Next message: Leonard Rosenthol: "Re: [WinMac] Wintel purchase recommendations sought"
I am a database developer who for years has managed to work entirely on
Macs. Many of my clients use PCs, but I run VirtualPC to test my software
and usually it works okay. I have reached the point however where it's
obvious I need to buy a real PC. I know the Mac market and product line very
well (compared to the choices in the PC world, it's childs play to keep
track of the Mac options). But I'm quite lost when it comes to the Wintel
options and would be grateful for recommendations and/or caveats. I do NOT
want to start a product-loyalty fight here, and I don't really mean to
invite everybody with a good or bad experience with one product or another
to give a testimonial. I am willing to assume that most of the brand names
produce relatively reliable and decent products. And of course I'm going to
try to do a little homework on my own, so if you recommend X, I buy X, and I
have trouble with it, rest assured I'll blame the makers of X and not you!
<g> I would be happy to receive recommendations off list, if you prefer.
Here are my requirements.
1. Cost matters. Although this is a business purchase, I'd like to keep it
as far below $2000 as possible.
2. The machine must run Windows NT. I'm doing work now in 4D, and the 4D
compiler needs to be run under NT. Are there machines that COME with NT
installed?
3. In spite of the need to run NT, the networkability of this machine is not
a critical issue for me. If it were possible for me to put it on my ethernet
network and get web access at work, that would be great, but it's not
critical.
4. I will naturally need a CD-ROM drive and probably a Zip drive as well.
Floppy not needed. USB ports would be preferred because I have a USB
Hewlett-Packard inkjet printer that I could use with a PC machine if I
needed to.
5. Other things being equal, I would prefer a laptop to a desktop box.
Portability is important. I've noticed that there are IBM Thinkpads for
under $1300. But it's more important that I get the right machine than that
it be portable. Can I really get a lot more machine for the money if I buy a
desktop box and a monitor than if I buy a laptop?
6. I use a Mac PowerBook G3 as my primary machine presently. (I have bunches
of other Macs as well, servers, backup machines, etc., but the PowerBook is
my main tool.) The PowerBook uses a trackpad/touchpad. If I were to get a PC
notebook, I think I might prefer to use a trackpad on it as well, since I'm
familiar with it. But obviously this is also not critical.
7. I have no idea about the difference between Pentium and Celeron
processors and would be grateful if someone could steer me in the direction
of info about them. I get the impression that Celeron is a "consumer"
processor and Pentium is "for business," but to be honest, I don't find that
distinction particularly meaningful.
8. I would like to get a machine that comes with some software on it,
particularly Microsoft Office. Is this wishful thinking? This is the least
important thing of all.
For what it's worth, I will probably make the purchase either from PC
Connection (online) or from the Micro Center near my office (large,
excellent computer superstore).
Many thanks in advance. As I said, I'd be happy to get your recommendation
off list, if you would prefer not to appear to push one brand over another
on the list.
Will
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: Tue Mar 14 2000 - 13:27:19 PST