I use my laptop connected to an external USB keyboard and mouse, and an external 23" screen. Plus I've got the screen on the laptop as well, for when I can't see enough on the big screen! It's just like using a desktop most of the time, and Windows is clever enough to switch everything back to the laptop when I unplug it and take it out. So no need to copy data back and forth. I've also got a USB hard disk connected doing regular backups.

My latest laptop is a reconditioned Toshiba with 500Gb HDD, 6Gb RAM and a 2.5GHz processor, running Windows 7, and cost £219 a month ago (3 months warranty on the computer and 12 months on the new hard disk).

I have a Zoostorm that works well for me, i7, 3.4 Ghz, 16G RAM, 1Tb HDD. Win 7 (I detest win 8 and 8.1 isn't that much of an improvement)
Logitech speakers, Samsung screen (second screen will be added in early 2015)
Couldn't tell you what the graphics card is, but it is quite a good one - NVIDIA I think, the computer was pitched as a 'gaming' machine - a degree in computers just taught me I know nothing, and no-one want to program in COBOL anymore :(

Computers are personal things so look around and ask questions - I happen to dislike Dell, everyone I have come across has been plagued with problems, though Shaun is not alone in his preference by any means. Shame you can't bespoke them the way you used to - too much 'mass market appeal' not enough understanding of the client base.

'Gaming' computers tend to have better graphics and higher RAM so will cope with SAGE and other heavy RAM software better. Remember that unlike a lappy you will need to add in speakers and anything else left out of the box - such as a screen and possibly all the connecting cables. It's surprising how often that can be forgotten - people are so used to tablets and lappies that are complete straight from the box.

Have fun hunting around in the January sales!

I still want to program in COBOL Theresa... Just nobody lets me anymore.

Even when working with the banks all I get to do is tell the programmers what I want not do it myself (where's the fun in that).

It's not an art form like it used to be though, it's all by the numbers nowadays... And don't even get me onto code generators like Telon (although Scottish Widows system that generates code from structure charts is pretty cool once you get used to it).

I've got Microsoft SQL server on one of my machines and just keep thinking "Well, this crap ain't DB2 by a long stretch!".

I had the misfortune of working with some HTML programmers a little while back and they have absolutely no idea about performance. I (I assume like yourself) was brought up with the mentality of "If it doesn't perform then it doesn't work". Todays developers think that getting something to work is an end game in itself and they justify that with fast development methodologies such as Agile, Scrum and Six Sigma (as if any of those actually have any new ideas. All they do is put a name to the common sense that good IT departments have applied for years and claim it as a methodology). On the bright side of course, they can get it all wrong ten times in the time it takes me to get one system in and working using a Waterfall development approach.

Progress.... Bah Humbug.

On the Dell front, do your freinds have XPS's? I was quite specific about that over the likes of the much cheaper Optiplexes and Latitudes which I would not buy (Latitudes are the one's that you get in places like Tesco's and PC world). My preference is not so much Dell but rather one specific line of PC's from them.

One of my boys has recently bought a Mesh gaming rig which he chose the components for (they still do Bespoke rigs and you can still get Windows 7 pre installed if you want it (I do)). He's has real problems with cut outs due to overheating. I've had a look inside the box and its never going to work as the Power Supply is at the bottom of the rig rather than the top so the air flow is wrong and with the high end graphics card that he's gone for (above the PSU) he's pushing hot air that cannot escape the case fast enough down onto the CPU so overheating will be inevitable.

The whole lot of excellent top end internals needs stripping out and putting in a better case with the PSU at the top where it should be.

Shamus wrote:

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I still want to program in COBOL Theresa... Just nobody lets me anymore.

Even when working with the banks all I get to do is tell the programmers what I want not do it myself (where's the fun in that).

It's not an art form like it used to be though, it's all by the numbers nowadays... And don't even get me onto code generators like Telon (although Scottish Widows system that generates code from structure charts is pretty cool once you get used to it).

I've got Microsoft SQL server on one of my machines and just keep thinking "Well, this crap ain't DB2 by a long stretch!".

I had the misfortune of working with some HTML programmers a little while back and they have absolutely no idea about performance. I (I assume like yourself) was brought up with the mentality of "If it doesn't perform then it doesn't work". Todays developers think that getting something to work is an end game in itself and they justify that with fast development methodologies such as Agile, Scrum and Six Sigma (as if any of those actually have any new ideas. All they do is put a name to the common sense that good IT departments have applied for years and claim it as a methodology). On the bright side of course, they can get it all wrong ten times in the time it takes me to get one system in and working using a Waterfall development approach.

Progress.... Bah Humbug.

On the Dell front, do your freinds have XPS's? I was quite specific about that over the likes of the much cheaper Optiplexes and Latitudes which I would not buy (Latitudes are the one's that you get in places like Tesco's and PC world). My preference is not so much Dell but rather one specific line of PC's from them.

One of my boys has recently bought a Mesh gaming rig which he chose the components for (they still do Bespoke rigs and you can still get Windows 7 pre installed if you want it (I do)). He's has real problems with cut outs due to overheating. I've had a look inside the box and its never going to work as the Power Supply is at the bottom of the rig rather than the top so the air flow is wrong and with the high end graphics card that he's gone for (above the PSU) he's pushing hot air that cannot escape the case fast enough down onto the CPU so overheating will be inevitable.

The whole lot of excellent top end internals needs stripping out and putting in a better case with the PSU at the top where it should be.

---

Oh God.... don't get me started on the garbage they call 'modern optimisation and methodology'  Total lack of anything resembling a method and as for optimise!  Optimised for slowness and impossible to understand.  Where are this comments that explain the code?  Why are there so few simple calls, coding is not chain of consciousness stuff, some thought should go into it!  Aaagghhhh!!!!!!  Code should be elegant, functional, and easy to understand!  Optimised for speed of response which should imply short elegant solutions not rambling repetitious messes!

  

Coffee... need coffee....

HI again,

I have been looking on amazon for deals as its the sales and there are quite a few 'Freshtech AMD' I have never heard of these before, are they any good or are they rubbish?

There are quite a few Zoostorm on there at varying prices.

Very confused.com!!!!

Thanks,

www.amazon.co.uk/Silent-multimedia-Sprint-H5766u-Windows/dp/B00EAJKSI6/ref=sr_1_150

Another one to look at please?

Thanks once again!

A

Amanda wrote:

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www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-H30-Desktop-PC-Black/dp/B00O8SED2Q/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

HI Everyone techy!

I have found this one on Amazon is it any good?


Any thoughts always appreciated even if you think it is crap!

Many thanks,
A

-- Edited by Amanda on Sunday 28th of December 2014 10:34:31 PM

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Lenovo is a rebranding of IBM PC's. Not generally regarded as the fastest PC's in the market but have a reputation for being solid, robust business machines.

Looking at that model its a small footprint box which I would imagine will make upgrading components problematic.

The 4 core processor is about 1ghz short of what you are looking for. Look for someting of at least 2.93 ghz+ (try looking for something with at least an i5 processor or if you want AMD and FX-8350 or better)

There's 1gb of dedicated graphics RAM which is only half what you would expect on modern cards. Generally I wouldn't make much of that as mostly you can just swap out the card for a better one but I worry that the small footprint of the box will mean you are pretty much stuck with whatever graphics card that the machine arrives with.

Also that model only comes with either a 180w or 240w PSU which means that you would need to also replace that to change the card and I'm not seeing that normal size PSU's are going to fit in that size box.

I wouldn't say that it is crap as its got a good heritage... But I wouldn't buy it myself.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-197-OP&groupid=43&catid=2477

 

I have recently bought a couple of these for work, I just went for the lowest spec with windows 7 and an optical drive, but you can up the the the storage to a TB and up the memory if needed but to be fair 4 gig will be more than enough for what you want. It comes with a three year warranty and they have some of the best customer services I've ever come across. Also they are competitively priced, trust me I spent an age comparing specs and prices and in the end it came down to warranty plus they seem to use solid parts, it will also be built by hand and tested by hand. The only thing that will be different is I get free shipping which saves £15.50, another reason I use them :)

 

Shamus wrote:

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Hi John,

snap on what a Lenovo really is.

sorry, you hadn't replied when I started mine.

I took a bit longer in my reply as I was trying to find out what the Power Supply was in that box (got the manual from the Lenovo site).

---

 Your reply was more comprehensive  I nearly commented on the case size for the reason you gave but as these are more common nowadays I thought maybe it was easier to get replacement components.

I'm probably out of touch but there was a time when 1 gig ram on a graphics card was the dogs.. is 2 gig more the norm now?  

 

Could this be a touch of class

-- Edited by Artois on Wednesday 21st of February 2018 07:52:52 PM

Cheshire wrote:

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Loving the pic - did you build that? heehee

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 Yes, I like it as well.  

Cheshire wrote:

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And yours as well John. Good old fish and chips! Funny seeing both of your pics together AND both featuring a beach!

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 Hi Joanne 

You started it with the starfish, then John with the fish and chips so I thought I would just tag along

Cheshire wrote:

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And yours as well John. Good old fish and chips! Funny seeing both of your pics together AND both featuring a beach!

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 When I saw your starfish I wanted to do something seasidey, and whenever I go to the seaside, it has to be fish and chips, you can't beat them.

One year me and my son had just purchased them and he put them down on a wall so he could jump down from it.  A seagull swooped down and nicked his fish! it was hilarious.

Leger wrote:

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Artois wrote:

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Do you reckon it will qualify for zero-rating?

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Seaweed can't be claimed though as that's plant hire.

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 Nice one 

Shamus wrote:

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Not so much liking that my last post is now marked as VEIS (cos I deleted the wee miscreants advertising).

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All changed now, don't want to get on the wrong side of the law 

I had to edit mine as well, as it wouldnt have made sense after you edited yours Doug. So 'whats new?' my son would say to me not talking sense.

The pic had me thinking of Ripley's Believe it or Not museum, although clearly my memory is failing as its actually the Wonderworks one

 

Lol John, very clever  - again!!!!

Leger wrote:

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Hey guys

There's another pic further upthread of little ole me (without fish and chips) taken on the beach at Bournemouth, quite a few years ago.  Just spotted it scrolling down. 

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 I mentioned that at 17.43 yesterday.  

When I read your post today I thought I had typed it but then not posted. 

Leger wrote:

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Derrr....oh yeah.

I read the post yesterday and thought you meant mine and Doug's posts.  It makes more sense now 

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Hi John, I must confess I thought the same as you originally and it wasn't till later when I scrolled up and saw your audition for Baywatch that the penny dropped of what Joanne meant

Hi Joanne, great photo is that a real place then ?

How could they John!!! I might start a petition!

Doug - yes for real. Its in Orlando, although I didnt go to this place when I was over there! Only the Americans hey! www.wonderworksonline.com/orlando/