Evening gents. Hopefully a simple question for you. All my kit at home is PC based but my daughter wants an Apple laptop. If she gets one, will we both be able to share the same router for internet connection?

Bobcolby

Have a look round for drivers for your Matrox card. Many of them are supported or there may be a workaround.

You could try running CMC or E*Treade under WINE, if that does not work (which it most likely won't, try using an old Windows XP Pro machine and access it using rdesktop.

Although many security and virus issues are specific to Windows, there are still vulnerablilties in Linux. At the very least, get one of the free AV packages.

zscrooge

An appple should work fine with your existing router (insofar as an apple is capable of working at all).

Cheers opto - i take it you are not fond of apple's then?

Strangely enough, I started on them in late 80s and loved their ease of use but migrated to PCs. So now haven't a clue on apples.

zscrooge

You've guessed it ;)

I've never had much to do with apples but they are far too expensive and I think they lost their ease of use and graphics advantage when Microsoft bought out Windows 95. I do use Linux for some things because it has so much for free, but most of the time it's too complicated. My main OS at the moment is Windows 7 beta which will rule the world..

Optimist:

Closer examination of the evolution of Windows shows that all Microsoft has done is copy all the user interface developments year on year from the Mac, but wothout the underlying stability of Mac OS (itself based these days on Berkeley UNIX).

I'll grant you that the Mac is premium priced, but it is superbly engineered. It's also not difficult to find top of the range Windows laptops that are comparable to the MacBook Pro in price (i.e., over 1200).

And why will Windows 7 rule the world (any more than Vista didn't)?

MM

You may be right, but the last time that I could justify paying 1200+ for a laptop it was an early Pentium Mobile. I don't think any laptop is worth that now although I may have to change my mind if the continues to drop.

As regards Windows 7, even the beta seems to use less memory and processor time than Vista and stability is surprisingly good. The UI is far better that either Vista or XP and installation is easier.

Windows 7 will be the OS that Vista should have been - but better.

If you need a reason to get it, check out Bitlocker To Go which seamlessly encrypts USB drives.

MM

Daughter want the airbook because "it looks cool". Would I be wasting money for aesthetics? Is the MaC Book better? And where do you buy these things from and what happens when things go wrong?

Great bit of kit and you can buy at a dedicated apple Shop.
There are quite a few outlets in this country, and you can see your proposed laptop in action.
Would never use anything other than an Apple Mac, totally reliable.

If you buy anthing because it looks cool you will ve paying a surcharge for the looks. For a highend laptop, that equates to around one third of it's purchase price which you can spread over two years max because the machine will then no longer be state of the art.

No need to persuade me opto - it's the daughter who is the prob ;-))

I know lots of apples that have gone wrong and nobody can then get inside to do anything.

Thanks anyway. Normally, daughter would be reasoned with but it is her 18th so i know I'm going to be a softie.

Re post 7722.

Just thought I'd update............

Comp.now working after great expense.New MB,new 9800GT gfx card which then got damaged trying it in original MB (tested card in comp.shop today) and new 8400GS gfx card.

The PS,CPU and memory all undamaged but possibly weakened,we will see.

New MB doesn't have 'beeping' on-board but found a speaker from my bag or bags of bits and bobs,tested it last night with beeps pointed towards gfx card.

Thanks to all who posted.

Norton has picked up this virus MH690.A, but cant get rid of it anyone suggest away to do it?

More info on MH690.A HERE

I'm having problems using refilled cartridges on a lexmak printer (4350) as in it won't recognise them!

I have been away and lost track of what microsoft are doing with Windows 7.

Has Vista been abandoned?

I need a new computer - do I have to wait until 2010 now to allow microsoft to get the bugs out of Windows 7?.

At a loss as to what to do now - can somebody advise?.

cue the "you should buy a mac" brigade

Windows 7 is replacing Vista, which most people accept has been a failure - there are some suggestions it might be launched in time for Christmas this year. As far as I can see it's a rebranded version of Vista with some changes to aid usability, so it should have fewer bugs and incompatibilities out of the starting gate, although Microsoft aren't very good at these things so it could still be rocky to begin with. Allegedly it's better on memory management and speed so the reactions to the beta releases has been more positive than the reaction to Vista.

There have been some rumours that Microsoft would run an upgrade programme whereby if you bought Vista during this summer you would get a free upgrade to Windows 7, but I don't believe that's been confirmed.

I've been using Win 7 beta for a few weeks and can confirm that it appears to use less memory and CPU resources than Vista. It is also better at balancing the load between two processsor cores.

The user interface is different and IMO a lot better than Vista but the beta version does not let you go back to the classic UI so you may be stuck with the new one.

The stability of the beta version seems very good so the final should be even better. Microsoft have said that the beta version will expire in July and that there will be an RC1 version before the final release. Whilst they have been carefull not to comit to or even mention a release date, they are are giving people the hope that it will be released Oct or Nov 2009.

Regardless of OS, if your buying a new computer get one with an Intel I7 processor. These are expensive and thin on the ground at the moment but should be mainstream in the summer.

many thanks guys , can I keep this machine running until xmas? don,t know

whats good about the intel 17 processor Optimist?

Doc

MD

The i7 is Intels latest processor. It represents a bigger leap than normal in processor power. Knocks spots off anything Intel or anyone else has made before.