Old Weird Ward
Unless otherwise noted, that which is posted here is opinion, which is protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. If you don't like my opinions, go somewhere else. Nobody is forcing you to actually read this drivel.
The presumption exists that you can read at all.
That may be a large assumption.
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Saturday, December 18, 2004
- - - - - Why I Don't Like Proprietary Computer Hardware - - - - -
My friend John Dominik has been wrestling of late with a Dell PC that has severe problems, to the point of not booting up at all. See the sad story HERE.
This PC has an "integrated motherboard", in which all of the most common options, such as video card, sound, and network card, are built right into the motherboard. Not necessarily a Bad Thing, IF all the other pieces, like the power supply, are up to the load.
There's two problems with this type of machine:
1. The power supply is just barely adequate - and if you get a power surge and/or brownout, the power supply goes kerblooie and whacks the motherboard when it goes, just two days after your warranty has expired.
2. Windows goes completely wonky due to viruses and/or spyware, and you have lost the CD that has Windows AND all it's necessary drivers for your hardware.
Nr. 1 above is expensive, replacement motherboards and power supplies ain't cheap.
Nr. 2 is a PITA (Pain In The "Assembly"). You can usually get the drivers you need from the manufacturer's web site, or from a place like DriverGuide.Com (HERE), but doing that is a pain. Sometimes, in the case of a manufacturer that has gone out of business, the drivers are not available under any circumstances.
That's why I like to build my own, with a case from here, power supply from over yonder, motherboard from there, etc., etc., that I've chosen, and I damned well do have all the CD's and documentation that I need. In triplicate.
For you folks that don't want to build your own, you can probably talk your friendly local small computer shop into building one for you - and if you have a problem with it, the two or three people running that shop are right there, in your neighborhood. On the other hand, Dell DOES have an excellent warranty policy, and for most part, does use good-quality components, and does have people available on the phone 24/7/365. And make Real Sure you have the original CDs that came with the PC.
A "pizza box" such as John mentioned is not necessarily a Bad Thing - if it's done right.
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