In article >, says...
>
> On 2009-01-24, Boron Elgar > wrote:
> > On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:56:20 -0800, "Bob Terwilliger"
> > wrote:
>
> >>Now suppose that a heinous security flaw was uncovered for your operating
> >>system: There would be no way of making your computer secure, because nobody
> >>is writing security patches for that operating system anymore. You could
> >>lose everything stored on your computer, and there's nothing you could do
> >>about it.
> >
> > Um..you know much about Windows OSs? There are a gazillion 3rd party
> > programs that will handle anything such as you mention.
>
> I have, on a w98 box. Corrupted a whole 60G hdd. Granted, I had only a
> couple of after-the-fact free malware scanners, not being able to afford the
> "gazillion 3rd part programs" that typically charge $30-60 each.
>
> > It ain't gonna happen to anyone with an anti-virus program and a brain
> > bigger than a pea.
>
> Yes, it will happen. The net is lousy with client-side webscripts and
> drive-by downloads are an everyday occurance. As for the other, anyone with
> a brain bigger than a pea will dump Windows and run linux, which provides a
> very high level of security and costs zip.
>
> > I can take apart any PC in this house, right down to the board and
> > tinker with it and upgrade it and futz with it all want. The damn
> > Apples are not owner serviceable. The only extended warranty I ever
> > bought for a computer was for an Apple. Damn good thing, too, as the
> > video repair would have been $800 without it. That only makes sense
> > to me because I won stock in the company.
>
> Amen.
>
> > Try synching half the smartphones out there with Apples. Try getting
> > the business apps you need for Apples. Apples are great for artists
> > and music folks and they have a chunk of that market, but really,
> > otherwise they are cute to look at and play with and they work really
> > well with iPods and iPhones. It is only recently that you could even
> > function with a Blackberry and an Apple.
>
> Yep, and even that is somewhat of a myth. All the serious cinema computer
> graphics are done on linux boxes, not macs. My lifelong friend, a commercial
> photographer/graphics person, changed from macs to PCs years ago. My ex
> fortune 500 company dumped all apple stuff for lack of business software. I
> can think of a couple of good reasons to recommend a mac, but for me, never
> gonna happen. Too expensive, too restrictive, too limited.
>
>
> > Now, this isn't to say that there aren't peeps out there that will
> > love their Apples, like I said, we have a bit of everything around
> > here, but there isn't anything that makes them better than PCs running
> > wither Windows or Linux.
>
> If you want to pay exhorbitant prices, be limited in hard/software choices,
> and be locked into Apple drm, by all means, buy Apple.
>
> nb


The problem with the Intel/Windows boxes is even if you buy the box
without Windows you still pay the Windows 'tax'.

It is built into the machine pricing.

On 2009-01-24, T > wrote:

> The problem with the Intel/Windows boxes is even if you buy the box
> without Windows you still pay the Windows 'tax'.
>
> It is built into the machine pricing.

Not if you buy separate components and build your own box.

I'll let you in on a little secret. Building a PC isn't much different from
wiring together a home entertainment system. You buy what's called a
"barebones" box (motherboard, cpu, power supply, case) which includes no OS.
Then buy memory, hdd, audi/vid cards and simply plug them in. I could teach
a 10 yr old kid to do it in 30 mins. Basically, all your doing is putting
cards in predetermined slots and connecting storage media to supplied
connectors. If you can work a screwdriver, you can build a computer. It
used to be that the hardest part was partitioning the hdd and installing the
operating system. Now, even linux is easier to install than Windows.


nb

In article >,
says...
>
> On 2009-01-24, T > wrote:
>
> > The problem with the Intel/Windows boxes is even if you buy the box
> > without Windows you still pay the Windows 'tax'.
> >
> > It is built into the machine pricing.
>
> Not if you buy separate components and build your own box.
>
> I'll let you in on a little secret. Building a PC isn't much different from
> wiring together a home entertainment system. You buy what's called a
> "barebones" box (motherboard, cpu, power supply, case) which includes no OS.
> Then buy memory, hdd, audi/vid cards and simply plug them in. I could teach
> a 10 yr old kid to do it in 30 mins. Basically, all your doing is putting
> cards in predetermined slots and connecting storage media to supplied
> connectors. If you can work a screwdriver, you can build a computer. It
> used to be that the hardest part was partitioning the hdd and installing the
> operating system. Now, even linux is easier to install than Windows.
>
>
> nb


A bit difficult to do when it comes to laptops.

Prior to this all my machines were self assembled.