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1.1) Purchasing advice. See the Legal Consideration #18 concerning purchasing suggestions made on this web site.
1.2) Target audience. This advice is for the computer-illiterate. If you're a geek, don't read this to learn something, but to suggest improvements to me.
1.3) Details on vendors. For more information on the products and vendors mentioned here, please consult "Some Good Software Engineering Links".
1.4) Beware of outdated advice. Things change fast in the computer world. (This article was last updated 2011-Oct-29.)
2.1) A computer is more like a liter of milk, than a bottle of wine. A computer is not an investment which increases in value, like a bottle of good wine. It's something which wears out, even if you don't use it. A computer must be used, because four or five years down the road, it won't be worth much anymore. (The reasons for this state of affairs are not the Laws of Physics, but Original Sin (which leads to greed, laziness, etc.). A computer that would last dozens of years and cost ten or one hundred times less is technically quite feasible.)
2.2) Miniaturization is expensive. All else being equal, a small laptop will always be more expensive than a big desktop (i.e. a "PC"). Laptops also have a tendency to break more often, to lag behind in technology, and to be stolen more often.
2.3) Buy a laptop. Laptops have disadvantages (see above), but the advantages handsomely compensate:
2.3.1) Mobility. You can take it with you to work, while traveling, in school, elsewhere in your own house (to have peace and quiet!), etc. You therefore always have with you your addreses, your music, your pictures, your work documents, your correspondence, your books, etc.! So cool!
2.3.2) Small size. Few people have too much space where they live. Even if you never carry it around, a laptop is still handy, if only for the fact it uses up so little space.
2.3.3) Health. You can work in other positions: standing up, lying down in bed, sitting in your rocking chair, etc. (Important among others for people who have back problems.)
2.3.4) Tech support. If you're "computer-illiterate", you can easily take your computer to a "nerd" so he can solve your problem and explain how to do things. Don't underestimate this advantage!
Etc., etc.
2.4) Buy a good guarantee. A good guarantee is essential, because laptops break fairly often, and are harder and costlier to fix. There are roughly three kinds of guarantees:
2.4.1) Lousy. When your laptop breaks, you put it in a box, mail it to them, then wait..., wait..., wait...
2.4.2) Good. You go back to the store and they give you a new one, or they send a technician where you are, at home or at your office, within 24 or 48 hours.
2.4.3) Best. I always have at least two laptops, one of them brand-new, waiting to replace the one I use every day. (In that case, a lousy guarantee is enough.)
2.5) Avoid second-hand computers. It's almost inevitably a bad idea to buy used. (Among others because of #2.1, #2.4, etc.)
2.6) The Macintosh isn't worth it anymore. I started programming on a Mac, I loved it, it was great. These days, IBM clones are just as easy to use as Macs, they are less expensive, far more software is available for them, and you'll find many more nerds who can help you if you don't own a strange and rare computer.
2.7) Unfortunately, as far as I know, no manufacturer is vastly superior to the others. I've personally had, or have heard of "horror stories" about most brands (Dell, Acer, Toshiba, Compaq-HP, Sony, Lenovo, etc.). This seems confirmed by the fact that many sub-components of all these different computers often come from the same manufacturers.
2.8) Fortunately, most of the brands and models are tolerable. If you buy a brand-new laptop, with good guarantee, as well as the hardware options, software and accessories listed below, and that your computing needs are ordinary, you'll probably be satisfied.
There aren't too many choices to be made in the hardware options for your laptop. Nevertheless, I can mention:
3.1) Don't insist on the CPU. The CPU (the "brains" of the computer) is generally not used very intensively. Unless you do heavy audio-visual work, whatever you get will probably be powerful enough.
3.2) Insist on the monitor, the keyboard and the Touch pad. We spend most of the time staring at the monitor, typing away on the keyboard, and "mousing around" on the Touch pad, so it's worthwhile to get the best you can afford.
Careful, some laptops don't have Touch pads! Also, some so-called "netbooks" have keyboards that are so small they make typing a chore. Be also careful with the current craze over huge laptop screens! A "portable" computer with a huge screen isn't portable anymore! It looks nice in the showroom, but afterward it just turns into a boat anchor. You're better off with a separate large monitor, if you really need it. (I've been working all day for years on a normal laptop screen of about 21cm x 28 cm, or 8x11 inches.)
3.3) Enough RAM, hard drive space, and network connectivity. The definition of "enough" changes often. Let's say these days, you need a minimum of about 1 Gig of RAM, and about 100 Gigs of hard drive space. I don't think you can buy laptops these days without a LAN card or a wireless connection, so you probably don't need to worry about network connectivity.
3.4) Hardware options you might like. You can get less-expensive "netbooks", with no dial-up modem, no CD-ROM/DVD drive, no PC-Card slot, far fewer jacks or connectors, etc. You can buy external equivalents to all those things, which you can plug into your tiny laptop. I guess the more something is often used, the more sense it makes to buy it already included in your laptop. (I personally still prefer an internal dial-up modem and internal CD-ROM/DVD drive.)
3.5) Hardware options you probably don't need. Many manufacturers try to attract buyers with gadgets: built-in webcams, touchscreens, fancy speakers, etc.
Small typical netbook
(Screen and keyboard a bit too small for my taste.)
For software, you basically have a choice between the "Microsoft universe", the "Apple universe", and the "Linux and Free Open-Source" universe (or FOSS). Currently, I recommend a Microsoft approach, but hope to eventually switch (see #8 below). You'll need the following software:
4.1) An operating system. Normally, when you buy your laptop, the operating system is already installed. (The operating system is, by definition, a kind of bridge between the hardware and the software worlds, so it has a tendency to be a bit "prisoner" of the hardware to which it is adapted.)
Which operating system is the best? As Churchill might have said, "Windows is the worst operating system, except for all the others". (And I know Macintosh and Linux fairly well.) These days I flee from Windows Vista and Windows 7 (a.k.a. "Vista Service Pack 3) like the plague, and insist on Windows XP Pro (not "XP Home"), if I can still get it.
4.2) An office productivity suite. These days, you can get a "productivity suite" that will provide you with just about all the software you will ever need: a web browser, something for e-mail, a word processor, a spreadsheet, etc. I currently use Microsoft Office 2000, a very old version which does everything I need. The Open Source equivalents are "Firefox" (web browser), "Thunderbird" (e-mail) and "Open Office" (the rest of the productivity suite).
4.3) Probably a firewall, and maybe an anti-virus. The world is unfortunately filled with nasty people who will try to break into your computer to take your money or damage everything. (It's worse in the "Microsoft universe".) A firewall is a kind of border guard that sits on your network connection: it tries to prevent un-authorized passage. An anti-virus is a bit like the macrophage cells which patrol inside your body: it snoops around to try to find "germs" to eat up.
By and large, firewalls are free and work well. (Currently I use Zone Alarm firewall from Zone Labs.) Anti-viruses on the other hand have almost inevitably many downsides: they're expensive, slow down the computer, hog the network connection to get their daily virus description files, often scream "Wolf!" even though there's no threat, sometimes remain totally silent while you're being infected, and often aren't even able to kill the "germs" they do detect! (Currently, I use ESET NOD32 4, which is less bad than Symantec, AVG, Panda and McAffee, in my experience.) Anyway, whatever your firewall and anti- virus, you'll especially need to adopt behavioral protection measures. See: How can I avoid being infected by viruses?
4.4) No illegal copies of software (or music, or films, etc.). It's not because it's easy and quick to make an illegal copy of a file that we have a right to rob people! Thou shalt not steal. One of the many advantages of honesty is that if you buy all your software, you'll always have enough room on your hard drive, and you'll probably become more productive with the few legal programs you have (since you won't waste time with illegal software).
The most important accessory: backup copies, in a ziploc, in your wallet.
There are a few computer accessories you should buy, and some you might find useful:
5.1) Several "thumb drives", i.e. USB memory sticks for your backup copies. You need at least two, because one stays in your wallet, and the other at home. If your laptop is at home and your house burns down, you have your copy in your wallet. If you're on a trip with your laptop and everything gets stolen, you have your copy at home. Make backup copies at least once a week, with an identical content on all memory sticks!
5.2) An Internet Service Provider (ISP). Normally, you have to pay an ISP to connect to the Internet. According to me, a high-speed Internet connection is still a luxury you can do without, if you just want to do e-mail and surf the Internet a bit. Moreover, a wireless router (which lets you walk around your house while remaining connected to the Internet) seems futile to me. But some Internet connection is necessary.
Your ISP will generally also provide you with an e-mail address. By the way, try to have an e-mail address that is complete and readable, like "henry.albert.smith@mediom.qc.ca", and not something like "jeepers@hotmail.com", etc. Your e-mail address is the modern equivalent of a business card, so people have to be able to read your name! Moreover, when you get your "username", it's better to get also an "alias", and to only use your alias for e-mail. This will make it easier to change e-mail addresses when the spammers find you.
5.3) A surge protector. It's not expensive, and can protect you against damage caused by lightening, or the surges caused by Quebec Hydro. Careful, a surge protector isn't just a power strip with a fuse and several outlets. It must contain electronic components to protect the computer and the modem from voltage surges. Moreover, if you have a laptop and you live in North America, a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is probably unnecessary, since your outlet will provide fairly high-quality electricity, and your laptop battery will take over automatically during power outages.
Anti-noise earmuffs with cable that plugs into laptop
(and drapes from the Château Frontenac!)
5.4) A "Porta-Chapel". What's the use of having a laptop, if you can't think? Often, I need to pray or work in an unfavorable location. My brother made me discover noise suppressing earphones (28 dB attenuation) equipped with internal speakers (to listen to Gregorian Chant, of course!). Good God, what an improvement in my quality of life! (Careful: I recommend noise suppressing earphones, not the specific Ryobi Tek4 brand you see in the picture, which is too expensive, heavy, and fragile. Ideally I'd find a really good pair of folding noise-supressing earmuffs, with a compatible pair of bud earphones that would fit underneath.)
Crypto-monk, floating on Gregorian Chant inside a Pagan temple.
5.5) Maybe a mouse. On a trip, the touchpad is enough, but at home, several people (myself included) prefer a good old optical external mouse.
5.6) Maybe a printer. I try to avoid printing as much as possible (it's expensive, the information is quickly out of date, it takes up space, etc.). I only print official documents that must be signed, or things we have to send and can't be e-mailed, etc. If you have a good friend who has a printer, you might avoid printers altogether. Prices for laser printers keep getting lower. Inkjet printers are currently a rip-off, unless you refill your cartridges yourself. I haven't yet found an honest and unbiased web site that gave the cost per sheet for all printer models (with a thorough cost estimate, including purchase cost, ink costs, maintenance costs, etc.). I currently prefer inkjets, they are cheap (if you print rarely like me), they can do color, and they can digest thin cardboard (so I can print out pre-cut business cards). Last time I bought one, I just walked into the store and took the least-expensive inkjet they had (Canon IP2600), and that was fine.
5.7) A laptop bag is an invitation for thieves. Many people, after having spent a lot of money on a laptop, buy a pretty little laptop bag customized for their computer. I prefer a good daypack that is stylish, which not only doesn't attract the attention of robbers, but can contain in addition to the computer, things like your coat, your lunch, etc.
Before, I would go on the manufacturer's web site, configure my laptop, save the configuration and price to sleep on it, and also to show it to somebody smarter than myself, and the next day I go back on the site with my credit card and ordere the computer. Normally in less than a week I had the computer. I never had any problems. (You can also choose your configuration, then wait a few weeks for discounts. Sometimes it pays!)
All of my most recent laptops were just purchased at the local box store.
Installing new hardware and software is no longer a problem (especially if you can borrow somebody's high-speed Internet connection to download all the stuff you need). The hard part (in my opinion) is first ripping out all the software junk that comes with your new computer. I always take several hours to perform this initial cleaning up. It makes the computer much faster to start up, clears up all the clutter on the screen (and the hard drive), simplifies daily use and maintenance, and reduces the chances of virus infections. Basically, remove everything you can!
The prices for new laptops are now so low, that I recommend that you neither buy used nor non-portable, and especially not both used and non-portable!
I'd love to get rid of everything called "Microsoft". When I'll succeed in finding an "Open Source" version of Linux, and also of productivity software that lets me do roughly what I currently do with Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office, I'll rush to tell you on this web site. I'd love to avoid giving my money to Bill Gates (he has enough already!). On the other hand, I have to earn a living with my computer, so things have to work.
In general, the "iThingamabob" is totally opposed to mine. They try to drag you into their own little private monopoly, where you must buy their products, whereas a computer should let you choose what you want to put on it. Another way of putting it is that if these people built bicycles, your bicycle tires would deflate and your derailleur would explode if you tried to go on the bicycle path of another company!
Moreover, all these "iThingamabobs" are mostly designed for the consumption of entertainment, whereas I'm interested in the production of content (and reading scientific books, etc.).
I am responsible for all errors contained in this advice. What good is in this advice can be largely traced to Mr. Gaétan Corneau and Mr. Bertrand S.).
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