows and it has loads more things it can do than ever before" because most home users don't even know how to make a template let alone do a mail merge so 80% of Word is never used. All they want to do is type the occasional letter to the bank manager or member of their family. It's like selling PC's with a free scanner, most people take it home try the scanner once and say 'thats nice' and then it just gathers dust for the next 5 years.

The original poster asked "I'm so frequently exasperated with my windows XP and being at the point where I am thinking of replacing my system, I wondered if any of you have opinions on choosing between a mac and a pc?" I should think she is more confused than ever after reading all the tosh we (and I include myself to a certain degree) have written. The only sound advice she has been given by a couple of people is to get her existing PC to an engineer before spending loads of money on a new one (be it a PC or a Mac) as this problem may be quickly fixed and she may have no further trouble.

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Quillan, I totally agree with you: look at the end user needs and work from there. Yes there are are many software packages which are in general use and not available for the mac (which is very frustrating) not even touching on the issues of sending files or images from a mac to a pc which then cannot be read by the recipient. Mainly this all boils down to personal choice - there are pros and cons for both systems and its up to each user to assess their needs and with whom they'll be communicating. I suppose I have the best of both worlds with a mac for my design work and the pc laptop for everything not compatible with the mac (or for things I can't afford to buy 2 lots of software for, as the pc was my main office tool in a past life!).

Either way, investigation and questioning, that's what the original poster was getting at and I think you're right that she must be totally confused now!

Ewa

Devon & 27
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"Richard - According to Steve one of us has to get rid of his Macs (only 2 on the whole forum, he said) - which will it be? PC or death?

Regards

Dick Smith

50/Surrey"

I have to opt for the middle road and have Linux. I find it a bit of of joke that P.C's cost less than Mac's. It's true if you buy a Time Machine or one of the other 'Brands' that are knocked up in some blokes garage in the Midland's but i have a Sony Viao that cost more than i much loved Powerbook G4 and runs about as well as Lada.

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[quote]They will be if you keep saying that files can't be transferred from Macs to PCs! What sorts of files are you talking about?[/quote]

Sorry Dick, I didn't mean to upset! Perhaps I phrased it incorrectly - when I send articles to our county magazine from the mac (using the awful Appleworks) they can't open the files (even thought they're sent saved in PC format). My fault for not having MS Word - or perhaps its a problem their end? Also sending jpeg files to our base in Exeter which they can't open - but again could be not only lack of technology their end, but human error with them too! I love my mac and am willing to invest more money in it to have good software (hence my question earlier, to which you kindly responded). I'd much rather ditch the pc laptop and I hope to do so in the next few months once I get some decent software to do the office based tasks on my mac. I always recommend the mac to anyone who'll listen, but its not for everyone - when you consider the silly money some of the pc boxes are being churned out at, that's sometimes the only thing people are interested in to be able to get online or play games?

Ewa

Devon & 27
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To Ewa :

If the articles you send to your county magazine are relatively simple text documents i.e. simple layout and formatting, then save the Appleworks files in 'Rich Text Format' - RTF ( File menu - Save As - RTF ). Word processing applications, including MS Word, happily accept RTF files because it is an agreed standard format. It can't deal with complex layouts however. If the magazine only wants your copy, and it then formats, RTF might be a simple way of avoiding problems.

By the way, I've taken to using Textedit in MacOSX for writing letters and the like. The basic formatting is usually enough, and saving it as an RTF file means it is available to use in any other word processor I may want, including all the flavours of MS Word. MS Word can also save as RTF, but because of the ubiquity of Windows and Word, not many are aware of it, let alone use it. RTF is a good example of an open standard.

Strange you have problems with JPEG files, another open standard. Have you tried compressing them? Sometimes 'wrapping' the files in a 'zip' coat can work wonders, but don't put them in a folder, just zip them as a group of files. Our office interacts with PC users constantly, and find that most problems with email attachments usually come down to the set-up of their system, very aggressive virus and spam scanning, or upper limits on attachment size.

To Flora ( the original poster ) :

I hope my earlier posting didn't confuse or muddy the water. You had asked for comments and I gave mine. It's such a pity you can't test drive a computer in the same way you test drive a car, actually even more so with computer operating systems because we are interacting with them on a more subtle level.

You're in an unusual and privileged position: you are aware that there is a choice. All of us posting here are self selecting, in that to respond we must already have some knowledge of the question. But almost the entire computer using population only knows Windows, and most of the Windows users I meet can hardly conceive that there could be any other way for a computer to function. To them Windows IS computing, and Microsoft the benign provider who just sort of organises the whole thing. Like fish, they swim in water of Microsoft's making, and they are completely unaware of it. You have a chance of looking outside the tank - that's exciting.

I don't know how you have arrived at considering a Mac, but if it's that you know a Mac owner, ask to sit with them and watch them use it. Get them to show you how it works, where things are, what it can do. If they are really helpful, try to become familiar enough that you can sit down and use it yourself. When you stumble, or get stuck, remember, as someone said earlier in this thread, learning something new takes time. I'm learning French (well, trying to). It's not easy. The concept of words having gender is like a red rag to a bull for me. It's then I have to remember that French is a fully functioning language used by millions who are just as capable of subtle expression as English speakers. With your grounding in Windows, you're likely to hit your own 'red rag' moments with a Mac. But just as with my experiences of French, this doesn't make it wrong.

If a Mac isn't available, and you are in England, there are Apple Stores in London (Regent Street) and Birmingham (Bullring). At these stores all the various types of Macs are freely available for use by the public and all are broadband connected. There is no limit to the use of these machines and no hard sell, although experienced staff are there to demonstrate or answer any query. They have a great reputation, and Paris is due it's own Apple Store later this year (Champs Elysee). Failing that, John Lewis are official Apple suppliers, always have machines on display, and the staff are knowledgeable. These are ways of actually getting your hands on a Mac and using it, albeit in a limited way.

I like the Mac and I like Apple as a company. I like it's history, and the way it made computers usable by the likes of me. It has never been a challenge to Microsoft, who's origins are with IBM and the enormous business and corporate market. But it is a measure of Apple's influence that Microsoft aped the Mac with the development of Windows. Buying a Mac means you will be in a minority, but that doesn't mean it will be a limited experience.

Good luck
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Well yes I am a bit confused now!

Anyway, I took my laptop to a couple of computer bods ( small french enterprise not too far away) and they got it going again and re-loaded everything without losing what I already had on it.

Total cost 35 euros. If it can just behave itself for a while  then I won't have to make the choice.

                  thanks for all the advice, Flora.

                                         www.logis-la-cabane.com

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[quote]Well yes I am a bit confused now! Anyway, I took my laptop to a couple of computer bods ( small french enterprise not too far away) and they got it going again and re-loaded everything without losing...[/quote]

Well there you go, probably saved yourself a small fortune.
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[quote]Well yes I am a bit confused now! Anyway, I took my laptop to a couple of computer bods ( small french enterprise not too far away) and they got it going again and re-loaded everything without losing...[/quote]

Sorry to confuse. Verbal diarrhea on my part I'm afraid. Won't do it again. Promise.
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