FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) revised August 2004
Please
click a question or scroll down to view all answers.
Purchasing a New PC, Laptop,
Network, Wireless
1. What
minimum specifications does Stamford PC Networks recommend for a new PC?
1a. Can’t you be more specific? <new>
2. What’s
the best brand of desktop or laptop?
3. Where
is the best place around Stamford to shop for a new PC or laptop?
5. My Son/daughter’s going away to school. What kind of PC should we get him/her, laptop
or desktop?
6. What’s the best internet connection in Stamford?
7. What’s
the best virus software and how does it work?
8. I’ve
heard wireless networking is not really secure.
Is that true?
Regular Maintenance
10. Once SPCN has worked on my system, what must I do on a
regular basis to assure smooth operation, and how frequently? <new>
About this site
11. What do small
pictures of sailboats, pine trees and other such things have to do with
computer consulting?
FAQ Answers
Purchasing a New
PC, Laptop, Network, Wireless <idea: print this to take
shopping>
1. What
minimum specifications do you recommend for a new PC?
A. That depends on
your intended use. However, for
mainstream users the following:
·
Minimum 512mb
(megabytes) RAM (Random Access Memory), also known as main memory. Buying “enough” memory is the single most
important factor in keeping your computer fast and crash free.
·
Minimum 60gb (gigabyte) capacity hard drive.
·
Windows XP Professional. These days communication
via the internet, and your local area or home network are at least as
important as raw computing power. For
connectivity, Windows XP Pro is the best mainstream operating system, and well
worth the extra cost over Home Edition.
·
Virus software. Keeping it up-to-date on a daily basis is
critical to smooth operation.
·
Do not buy a machine
with a “Celeron” processor, it’s inferior compared to
Intel’s other processor families.
·
Do not worry about
getting the fastest “clock speed,” like 1.3ghz v
1.5ghz (gigahertz). This is but one of
several factors that will determine how fast your computer works, and not
critical.
The good news is this is a great time to buy a PC or laptop; prices are
at historical lows, machines are faster and battery life longer than ever, and
the buying process is easy. Any machine
meeting the above specifications will meet your needs for at least four years. You should be able to get a great PC for less
than $1,000, or a laptop for less than $1,600.
1a. Can’t you be more specific?
A. Not without
discussing your particular needs. To
understand better, ask yourself: Could
someone else decide whether I’d prefer a Honda Accord, a Toyota Camry, a Nissan
Altima, or a Volkswagen Passat; and with what options; and what sort of
financing?
Every person
will answer questions about usage, financing, options, and priorities
differently. For laptops there will be
questions of portability, weight, screen size, battery life, and wired versus
wireless networking. Computer
manufacturers make minor changes to their lines at least twice per year. Stamford PC Networks can help you make sense
of the choices, but ultimately the choice is yours.
2. What’s
the best brand of desktop or laptop?
A. Opinions differ, and keyboard,
mouse and display choices are very personal, so you should try a friend’s or
the library’s, hit an internet café, or go to a computer store to try the
machine you’re thinking of purchasing.
That said, we recommend Dell for
desktops, Hewlett Packard for laptops.
The best comparison web-site is www.cnet.com.
3. Where
is the best place in the
A. CompUSA,
A. The
A. If you are a graphic designer,
an artist or a musician I highly recommend one.
Otherwise there’s no advantage to being outside the “WinTel”
(MS Windows operating system running
on Intel chipset based PCs)
mainstream, and several disadvantages, not the least of which is cost.
5. My
Son/daughter’s going away to school.
Should we get him/her a laptop or a desktop?
A. This is a personal choice for
every family. Laptops can be taken to
the library to escape a noisy roommate, but it’s unlikely he/she will type fast
enough for in-class note taking, which can be noisy and brand him/her as a
nerd. They are more expensive, drop
easier, and they’re more likely to be stolen or left in the cafeteria. Desktops are less expensive, but chunky, and
not more reliable. Look into the
manufacturer’s extended “on-site” warranty.
Ask yourself; what will we do if it breaks or if it’s stolen? How long can our student afford to be without
a PC if it needs to be sent back for service?
You may wish to contact the school for a recommendation, and to ask what
kind of network/internet connections are available in the dorm, the library,
study areas. Bill’s 11-year-old son uses
a laptop.
6. What’s the best
internet connection in
A. Clearly it’s Cablevision’s
optonline.net cable service which currently costs $49 per month for home--you must
be a home cable subscriber which also costs $49 for a basic package; or $100
per month for a business. Even though
DSL’s approximately $20 cheaper, it can be problematic, difficult to install
and noticeably slower. The problems
anticipated when cable first became available never materialized, and
Cablevision has done a great job of updating and maintaining their
infrastructure. Get started by visiting www.optonline.net
or calling 1-800-OK-CABLE. They often have
special pricing for new customers.
7. What’s
the best virus software and how does it work?
A. Trend Micro’s Internet Security
which can be purchased at a store or here: http://www.trendmicro.com/buy/us/smb.asp. Norton and McAfee also make excellent
products. You pay $29 per year for the
right to periodic downloads--configured to run automatically and seamlessly
once per day--of their “encyclopedia” of known viruses and malicious processing
patterns. Their software takes care of
the rest.
8. I’ve
heard wireless networking is not really secure.
Is that true?
A. Absolutely not. The problem is the technology is very new and
comprehensive security can be tricky to implement and maintain. We suggest letting Stamford PC Networks
handle this for you.
A. We recommend the hardware
firewall built into most wireless and wired routers, even if you have only one
PC. They cost about $65 and provide the
best firewall security available.
Regular Maintenance
10. Once Stamford PC
Networks has worked on my system, what must I do on a regular basis to assure
smooth operation, and how frequently?
A. This is a case
where the answer is quite simple, but reads way more complicated than it is:
three paragraphs for 10 -12 mouse clicks that will take less than 15 minutes,
once per month:
·
Under construction.
·
Check back soon.
·
Check back soon.
About This Site
11. What do small pictures of sailboats, pine
trees and other such things have to do with
A. Nothing whatsoever. Robin and I like them and haven’t yet thought
of anything more clever. Suggestions are welcome. The little nerdy guy we started out with was
exceedingly unpopular. Robin and Bill
are working on a “company logo” but it’s more difficult than you may
think. Especially if
you don’t want to hire a graphic artist.
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