You have to be a realist !
After the catastrophic failure of the mother-board on my study computer I decided to reflect a while to see what my computing needs are and what I ought to do about them. Here's the "fruit" of my reflections.
1) My study computer (deceased) is really my master storage for all my files, including music, photos, ebooks, etc. That doesn't really need to be a PC. It could just be a hard disk.
2) My main work computer is the mission laptop, bought in 2005 and beginning to show signs of its age. The wifi fails in the middle of the most important emails and a hard disk diagnostic programme that I run occasionally always says "Blimey, mate, I hope you've got this hard disk backed up!".
3) Then to carry round to churches etc. I use my little netbook. It's great for presenting powerpoint and for work on the fly. To carry to Britain and on the trams and buses it's super. But it's no good for preparing powerpoint files or even prayer letters because the screen's a bit on the small side !
I work in the study in the warmer months but not much in the winter. Rather I get what books I need from there and work in the living room. In the summer it's good to be able to work outside, too.
So it seems pretty clear that the plan should be to replace the mission laptop, ideally just before it yields up the spirit, when the diagnostic programme says "Run for your life !".
But replace it with what ? Readers will be aware of my despair at the ever-increasing power of the computers we need to do the same things we always did - basically because of the burgeoning size of Windows. The mission laptop was quite a punchy one for 2005 - 1GB ram and 80GB disk. For Windows 7 that's not enough. So I've investigated alternatives.
Linux laptops do exist in France, but they're really expensive. A supply and demand thing, I suppose. I use Ubuntu on the netbook and it's great. And no virus-checker. Wonderful.
Macbooks - well you can get refurbished ones, but even then they're 750 euros for the most basic white plastic one. I'd love to go Mac, but in the same way that I'd like an Audi and a Gucci suit. No offence meant to readers in Gucci suits, but that is just not my world. One official from the mission said 'Get one on the never !' Hah !
So guess what ! I'll be sticking with Windows. Possibly with one of the Acer TimeLine laptops that give a super-long battery life and are not all that expensive.
1) My study computer (deceased) is really my master storage for all my files, including music, photos, ebooks, etc. That doesn't really need to be a PC. It could just be a hard disk.
2) My main work computer is the mission laptop, bought in 2005 and beginning to show signs of its age. The wifi fails in the middle of the most important emails and a hard disk diagnostic programme that I run occasionally always says "Blimey, mate, I hope you've got this hard disk backed up!".
3) Then to carry round to churches etc. I use my little netbook. It's great for presenting powerpoint and for work on the fly. To carry to Britain and on the trams and buses it's super. But it's no good for preparing powerpoint files or even prayer letters because the screen's a bit on the small side !
I work in the study in the warmer months but not much in the winter. Rather I get what books I need from there and work in the living room. In the summer it's good to be able to work outside, too.
So it seems pretty clear that the plan should be to replace the mission laptop, ideally just before it yields up the spirit, when the diagnostic programme says "Run for your life !".
But replace it with what ? Readers will be aware of my despair at the ever-increasing power of the computers we need to do the same things we always did - basically because of the burgeoning size of Windows. The mission laptop was quite a punchy one for 2005 - 1GB ram and 80GB disk. For Windows 7 that's not enough. So I've investigated alternatives.
Linux laptops do exist in France, but they're really expensive. A supply and demand thing, I suppose. I use Ubuntu on the netbook and it's great. And no virus-checker. Wonderful.
Macbooks - well you can get refurbished ones, but even then they're 750 euros for the most basic white plastic one. I'd love to go Mac, but in the same way that I'd like an Audi and a Gucci suit. No offence meant to readers in Gucci suits, but that is just not my world. One official from the mission said 'Get one on the never !' Hah !
So guess what ! I'll be sticking with Windows. Possibly with one of the Acer TimeLine laptops that give a super-long battery life and are not all that expensive.
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