{"id":2724,"date":"2009-03-25T18:16:31","date_gmt":"2009-03-25T22:16:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/?p=2724"},"modified":"2009-03-29T12:16:46","modified_gmt":"2009-03-29T16:16:47","slug":"the-new-pc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shamusyoung.com\/twentysidedtale\/?p=2724","title":{"rendered":"The New PC"},"content":{"rendered":"

Due to popular demand, I’ll show you my new machine. Be warned, it’s not terribly exciting.<\/p>\n

<strong>Left:<\/strong> The venerable ten year old Dell, now a wise and genteel Linux box. (Ubuntu. It’s still young at heart.)<br \/><strong>Right:<\/strong>The new unremarkable gray box.<\/td><\/tr>
Left:<\/strong> The venerable ten year old Dell, now a wise and genteel Linux box. (Ubuntu. It’s still young at heart.)
Right:<\/strong>The new unremarkable gray box.<\/td><\/tr><\/table><\/p>\n

The machine is this one<\/a>. Intel Pentium Dual Core 2.4GHz – 4GB DDR2, 250GB SATA HDD. <\/p>\n

The last few computer purchases have been Systemax, and I guess it’s only dawned on me now that they have a terrible survival rate. My wife’s Systemax Laptop bricked after 3 years. My previous PC was also a Systemax, and it bricked after 3 years as well. I helped my brother set up a Systemax three years ago, and that one is still in service. (Although it doesn’t see a great deal of use.) I have a favorable impression of the machines because they’re always so nice out of the box. (Not loaded with demos and crap.) If this one doesn’t go the distance it will be our last Systemax.<\/p>\n

The purchase was made in a rush, because I needed a machine now(!!!!). I would have preferred to get a build-to-order machine. I liked this one because it had “lots” of memory. (As if there was such a thing.) It was also not too expensive. The lack of a decent graphics card was a plus, as it kept the price low and would let me shop for the right card when I had time to squander on such a task. And having XP pre-installed was a must. <\/p>\n

I would have preferred to have a memory card reader. We have a lot of little cards around here and I tend to use them like floppies. I also would have liked a little more hard drive. I’ve still got the 500GB drive from the dead machine, but as others have advised me I’m treating it like a time bomb, unfit for crucial data. It’s just going to hold screenshots and games. <\/p>\n

As I mentioned before, it came with a copy of Vista, so this is my first chance to see it. I have to say the negative things people have been saying about it seem pretty unfair. Everyone claims that Vista is much too big, but I think the size is just right.<\/p>\n

vista_coaster.jpg<\/td><\/tr><\/table><\/p>\n

As you can see, if Vista was smaller it wouldn’t be able to properly protect the desktop from spills or condensation. People have also said that Vista is too “heavy”, but I think it’s too light. Sometimes when I pick up my mug Vista clings to the bottom. <\/p>\n

The Survival rate of all of my computer purchases since 2000 have been abysmal. Now that I’ve put some thought (and several hundred dollars) into it, I can see there are several contributing factors: <\/p>\n