Bad News & Good News Re: Computing

[beccatoria]

So: I really shouldn't have bought a dirt cheap computer when I was broke, because now I'm even broker and in need of another one because mine went from "crappy audio" to "no audio" and I can't sort it out because the dvd drive is busted and it won't boot from the installation disc from an external drive. Nor does reinstalling the drivers directly seem to help.

So yeah, that's the bad news. Went from working computer to high tech typewriter in the space of 24 hours. Some of that might have been my fault, but I think most of it wasn't.

The good news is despite the fact I really can't afford to, I'm just going to get another one, because dammit, I don't smoke, I don't drink, and this addiction is relatively unharmful, and if I have to bite the bullet and get a shitty job at the Welsh Assembly for a few weeks before I go to Korea to pay for it in the long run I DON'T CARE.

(That and the fact that my wonderful husband said that he'd give me the tax rebate he's due to put towards it which will help considerably. And we're due just over a hundred squid rebate in council tax too thanks to overpaying throughout the year which we should get at the start of May. In general I like to have the money before spending it, especially when you're counting on it for the bulk of a major purchase, but I'm pathetically desperate here. So a couple of weeks of shitty jobs after I finish the course it is!)

The short of it being, I'm going laptop shopping and ought to be up and running in glorious surround sound and technicolour again by Tuesday or so.

Any advice on cheap durable laptops in the UK?

Comments

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

I'm not particularly consumerist but I consider my laptop necessary to preserve my sanity. Good luck with your purchase.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Yay! Someone else who thinks Laptop > Financial Health is a reasonable opinion to hold!

(Perhaps really that equation should be Mental Health > Financial Health? o.O)

[madenglishbloke.livejournal.com]

youll probably get a better deal going to an independent rather than one of the big name stores - particularly if you go to a place that deals in components rather than just boxes.
theyll usually offer you a choice of OS rather than just inflicting vista on you - if not, youll be able to pick up a copy of XP for a damn sight less than you would normally pay.
the only problem would be if there isnt a decent independent in your area - in which case youll be restricted to places like dabs.com - or you could try ordering online with some stores i recommend to people up here in sunny mancunia - aria, microdirect, and scan.
funnily enough, they may be my local(ish) stores, but when the big computer mags are doing component tests, they get all their gear from these places, so they must be good...

and, as an aside - how about asking some of the people on here for a bit of assistance.
we know youre not exactly loaded, so maybe if enough people got together, we could help you out - post your paypal details, and maybe some of your freaks friends could help provide an upgrade, or soften the blow slightly.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the advice! Actually I did end up getting a computer from a large store. It wasn't my intention: my intention was to do some comparison shopping and then hit the smaller retailers on Monday, but my dad drove me out to a few places and they had a massive sale on this model which included a really spiffy graphics card (not that I'm a real gaming whore but...it was SHINY). Like a hundred pounds off type of sale, and it had a warranty and was a bajillion pounds cheaper than anything else comparable. I'm still not sure why I got so lucky. o.O

Plus it was on this deal where you could pay an extra £25 and get a year interest free in which to pay it. So I was going to do that, cus I'm flat broke, but my dad said not to be daft and he'd loan me the money until I could pay him back, cus my dad is great like that. And I felt awkward and he told me to stop being an idiot and it wasn't like he had any other kids to spend it on, and now I have a parental loan and a new laptop.

Anyway - it's really nice of you to suggest people might be willing to help me out, but I tend not to want to do that just because it can create awkwardness. Plus, as the story shows, I'm a very lucky kid with a lot of people who love me and look out for me, and while I try really hard not to depend on handouts from my parents, I think the fact that I do bend over backwards not to ask for stuff means that they're more happy to offer because they don't feel I'm taking advantage.

Anyways, I'm babbling, when I should be off installing Knights of the Old Republic so I can play it with my spiffy new graphics card!

I'm not sure what to do with my old laptop, though. I'm going to try and pass on the RAM you gave me to some other needy soul, though I don't have anyone lined up who wants/needs it. I figure I can reinstall the original RAM the laptop came with and maybe see if anyone'll buy it cheap for parts? I woudln't know where to startlooking though. :/

[madenglishbloke.livejournal.com]

hey - i never said the big-box stores werent a good place to pick up a bargain - i got my last previous laptop from one of the biggest names (took my mum out to look at laptops, see if there was anything she fancied, ended up spending less than i planned to spend on her, but got something better than my existing one, which she ended up getting!).

some ideas for 2nd-user-ing stuff.

freecycle - make sure you state its for parts or repair only.

or howabout offering it to a local college - many colleges run computer maintenance courses, offer it to them, saying if they can fix it, they can have it.

alternatively, many hospices or pensioners groups are looking for machines that people can use for email and web - they wont need any fancy video codecs or music playing abilities, just being able to get online and communicate with the outside world would be enough.

and the paypal idea - hell, ive seen it done in the past, ive helped raise money for people to buy new pooters, replace stolen phones, in one case even buy someone a SAD lamp.
if you were constantly asking for stuff, it would be different, but a one-off mention that you need something and if anyone was to feel they could help, then...
theres nothing wrong with asking for a bit of help - im sure many people on your FList are like me - if they can help, they will do.