I am definetly not a fan of the MAC. They make a good system for people who don't no jack #&#$ about computers because their relatively easy to use. However, when it comes to gaming, there is no competition for microsoft, and linux(if the game is supported). I've dealt with macs, and you can have just as many problems on the macintosh as you do with the windows machine, here is a hilarious video that pretty sums up my experience with macs. Link Removed due to site violation

 

Your hardware is just fine. Up until very recently I was running a 1ghz Pentium 3 and it was just fine as well. I purchased a new complete computer (minus monitor) for $224 from Dell including shipping.

For people who are doing everyday tasks (surf web, check email, listen to music, maybe burn a CD, maybe run some applications like Word processor or Excel) these super computers are way overkill. I do not play any games but can watch DVDs on the computer with no problem (and that is with the 8MB onboard video card... have to install a PCIe X16 for this 19" LCD I have been wanting to buy - $220 also from Dell!).

I have a P90 with 32 MB ram with a 1 GB HD that is still ticking away for my mail server (Slackware).

If you want to eliminate Microsoft with the same hardware, Linux is your answer. Check out Ubuntu. From what I hear it is very user friendly... please no RedHat!

 

I would have to completely disagree.

You would be amazed at how quicky the time spent waiting on a computer adds up.

Time is money!!

 

Huh ??? How much time is too long? A microsecond?

As long as you're not ripping or rendering DVD's, a P2 isn't the slow link in the chain - its most likely the nut behind the wheel - or a dial up connection.

Heck, before I donated it, my old 1994 P100 was fine for surfing and chatting.

 

Well, I guess I just meant that he has is fine--no need to update IMO. 1.5 ghz, no problem. 100 mhz, not going to cut it these days. 4 ghz, overkill.

 

I don't want to eliminate MS just for the sake of eliminating MS. What I wanted to know, is it necessary to eliminate MS and go to something else? There are probably better systems out there, but does the cost and time justify the change for what I am using this computer for? If I do eliminate MS, are there and real (measurable) advantages?
FWIW, I have a DSL connection running at 1024.

 

I guess it really depends on the patience you have.

Would you drive a car with a speed regulator of 35mph cross country?

 

Youre the only one that can make the decision if the cost and time justify.. Its your time and money, whats it worth to you?

Going to xp would be worthwhile no matter how you cut it. It will function the exact same way as 2000, but be faster, more stable, and more secure.

Going an open source route, youd have to factor in the time and cost of time, learning curve, etc. If you have tons of free time, then might be worth looking into. Not only the initial install and configure time, but the time to learn everything else as you go along.. research if you want to change something/add a program/upgrade hardware to see if its compatible, if not then find how to make it work, etc.

If you dont have the patience for that, and just want things to work 24/7, then stick w/ 2000/XP and enjoy the compatibility.

 

Stay with what you have Stan. While using a different OS can be fun, there are times when the learning curve may have you pulling what little hair you have left out of your head.

Here's what I'd do with your system...

1. Pop the case and clean out the dust bunnies.
2. Make sure everything is seated properly.
3. Back up all data.
4. Wipe the hard drive.
5. Reload everything from scratch.
6. Ensure virus program is up to date.
7. Load good firewall (I use Kerio).
8. Reload data backups.

I think you'd find you have a fast new system after that.

 

Just for my 2 cents on microsoft vs Mac, I use both windows xp at work and Mac at home. Other than a few websites that wont operate with firefox or safari because they require Internet explorer, how monopolistic is that..., I love the mac it always works never hangs installing sftware is a breeze, networking is easy, i can say enough. I just got a macbook pro with intel chipset

 

my travel laptop is running XP Pro with a firewall, security package, antivirus and two spam sweepers/sniffers...

home system for my photography and stuff is running SUSE 10.1 Linux.....includes Firefox, Firewall, security, email, etc with graphical interface....

after a little getting used to it I love it and it is FREE!!!!!!!


If yo dont want to spend time learning new OS...the go to XP Pro...Service Pack 2. Built in firewall and stuff...download Norton Security and run Firefox for your browser. You will be hardened more than I guess 75% of the people out there. Just save your files and burn them to CDRW, DVD or backup disk...then wipe the drive clean...reinstall XP Pro clean and have at it..

 

Some thoughts.

With the street price of XP Home, Pro, and Media Center, as high as they are, I don't believe upgrading from 2000 on an old computer is worth the cost. It's more cost effective to just get a new system. If XP is installed over a troubled 2000 system, many times the troubles continue after the upgrade, and upgrades never work as well as fresh installs. This is all without even considering any labor used in the OS upgrade process.

For over a year now the biggest threats on the internet have come from spyware and trojans, which antivirus software and firewalls aren't designed to stop. Many ISPs now filter email for viruses which leaves file sharing sites and services as the easiest places to pick up a virus. When you couple this with the fact that most viruses are created by amatures while most spyware is created by experts, means that stopping spyware is now where the action is at. Macs, Linux, Firefox, etc. are immune to these problems only because of their few numbers. No hacker is going to bother with them when there are so much more Micosoft and CISCO out there.

Every time Microsoft adds more functions and inter-operability to it's software, more security holes are produced. It's the nature of the beast. Users are demanding more seamless computing so more security holes are bound to be popping up. But sometimes you've got to wonder what the heck they were thinking when some of these new features were added.

Probably the biggest and best problem solver XP has going for it is the system roll-back feature. If it isn't turned off by some spyware or trojan, it does miracles at maintaining XP.

Another huge internet problem is email spam which no OS or mail software is immune from. It's amazing how much bandwidth is gobbled up with junk email. Billy Gates thinks the best way to stop this problem is by charging a piece rate for email. Guess he's got an idea of how to make even more money than he already has.

 

That is probably the biggest flaw in its own. Alot of spyware, viruses, and trojans are designed to be inserted into the system volume information folder, aka system restore.

Many antivirus programs by default do not have security permissions to get into this folder. Administrators dont even have access to it by default, only the SYSTEM account does.

Some are horrible, Norton especially, in the fact that if you go into antivirus options, and exclusions, this folder is EXCLUDED from being scanned.

So you pop open system restore, perform a restore, and youre essentially restoring your viruses over the top of viruses.

Norton knows this, which is why their first steps in removing viruses in their documentations online include "disable system restore".