My mother has asked me about getting a laptop she can use to do her univeristy work on, while my father is using our family PC (which he spends a lot of time on now he is retired). All she needs is to be able to browse the web, run interactive CD-Roms, and write essays using Word.
How does this translate into a technical specification?
The ability to run Windows XP I see as the main requirement, as many software/multimedia developers use 2000 or XP as their target platform.
Looking at my nearest large mail-order supplier Novatech even their cheapest laptops claim to be Windows XP compatible, but I am not convinced that they will be really responsive given a processor speed of less than 2 GHz. I would opt for a little more memory than the bare minimum to help speed things up.
Assuming I go for an own-brand Celeron range, the other things I would like are:
- DVD Writer
- 54G Wireless
The former is simply because its the latest storage medium, even though its not strictly necessary, it would seem to be worth the minimal extra cost, as upgrading optical drives on a laptop at a later stage is not something I'd contemplate.
The wireless capability is important so my mother can use it in any room in the house.
Finally comes the choice of software. Having the operating system pre-installed would be ideal. After that, Office educational version would seem like a good choice for the purpose intended.
Once all these options are figured in, the final price tag is a little higher than expected, but overall it is a system I am happy to recommend to my mother to suit her needs.
billyblogginsdonkey
Choose a laptop...Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed- interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing sprit- crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing you last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that?
Sorry couldnt resist.
Billy
xxx