Lap-pie or Desk-o?

[burlives]

I'm going to buy a computer.

I'm used to desktops, but for the last six months I've been using a Chinese Hasee laptop and soon it'll be returned to its rightful owner with thanks.

Now, the office desks I get in China and always too cramped over the knees and this is usually solved by taking out the centre drawer. I use that drawer as a riser for the monitor if I have a desktop, or as a place to put the laptop. With the laptop I'll then use an external keyboard and mouse, both on a long cable. So for me, desktops and laptops work in the same way, except that the laptop screen is further back. I once learned an ergonomic rule: do a nazi salute parallel to the ground while sitting at your desk and if your fingers touch the centre of your monitor, then you have it in a suitable position.

So, non sequiters aside, what to buy? Laptops save space on the desk but desktops are significantly cheaper. What's the best bet in the PRC? Any recommendations?

The one piece of advice I'm aware of is, don't be sucked in by western brand names, it's too easy to take out the western part, substitute a Chinese knockoff and make the customer pay extra for a brand name sticker.

And this Hasee, supposedly a cheapo Shenzhen brand, has worked out fine. It's the first time I've ever had a dvd drive even.

Baseline requirements: decent cpu, 256mb RAM, dvd drive, at least 14in screen, USB ports, ethernet card (I think it's an ethernet card -- whatever you plug a cable into to get LAN or ADSL internet).

[acjade]

I dunno much about computers, Burl. Well as if that's not as obvious as a tit on a chook. However I do know that one of my students can build computers for practically next to nothing.

I don't know where you are in the Middle Kingdom but he hasn't any plans for the summer...

Of course if you really wanted a laptop that would be a different matter. But memory sticks help make everything portable if you have to wander from computer to computer.

[Jollyjunklass]

The advantage of a laptop is you can take it with. Should you decide to pick up and move to another school, it can move too. Not as easy with a destop. I'd love to have my desktop in China, but, don't know how feasible that would be. You can also trek it around for those long boring train rides.

Oh, and I forgot to add, MacIntosh hands down!!

[con's fly is open]

What Millana said. My iBook has changed my life. But don't take the thing out in public- sticky fingers!

And the memory stick advice is great.

Oh, if you go laptop (and you should: they're outselling desk-top now- the latter with become extinct soon, I figure), you can attach a seperate keyboard and mouse. I'd advise that strongly.

[Mr Nobody]

Hey, you can build your own desktop. Can't do that with a Mac or a Laptop. (well, it is harder.) Can upgrade in a minute, swap bits from computer to computer etc. Service it yourself. Replace burned out bits. Parts available anywhere and largely standardized and cheap.

Cheap as chips. Heh.

Only the monitor and the hard drive matter, so when you move, you take the hard drive. Give the rest to a friend. And if you buy one of those slimline style monitors, take it with you.

Laptops have distinct advantages, but also disadvantages, too. Such as price for the same quality. If money is no object (and it isn't, it is a symbol) then go lap top. I prefer desktops since i can do it all myself.

Macs are better for graphic stuff. Easier to use. Suck pricewise and user - servicablity.

I have owed both types as desktops, but have only used laptops, of both types. I would buy a mac laptop top end if I had the cash, and didn't want to work on it myself.

Oh, yeah, software is harder to find for the mac, or at least it used to be. I have only tried to find it in HK, not on the mainland, but maybe Hamish knows where to find it.

Other than that, trashy desktops due to I can do it all myself, my way, cheaply.

[Arlis]

A short addition in regards to laptops. If you do buy a high profile western brand name one, try and ensure an English OS is installed in it. Main reason is that some brands use proprietry DRIVERS for the hardware in it (such as USB port, CD, disk drive, etc.) and you cannot simply install an english copy of whatever OS you want on it. It seems to reject it.

If this is way over your head please ask a techie before buying a laptop as it could be an expensive waste of time. I myself have not had this experience but it was mentioned on the spoon before and I confirmed a few details that there MIGHT be some problems. So... you may not want to risk it unless you can send it back.

[Ruth]

My 2 jiao's worth is laptop for portability reasons. I can take it with me if I have to move. I can take it home on the airplane. I can take it to school for lessons (I don't work in a hi-tech environment, so have to bring my own if I want to provide flashy lessons).

English OS is good advice. I know nothing about the inner workings, so I'll stop chattering now.

[burlives]

Originally I came over with a laptop. I bought a second-hand Toshiba Tecra and lugged it over from Aus. Weighed a ton, but it and China's 163 dialup service were what saw me through the troublesome first two months. Several times it did valuable fallback service when any number of school provided desktops went on the fritz, but it came out of one house move with a cracked screen and a dodgy power source. So I dumped it. All of that experience doesn't really convince me of the portability of laptops, because they end up being a big piece of luggage. But I like using this current laptop. I think it does the job of a desktop without taking up the space. But I'm still trying to work out if I'd truly be happy paying for that benefit.

Re OSes. I always install my own: win98 and then WinXP. Win98 because it's the last win OS that allows one to format the hard disk out from under it. And WinXP because it's modern and makes a nice little start up screen so you can choose OS. Kinda bored with it but.

I'm tempted to try an Apple. I never have, except for one ancient Mac back in uni, one of those little grey box things. I couldn't make it do aything except for this really cool Moire display thing. What's the Mac software situation in China? I like to have various browsers, a QQ, some Skype, Word, and a couple of chinese language tools too. Messenger and image tools are always useful. What's the price on a mac, and what's the learning curve?

[gengrant]

it would depend on how long you plan on staying put...and if you want to take it with you...I like Nobby's idea of just taking the hard drive with ya...much easier to carry than an entire desktop...we are bringing our laptop, but we've also acquired two extra drives to up our storage capacity...

laptops are more portable, but they are more pricey...

if I were buying in China, personally, I'd go with a desktop (make sure the O/S is in English, as stated before)...something that I might be able to either 1. walk away from later or 2. sell and recoup some money. if you're really handy, as Nobby said, take the hard drive out when you get ready to leave and you'll still have all your info with you when you purchase your next one...

and I would stay away from Macs (or Apples, as us old folk call them)...just personal opinion...

[Jollyjunklass]

The Mac software situation is fine, pay limewire a visit, and you will get what you need. Truthfully, I cannot express how much better a Mac is. It is unbelievably user friendly, and IMHO PC's don't even compare. You have to be on one for a bit to see what I mean. PC's are so unappealing, dull and boring to me. And the graphics are fantastic, along with many other cool things PCs lack.

When I leave here I will be buying a laptop, and I don't care what the difference in price is, I will buy the Mac. And I don't have a lot of money to throw around.

But you are right about the wear and tear, which is why I said I would like to have my desktop there. I was going to get a second hand one for China, and my Ex who owns a Mac store says, way too risky, just because of the wear and tear issues. Get a year warranty. Hamish will know more, but, I speak to a Mac users group in China and they do have issues with the help they receive if something goes wrong. They say no one knows their ass from a hole in the ground. But, not much has ever gone wrong with my computer and it's getting up there, well 2 years anyway. You will not contend with the viruses you do on a PC, I have never had one and I download a lot of poo. Macs are a safe bet... less headaches, more interesting, and besides, they do the coolest tricks.

[Arlis]

Burl, if you don't have a lot of experience with Macs then it's prolly best to start with checking out if there's any programs you'll miss should you convert.

Go to your comp and list every program you've installed - or about to install or had installed - and see if there's a macintosh equivalent (all programs incl. games). I've had people I know convert to Macintosh, people who would not touch it with a ten-foot pole, and people who do say they just can't live with some specific PC programs. Yes, I know the latest Mac OS can simulate a windows environment to run these progs but they also have problems. So please find out if that type of situation is for you before you buy it.

For the people I know who converted to Macs - I usually find their ease of conversion is often proportional to their knowledge and familiarity with PCs. The more familiar and comfortable they are around PCs, the longer they struggle in the Mac environment. The reason: old habits die hard.

PS. There is no-one I know of that has converted from PC to Mac to PC again. I've also heard from close friends about their other people converting from Mac to PC. But they always, always have a Mac Notebook (2 computers rather than actually converting in full). Just some extra info.

[Jollyjunklass]

I think Arlis, you are talking games. And you are right there is not a lot of mac software for games. Which is the only reason I could see having a PC and the fact that it may be cheaper

Which is probably the reason you see the patterns you are seeing.

If you are not a gamer, macs are by far IMO, the better computer. I've been on both, I hate PC's

[Arlis]

Yah, the majority are games. But it's not ALL games, and it only takes one or two important programs that aren't available (or compatible) on Macs to really make you wish you wish had bought a suped-up PC instead (well, at least for the first few months so I hear).

I've tinkered a little bit on Macs. They're great! But not for me. I think it's just like that first person you met that told you all about 'teaching english' in a foreign country. And our friends back home saying "Oh that sounds great, but it's not for me." And the rest of us plunging headlong to our doom grand adventure.

[Hamish]

For once, I’ll tell you a true story.

I travel by air a lot, and mostly I fly First Class.

One reason is that I am a large person and steerage seats don’t do that well for me on transcons and over ocean flights. Another reason is that I can fly First Class for much less than airlines charge non-airline Captain Retirees to load their pets. The major reason is that I don’t like to have onlookers confused into thinking that I am uncultured and belong among the unwashed rabble that lurk in the bowels of the coach section.

So, one day on a transcon in First Class I was sitting next to an expensively dressed man who sported a HUGE IBM laptop that had all the bells and whistles. I have had at least one Mac since before they were released to the public. (A buddy of mine was an Apple distributor and I had a 125K Mac before anybody else in town.) I have five right now. Damn! I’m so cool I crack myself up.

ANYWAY, I was sitting next to this guy and chatted him up about his computer. “That is the jazziest lap top I have ever seen,” I said. “Yes, it is the biggest one our company makes.” He replied. It turned out that I was sitting next to the recently hired V.P. of IBM’s Data Mining Section/group/department/who the m'kay knows?

So, I started busting his chops about IBM V. Mac for the hell of it.

He stopped me cold. He said, “If I didn’t have to use this machine because I work for the company, I would definitely have a Mac. The Windows operating system is a cut and paste bunch of crap. Mac has a fully integrated, smooth system that can be built upon for generations. Windows is doomed and Microsoft will be forced to abandon it before long.”

I sat there shocked, and very pleased that I had the anointed wisdom to be on the Apple side of this silly debate. Those who advocate Windows are nose pickers, wife beaters, communists, Nazis, child molesters, idiots, morons, imbeciles, fornicators, anti-Christs, aliens, and Republicans.

It makes me sick.

[con's fly is open]

hamish said:

For once, I’ll tell you a true story.

I travel by air a lot, and mostly I fly First Class.

One reason is that I am a large person and steerage seats don’t do that well for me on transcons and over ocean flights. Another reason is that I can fly First Class for much less than airlines charge non-airline Captain Retirees to load their pets. The major reason is that I don’t like to have onlookers confused into thinking that I am uncultured and belong among the unwashed rabble that lurk in the bowels of the coach section.

Hamish, I resemble that remark. Just once I'd like to cross the ocean in first class, and spare my knees the cramping and battering, spare my ears all the chattering, and spare my soul the sardine Hell that is coach.

I don't resent the rest of your post, since I switched over to Mac before I came back here. I still don't know much about my laptop, since I'm too lazy busy to learn at a decent pace, but thus far the system works far better: smoother, easy to jump back and forth between functions and programs, and i can surf free porn without picking up cybergerms.

[bill]

Burl,

I looked into this very closely and chose a Dell.

Why Dell? Basically for the great warranty and the convenient service.

Some of my friends have had nightmares with local brands that were a 1000 rmb cheaper.

Bill