computer

[FJRay]

I think my 13 year old desk top is taking it's final **** so I'm looking at replacement. I don't need anything super as my needs are minimal .

If you were buying for a simple minded senior citizen what would you look at and PC or mac and desk top of lap top.

is there any easy way to transfer all the **** off the old machine to a new one.

Fire away

 

[MCRIDER007]

Laptop with a DVD drive.....

 

[RossKean]

Personal preference is PC vs Apple. I would get whatever you are used to.

Depends on what you want to do. For lots of people, all they need is a tablet if they mostly need it to surf internet. Android-based tabs are reasonably priced. Apple will cost you more.

My next computer is likely to be a PC laptop with a solid state hard drive.

Good luck

 

[FJRay]

Already have the Abacus, I use it for figuring customer bills. It confuses the **** out of them.

I have a tablet but it lives in the house and the computer is in the shop.

 

[rbentnail]

Laptop, definitely. With wifi router I can sit outside on a nice day & still ignore than ******** on this forum. DVD drive a plus. Multiple USB ports, vital. Other than that I'm good tho I have found I don't use the DVD much anymore at all.

Check out the larger screen ones, they have a separate number section just like your desktop keybd. Saves a lot of pecking.

 

[FJRay]

edited original post with one more question.

 

[Tyler]

edited original post with one more question.

USB Backup drive... I have two and just copy stuff onto each of them so I have two backups of the important stuff... they're not very expensive and have tons of storage capacity... something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Portable-External-Drive-WDBU6Y0020BBK-WESN/dp/B06W55K9N6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=external+hard+drive&qid=1560378865&refinements=p_72%3A1248879011&rnid=1248877011&s=electronics&sr=1-3

 

[RossKean]

edited original post with one more question.

USB thumb drive for files/photos, documents etc. is a pretty good solution but it might depend on how much you want to transfer. Easier and faster is to take the HDD out of the old computer and connect it up as a slave drive internally in the new computer so you can copy files much more quickly. This doesn't work so well for a laptop but you can buy a USB adapter cable for pretty cheap that will facilitate faster transfer. Programs, unfortunately have to be reinstalled.

 

[saread]

I'm partial to a Surface. Get it with a keyboard and pen. Way lighter and easier carry than a laptop. Easier to pack on the FJR. Much easier to use on your lap. The keyboard looks cheesy but it really isn't and works very well and comes off with a tug. It's held on with magnets. Tablet mode with the pen, or just your finger for the touch screen works much better than you'd think. Whether you feel comfortable with the cheaper Surface Go or rock a Surface Pro is up to you and your needs. Both run full on Win10. I was worried about connectivity with only one USB port, but functionally, with the touch pad, touch screen, pen, and bluetooth I have never really needed more than the one USB port. For my use, it's all I need. I've built my last desktop box. It will be a Surface from now on.

 

[Knifemaker]

I'd avoid Dell, HP, and anything that seems like "a good deal" at stores like Best Buy.

Home PC's let you use large monitors, something a laptop can't do. My son has a 30" monitor and it's ******* awesome for me and my 65 year old eyes.

Not sure what you have now, but yes, you can have someone knowledgeable put your old hard drive into your new PC so ALL your old files will be there.

Get one with a huge amount of space (terabytes, not gigabytes) and has A LOT of ram.

Shop around. Good deals at New Egg

 

[sapest]

Need more info.

What tasks does the machine you have do now?

Does shop mean dirty environment? And potential kybrd spillage? If new machine is going to live in the same place.

Other electronics in household? (Apples play very nice together, for example)

Moving **** can be a pain, could be easier if is PC to PC or Mac to Mac.

Or if you have done any backups? Also made easier if you know where your **** is in the machine you have now, and many dont.

Actually moving stuff isnt that tough, its what and where thats hard. And not moving viruses and spyware to the new machine.

Some suggestions

Write down the login ID of every website you use, banking, photo sharing, ****, whatever. Confirm you know the passwords that go with each ID. If there are security questions associated, make sure you have the answers, cause when you first login on the new machine, you might be asked, even when you use the proper credentials. Make sure you know your home network settings as well, if WiFi.

If PC?, go to Control Panel and find the applet that lists all the Programs installed on the machine. Write down the ones you use, and determine where each stores data. Some applications let you store data anywhere you wish, (Word, for example is good for documents, but try to find the custom dictionary with 13 yrs of your words) and others hide it away like it was gold (Garmin, for example) I am sure Mac has similar function, but Mac migration can move apps, so not as important.

Minimal needs & simple minded senior - knowing nothing else, I would suggest a Chromebook if leaning toward laptop.

-Steve

 

[FJRPittsburgh]

+1 on the Chromebook. I love mine. Lenovo 500e.

 

[griff]

Home PC's let you use large monitors, something a laptop can't do.

Not necessarily. I hook my Surface up to a docking station at home and have two 23 inch monitors on it. Works for me.

 

[Geezer]

Laptop for sure. My wife has a touch screen on hers and loves it. My next one will probably be a touch screen with the ability to flip the keyboard back to use it as a tablet.

I always buy Lenovo because they took over IBM small computers and I retired from IBM.

I never use the DVD write capability. For backup I use a network hard drive. To transfer files to a computer that is not on my home network I use USB thumb drives, but with the home network it is easy to transfer files directly between computers.

 

[RossKean]

If you are looking at laptops, try one with a solid state hard drive. They are blazingly fast.

 

[MCRIDER007]

Home PC's let you use large monitors, something a laptop can't do.

Not necessarily. I hook my Surface up to a docking station at home and have two 23 inch monitors on it. Works for me.

If the laptop has a HDMI output it can be connected to any TV with a HDMI input. Also true for an iPad to connect to a HDMI TV but it requires a $50 adapter.

 

[graler]

I am seeing solid state backup drives falling in price now. I have had several that have the traditional disc and they are not all that reliable after they have been bounced around in a back pack. I had one that actually had a wifi interface but that was very quirky and it had to have a special power cord. If I was buying one now it would be a USB-C plug into the drive instead of the micro or mini USB.

Computer wise - I like the touch screen but several that I have looked at are heavy. The last couple I purchased (kids in college) where both Lenovo.

Joe

 

[Pterodactyl]

If you can find an Apple store, then you may find the have great deals on refurbished Macs and their laptops.

 

[Powerman]

laptop with SSD. 4TB external HD $100