Desktop computer

[Mutt and Jeff]

Do you still use a desktop computer?

I see a lot of people just use their phone now.

My desktop ground to a halt last week. I have a laptop but need 2. One to fix the second, research problems, and source parts.

I bought a new walmart $299 HP slim 290 desktop yesterday
it seems ok

 

[Fred Werring]

I'll play around with the phone or tablet

But my desktop is still my go-to machine for "real work" like photo editing, finances, document storage, etc.

Fred

 

[JF in MI]

I have 3 of them, all Win 10, all used, all running 3 TVs. We stream virtually everything for free rather than pay for a monthly something. Used desktops with fast processors are pretty cheap these days and most have SATA 3 hard drives which are cheap to replace with solid state making them lightning fast. Also have several laptops, same situation. Being retired we don't go out of the house that often so we both have flip phones with the cheapest plans (no data) available. Save a ton of money each month that is better spent on quality whiskey.

 

[M-MAN]

I still use a desktop running Windows 7. For just playing around I use the phone. The better half has a laptop but it has Windows 10 and is unusable on my DSL connection. What's bad is her laptop has hardware that's twice as good as my old desktop yet Windows 10 makes it worthless.

 

[Janicholson]

I sit here on a desk top (Acer Veriton Core I7 with 16gb ram and a T-bite hdd. Putchased for 150.00 on line. I keep a unplugged backups to avoid disaster. Hp laptop for School work and portability. Jim

 

[Charlie M]

100% desk top for me. I never can understand why anyone wants to do all their computer stuff on a phone with a tiny screen and keyboard when you can have at least a 17" screen and real key board. Maybe that shows my age.

 

[MarkB_MI]

My primary computer is a desktop system I originally built about ten years ago. I regularly update the components, so nothing is original except for the case. I run an up-to-date version of Fedora Linux on it and upgrade the OS about once a year.

For traveling, I bought a "refurbished" laptop from Tiger Direct. It also has Linux loaded on it. It's good enough I could use it as my primary computer, but I prefer the big screen and full-size keyboard of the desktop.

Although my Android phone works OK for simple tasks, for serious work I use the desktop exclusively.

 

[rustyfarmall]

(quoted from post at 05:43:19 12/21/19) 100% desk top for me. I never can understand why anyone wants to do all their computer stuff on a phone with a tiny screen and keyboard when you can have at least a 17" screen and real key board. Maybe that shows my age.

You and me both. I recently (maybe 1 year ago) got a new Dell Optiplex 3060.

 

[johnlobb]

Desktop for me...

 

[Dusty MI]

My wife and I each have an Apple laptop. We have had desktops but are happy with laptops only.

Dusty

 

[Dean]

I have never owned a desktop computer. Use TOL laptops with cooler stands and remote displays as desktops while still allowing the occasional portable use.

That said, I've probably bought my last PC. I've had my fill of MS.

Dean

 

[Texasmark1]

Sweetie and I run Imacs. Wouldn't be without them. What they cost has long been amortised over the years of trouble free, no cost (threat protection) service. Hope you like yours.

 

[Fawteen]

Full-size desktop with a 24" monitor, wireless keyboard and mouse.

Don't have to strain my eyes trying to see a tiny little screen or type with a toothpick to hit the tiny little keys.

I do have a smart phone for all it's other benefits, but I have to be REALLY bored (think sitting in Doctor's Office) to surf on it. I take my Kindle tablet on trips and it's better than the phone for surfing, but still not nearly as nice as a 24" monitor.

 

[Goose]

I have two desktops, a laptop, a Chromebook, and a smart phone. My wife has a desktop and a smart phone.

I do most of my stuff on the desktop I'm using to type this. I've thought about getting a 17" laptop for everything, but I still like this 23" monitor. I rarely use the Chromebook 'cause even that is too small. I've run a big monitor off of a small laptop, but I still also like my wireless keyboards.

I'm kinda looking at ideas right now.

 

[Dean]

Should have mentioned wireless keyboard and mouse as well.

Also no need for UPS with laptop.

Dean

 

[old]

I'm on 2 desk tops computers right now and it is all I have ever used. One is a HP and the other is an Aspire brand computer. I am also using Hughes net for my internet since it is that or a land line

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Same here Fred. gm

 

[ztrmowers]

yes we still use three of them in the business, they would only last about 4 years then get new again. as of now we are down to one but really do not care now since trying to close that shop part down, just have to still track inventory sales. they were all dell units

 

[the tractor vet]

Well my computer is and on the kitchen table build and as of four years ago at the time was one step down from the best you could come up with . Micro Center is your friend . My one brother is computer smart to the point he has his Phd in computers . My old one took a dump one day and was toast . Called my brother and he and took the ride up to Micro center walked in grabbed a shopping cart and went picken up pieces and parts. my brother had brought down a new extra case he had so we got a new higher power power supply one step down from the fastest hard drive , new mother boar new this new that and he had cupons and when done picking up the pieces and parts we went to the register and i dropped down 287 and change and a ride home and a hour and a half later i was back up and running , don't need any anti viruses don't need no spy ware , don't need mal ware . He called me a couple weeks later and asked if i wanted a new monitor as he got cupons for new 26 inch flat screens and was going up to buy four so for another dead president i got a 26 inch flat screen . Now had i had to buy a new case i would have had to throw in and extra 125 to the price tag.

 

[kcm.MN]

Nothing but desktops here!

Before we had access to internet, it was easy to get by on an old dinosaur. It was after Dad passed that cellular internet was available here. Some HP model with Windows 7. I didn't like moving up to Win 7, but swore I wouldn't go any higher!

When Verizon went to the Unlimited plan, we started streaming a lot more. Lots more people on cellular now, so even with upgraded equipment, our speed continues to get slower. However, the PC's are the best ever at keeping track of everything I need, PLUS storing all of the movies, transferring oldDVD's to digital, etc.

The main PC is a Dell with Intel i5-3470 processor, 16Gb RAM, and 500Gb hard drive. Got it used from Walmart.com. I wanted to process videos faster, plus have a 2nd PC to use while one was busy, so also got a steal...er, deal on an HP ProDesk 600

 

[kcm.MN]

[i:0e38a443b5]Dang, hit the Submit button.

OK, add this to my previous post:[/i:0e38a443b5]

HP ProDesk 600, Intel i7-4790 processor, 16 Gb RAM, 160Gb SSD and 1Tb hard drive.

Both current machines are SFF (Small Form Factor), so not the huge desktops.

The HP was originally a business machine and had seen little actual use, but likely a lot of idle time. It was a bit cantankerous but is working well now.

Both units have Windows 10. I hated to upgrade after seeing how MS was screwing things up, but I like Win 10 a lot. It's set up on my machines to be more old-school style. I even TOTALLY removed that Cortana mess!

Not sure now if I'll ever make the move to Linux, but that was the original goal. Eventually I want to spend less time on here, so hopefully it would be time wasted for me to learn a new OS.

By the way, these PC's were purchased for a little over $400 for the two.

 

[chuck2015]

(quoted from post at 04:20:44 12/21/19) Do you still use a desktop computer?

I see a lot of people just use their phone now.

My desktop ground to a halt last week. I have a laptop but need 2. One to fix the second, research problems, and source parts.

I bought a new walmart $299 HP slim 290 desktop yesterday
it seems ok

I still use a desktop and prefer the idea of a real keyboard and a screen that can see without squinting.

 

[JGayman]

> I still use a desktop and prefer the idea of a real keyboard and a screen that can see without squinting.

Here here... if I had to use a smart phone or iPad for Internet access I wouldn't do much surfing. I despise the touch screen interface. I can navigate 100X
faster with a real keyboard and mouse. Hopefully the PC will remain a viable choice as long as I am alive.

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

jgayman; Google "here here or hear hear" if you'd be interested in reading something of absolutely no importance which is also only mildly interesting. The older I get, the less often I bother with things like that, but old habits die hard.

Stan

 

[rick n ohio]

I can do both but mostly on phone I can be anywhere anytime or out in the middle of the woods I just find the phone works better for me.

 

[ne_ranch]

I assemble a new desktop every 5-7 years or so. Don't care for the pre-built stuff for myself. Current one is 2 years old. Like others, "real" work happens on that, photos are saved and edited on it. And I'm using Playon Desktop to record and save shows, so one day when I have time to watch tv, I will have stuff saved and not need to subscribe to anything.

I also have a tablet for the quick stuff, like weather. Just upgraded to a 10.1" Samsung Cyber monday special. Phone is cheap, always have a cheap one, used for minimal things (like others, don't see a point doing much on a tiny screen). I hate apple products, so I don't use them. If I did -need to use one, I'd set up a Hackintosh.

 

[David G]

I have macbook, put about a hundred thousand miles on it in a year.

 

[marcusmerritt]

I use a 27" iMac and my wife has my hand-me-down 27" iMac. I buy a new one for my freelance business about every third generation of machines and she gets the 'old' one. Also have a elderly MacBook but seldom use it. Mostly use Adobe Illustrator and as little MS Word at possible. Got tired of Word instructing me to check with my momma before I could make a change to a document. Too much overhead. Your mileage may vary.

 

[kcm.MN]

(quoted from post at 20:06:45 12/21/19) Got tired of Word instructing me to check with my momma before I could make a change to a document.

That's why I bought an older version of MS Office. It's mine, they can't take it away from me, it does everything I need and more, and it's a lot less hassle than that new crap they have. MS Home and Student 2007. I can load it on up to 3 computers, and it only cost me about $10 or so off of eBay.

 

[JGayman]

Point taken. It would be easy to blame it on auto-correct but the truth is I'm suffering from massive sleep deprivation and screwed up. Oh wheel, butter luke next time.

 

[Bob - MI]

I use a desktop as well as my iPhone. I build all the desktops for our shop as well as for home use and really never have any trouble at all.

I have a laptop at work that I use when traveling and when doing presentations. It's a 3 year old Dell and for the most part I really hate it. Super slow even though it's a current higher end processor with a great video card and memory maxed out. Constantly doing updates and you wait and wait...?

Just tonight updated my home pc to windows 10. This will take some getting used to.

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

jgayman; Massive sleep deprivation is no laughing matter. I hope that whatever is causing that gets straightened out soon. I can work or drive or think straight when I'm hungry or thirsty, but not very well when I'm short of sleep. It's miserable.

Stan

 

[woodbutcher]

Ditto...

 

[ne_ranch]

(quoted from post at 20:17:24 12/21/19)

(quoted from post at 20:06:45 12/21/19) Got tired of Word instructing me to check with my momma before I could make a change to a document.

That's why I bought an older version of MS Office. It's mine, they can't take it away from me, it does everything I need and more, and it's a lot less hassle than that new crap they have. MS Home and Student 2007. I can load it on up to 3 computers, and it only cost me about $10 or so off of eBay.

You guys complaining about or mentioning Office, the free alternatives (Freeoffice, Libreoffice, etc.) don't work for you? You need better compatibility, certain features, or something? I've used both (helped others with current MS Office), but haven't touched MS Office for personal use in a couple decades.
https://www.techradar.com/news/best-microsoft-office-alternative

 

[Bret4207]

I use a laptop on my desk. I went through a lot of tower type PC's and I couldn't find one I wanted so got the laptop. I have a smart phone but don't do anything on line with it at all. But then, I use Tracfone and my monthly phone bill is working out to about $7.00 a month so far. Calls, texts, weather, crossword puzzles is all it does. Oh, and it takes great pictures.

 

[kcm.MN]

I tried Libre. Had compatibility issues, but not too bad. Main thing was, of the VERY few things I wanted it to do, there was one it wouldn't. Maybe newer versions have corrected that....especially since I can't remember what it was to being with. :shock:

 

[MarkB_MI]

> I tried Libre. Had compatibility issues, but not too bad. Main thing was, of the VERY few things I wanted it to do, there was one it wouldn't. Maybe newer versions have corrected that....especially since I can't remember what it was to being with. :shock:

Each release of LibreOffice (formerly OpenOffice, formerly StarOffice) gets a little better. You're right that some of the MSOffice features are poorly implemented or not implemented at all. My pet peeve for years has been the inability to easily change chart data ranges. I just tried with the current version and it seems to work OK now. So things do get fixed.

 

[ne_ranch]

(quoted from post at 10:37:55 12/22/19) I tried Libre. Had compatibility issues, but not too bad. Main thing was, of the VERY few things I wanted it to do, there was one it wouldn't. Maybe newer versions have corrected that....especially since I can't remember what it was to being with. :shock:

(quoted from post at 11:27:52 12/22/19) > I tried Libre. Had compatibility issues, but not too bad. Main thing was, of the VERY few things I wanted it to do, there was one it wouldn't. Maybe newer versions have corrected that....especially since I can't remember what it was to being with. :shock:

Each release of LibreOffice (formerly OpenOffice, formerly StarOffice) gets a little better. You're right that some of the MSOffice features are poorly implemented or not implemented at all. My pet peeve for years has been the inability to easily change chart data ranges. I just tried with the current version and it seems to work OK now. So things do get fixed.

Thanks for replying. I started with Openoffice, then Libreoffice. Spreadsheet did all the same formulas I knew, so I stuck with it. I did see some (minor) formatting issues going between Word/Writer years ago, but haven't checked that lately. I've also occasionally used Google Docs.

I've suggested Libreoffice, Google Docs, and free Office online, I didn't want to keep suggesting them if their were major issues I didn't know about. Haven't tried the other download options lately. Nobody here has office type jobs, all ag type stuff, so most don't need to transfer docs from one program to another, so not usually an issue with that, most just need something that "just works", so I always suggest "free" first.