I would like a computer that...

[RT Wolf]

Originally Posted by ShiningLight

generally speaking, for the same money, you will get a faster, more capable computer if you buy a desktop than a laptop. What you will sacrifice is portability. So first, decide if you want a laptop or desktop.

For your needs, any new laptop or desktop you buy will surpass those requirements, considering of course it has a dvd/cd burner. The question is can they be had for $300. Yes, but that's where you will be doing the searching.

FYI, I just built a computer with almost all top of the line components for only $700. I'm talking, latest intel processor, i7920, 6 gigs DDR3 RAM, 1 TB hard drive. Now, you can get the same for around $600-650.

I say, spend a little more and you will have a system that will last you 5 more years.

Lol. Wow, that sounds like exactly what I was about to write. Except for the computer that you mentioned. I built mine for approx 550 (Canuck dollars--basically monopoly money) for 4gb ram, e5200 intel, a good motherboard that allows upgrading of processors when the time comes, 2 TB of hard drive space. I love it!

Anyhoo, Angela, sounds like you made a decision that worked otu for you. Congratz on the new computer!

BTW, almost all macs made in the last year or so can run Windows using a software called Bootcamp. PCs can also run mac osx now. It's called a Hackintosh. I'll be installing mac os x on this comptuer along with three other windows versoins and the ubuntu linux that's now my main OS.

[aussieNickuss]

You know, for less than what you paid for that new laptop, you could have purchased a second display/screen for your Mac and either VMWare Fusion or Parallels to run Windows right on top of Mac OS X. That's assuming you have an Intel Mac (2006 or newer) of course.

That way, you wouldn't have been burdened with the possession of a god-awful Windows-only computer!

[Angela]

Originally Posted by aussieNickuss

You know, for less than what you paid for that new laptop, you could have purchased a second display/screen for your Mac and either VMWare Fusion or Parallels to run Windows right on top of Mac OS X. That's assuming you have an Intel Mac (2006 or newer) of course.

That way, you wouldn't have been burdened with the possession of a god-awful Windows-only computer!

Yes, I know -- but I think you missed that I wanted a separate, additional computer. It may have been a good idea to get one of those new macs with bootcamp, but that would have been twice the price. I could still do it; I have a couple of weeks to try this new one out.

[Daffy Duck]

Originally Posted by Angela

I bought a Gateway laptop yesterday at BestBuy for $499 and I think it will fit my needs perfectly.

Excellent. If I had seen this earlier, I would have mentioned that Best Buy has weekly deals on decent laptops in your price-range. But you found that out anyway!

[Angela]

Yeah, I'm loving my new toy!!

[Adrienne]

Originally Posted by aussieNickuss

You know, for less than what you paid for that new laptop, you could have purchased a second display/screen for your Mac and either VMWare Fusion or Parallels to run Windows right on top of Mac OS X. That's assuming you have an Intel Mac (2006 or newer) of course.

That way, you wouldn't have been burdened with the possession of a god-awful Windows-only computer!

That is what i was going to suggest, Parallels. I run that on my mac and it is soooooo easy to use and windows is always at my finger tips and i use OSX and windows at the same time. Of course it does not give you a second computer, it just allows you to run all your windows programs while your mac is booted into OSX. I have a second windows Vista computer, but i find i never use it with Parallels, since it does everything i need/want it to do.