posted
Ok, I have to admit a weakness that I have. Chocolate? No Girls? No ('cept for my wife )
It's ELECTRONICS!
I just purchased a used laptop on usedlaptops.com for $345.00. I'm in a hurry so I added $54.00 to ship it overnight! I AM SO WEAK!
I just purchased a Palm m130 a few months ago, and have since decided, it wasn't big enough. I NEED BIGGER!
So I bought a used, slightly out-of-date laptop for all my business computing needs on the go. I'll use it for Quickbooks Pro, ACT!, and of course, CorelDRAW. I figure being able to save the artwork on the laptop and showing the client the proof on the monitor when we meet will be more effective than printing off an inkjet print.
Anyone else use a laptop for on-the-go needs?
Or anyone else have a WEAKNESS FOR ELECTRONICS!?
BTW, the wife HATES my electronics urges. She knows as soon as I start talking aloud about something, "Its as good as bought"!
hee hee, I don't see a problem with that, though
-------------------- Randy Graphic Details Promotional Merchandise Distributor South Glens Falls, NY Posts: 381 | From: South Glens Falls, NY USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
Randy>>> Hello, My name is Richard, and I have an electronic problem.
You guys are in the beginning stages, and as you progress deeper into the sickness, you will find that buying those products won't cure your need for more power and speed.
When you become more dependent, you'll find that just purchasing these items will not cure your need for speed, and the power you feel.
As your sickness progresses, you'll find that you have to know everything about it. "How the hard drive works." "What can I do to make my experience better." "Should I add more RAM?" That is the second stage. It is then you find that sometimes you spend all day looking at your reflection in the monitor. You are deeply hooked.
The third stage is on a componant level. CD writers, motherboards, processors, memory, floppies, modems, sound cards, and so on. These componants are backups for your main unit. You cannot be without that!
The forth stage; Networks. You will find that if you hook them together, it becomes more powerful. You can use more that one at the same time. You can combine their properties to have greater experience.
Next comes the "Cross platforms" PCs & Macs. They really don't go together, but if you network them, you can use them.
Last week I hit bottom. I purchased many componants. When I got home, they lost me for six hours. I went into my computer room, and built a "screemer". 1.8GHz. processor, 400MHz front side bus, 512MB Rambus memmory, 64MB "Raden" video card, 40GB hard drive, CD writer, 300W powersupply, and more...
-------------------- Richard Bustamante Signs in the Pines www.signsinthepines.com Posts: 781 | From: Nevada City, California | Registered: Nov 1998
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Heheheheheee....nothing impresses a customer as much as designing a job right in front of him/her on a laptop!
Sold many an impossible customer that way!
Incidentally...a quick and easy way to transfer files between your laptop and main computer is with those little "smart cards" that you have in your digital camera using a USB reader!
-------------------- Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA
(714) 521-4810
si.allen on Skype
siallen@dslextreme.com
"SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Never mess with your profile while in a drunken stupor!!!
Brushasaurus on Chat Posts: 8831 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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It's a good thing the local Fry's Electronics is 15 miles away through bad traffic. I cannot seem to walk out of that place without dropping five hundred bucks. One time, when I was in the area, I zipped in for a while and back out to prove I could do it without spending money.
I needed a new hard drive this week to replace my IBM DeathStar...DeskScar, whatever. IBM calls them DeskStars. I sent an employee over. He was able to waltz in and leave with only a hard drive in his bag. Had I gone in, I might have been terminally tempted by their motherboard/processor upgrade special. I would be spending more time with hardware. I'm already going to lose way too much time reloading software this week.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5107 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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The final stage is when you learn to FTP stuff all over the world. ITs amazing.. Computers networked in the office all networked to remote sites by FTP. I can do anything anywhere. All I need is a phone line.
Just yesterday i FTP 'd a file to someone in Texas. Its so easy. Just drag and drop...
FTP server???? very small program allows anyone with proper pass and user name to look at anything you want them to see.
FTP client?? its what is used to allow someone to look into your FTP server folder.
Went to another job site and FTP'd a file to my laptop. Got back home and the changes were approved on the Texas job.. WOW. email??? way to slow and way to restrictive on size limits. Gives me lots more time to read up on more electronic stuff.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5278 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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Hi Si....My first laptop didn't have an ethernet card, which allows for networking, so I used to transfer files etc. by using the "Direct Parallel Connection" available in Windows. All you need is a file transfer parallel cable and run the setup wizard in Windows. The files are transfered between the printer ports on the laptop and the main computer. Works just great as a substitute for "networking".
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
I build and maintain my computers at the sign shop/office, but my real love and downfall is restoring old shortwave/ham gear. I have been a ham radio operator for 25 years and it has been my salvation during some depressing times in the sign business. Any other hams/sign folks out there?
-------------------- Frisby Signs, Inc. El Dorado, Arkansas Posts: 902 | From: El Dorado, Arkansas, USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5278 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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I don't get it why Doug and Curtis want to go with the Pro version. Only a couple of features such as remote networking etc. that most won't ever use anyways. What am I missing?
-------------------- Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Posts: 2787 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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yes please elaborate, I am still learning about xp.
This is set up on my home computer which conects to my laptop dockingbase only. I figured it was a low threshold entrance into xp to learn about it before I jump in it at the shop.
Why is the home version bad?
-------------------- Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA 508-865-7330
"Life is Like an Echo, what you put out, comes back to you." Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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-------------------- Eric Patzer A.S.A.P. Design Lafayette, CO epatzer@earthlink.net Posts: 208 | From: Lafayette, CO USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Most people will be happy with the home version. No problems..
However, if you should ever need to go to other Pro version then you will have repurchase it and then go thru the hassle of d'loadign all the SP's again.
The days of using one copy at home and the same copy at the office are over. You will be required to activate your product on the phone or over the net. Yes there are reports of legal copies disallowed upon activation..
When should you upgrade? The best time is when you purchase a brand new machine or when you replace a hard drive on a recently purchased machine. (past 6 months)
For example. I have a late model P4 1.8 gig machine that i will not upgrade because there are some compatibility challanges. And ,no real need to upgrade anyway....
Also, be aware that the next windows version (code named longhorn?) will be out in around 23 months. Do u want to pay another 200 bux to upgrade again?
PS: it is said that the only diference between home and pro versions on the CD you have is determined by the CD key. One CD key has a certain prefix that makes it home, the next CD key has a prefix that makes it pro.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5278 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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Hi all I use XP pro at home and work and as a Compaq / HP Tech, I support both, I believe the security in Pro is the real bang for the buck with xp, and as far as file transfer and remote support they can be downloaded for free if you have the home version. Terry
-------------------- Terry Nicholson 16 Riddell Rd RR3 Prescott, ON Posts: 42 | From: Brockville, Ontario | Registered: May 2002
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