Computer Corner

[Psamathe]

IMHO Apple wins hands down, but, at a price.

Since I switched to Apple Mac laptops I've found each laptop last a lot longer than any Windows based laptop I ever had (and we used to buy high end Windows laptops). I find this offsets the higher purchase price (though have never bothered to do a cost per year calculations).

 

[BoldonLad]

Since I switched to Apple Mac laptops I've found each laptop last a lot longer than any Windows based laptop I ever had (and we used to buy high end Windows laptops). I find this offsets the higher purchase price (though have never bothered to do a cost per year calculations).

Yeah, I would agree with that. The MacBook I am currently typing this on, cost me about £1,900, but, I have had it for 10 years. It is still working just. fine with latest Operating System Version. Daughter No 2 is a Teacher, I did not avail myself of her "education discount", but, I may do, when I come to replace it.

 

[Pblakeney]

My PC/Laptop history goes like - MS PCs 90s-2023 at work, MS laptop personal use 2000-2005, MacBook Pros personal use 2005 to now.
I know what I prefer but then I see no need to go tinkering.

Edit due to recent posts:- My current laptop is from 2017 and still going strong although I did get a new battery fitted in 2024.

 

[icowden]

Incidentally, on another matter, it seems like Chrome has gone back to putting Google as the default search engine when you install it, contrary to what they'd been forced to do, i.e. give you the choice from a randomised list. I guess they thought we wouldn't notice.

That's one enforcement that I thought was a massive waste of time. People use "to google" as a verb now.

 

[First Aspect]

I'd love to use Linux and an alternative to Android/iPhone, but I think for anyone whose usage is between completely basic and serious pro, it's quite a challenge.

For example, mapping a network drive in Windows takes one click. In Linux, you need to get the code and commas absolutely perfect.

Also, the version of Linux I used (Lubuntu) had a security issue in that it was very easy to circumvent the lock screen. It was a known issue, but no one had the time to resolve it. This made me wonder how many other flaws there were.

This used to be the argument in favour of Apple, back when it was struggling. There aren't any viruses for Macintosh machines, they said. Then they got popular.

For some reason a lot of scientific instruments used Unix, which appeared to me to be a lot like Linux. They were also safe, supposedly. I even remember logging into one from home via a phone line in about 1999 and thinking it was very cool that I didn't have to catch a bus into the lab late at night.

Then they started to get hacked and you started to hear stories about research groups running out of memory and finding porn sites being hosted on them. It could have been the same story, repeated, mind you.

 

[Ian H]

This used to be the argument in favour of Apple, back when it was struggling. There aren't any viruses for Macintosh machines, they said. Then they got popular.

For some reason a lot of scientific instruments used Unix, which appeared to me to be a lot like Linux. They were also safe, supposedly. I even remember logging into one from home via a phone line in about 1999 and thinking it was very cool that I didn't have to catch a bus into the lab late at night.

Then they started to get hacked and you started to hear stories about research groups running out of memory and finding porn sites being hosted on them. It could have been the same story, repeated, mind you.

A few times when I've checked the buttons in spam emails (hover over them), the URLs often direct to obscure pages of apparently bona fide websites.

 

[briantrumpet]

A few times when I've checked the buttons in spam emails (hover over them), the URLs often direct to obscure pages of apparently bona fide websites.

OK, that's enough about Audax UK.

 

[briantrumpet]

So far, since I've 'unlocked' it, very happy with the Lenovo, not least as despite its very modest spec, it's more than fast enough and it's not stretching its memory capacity in the least. Phew (for £240). Happy to see my excoriating review of the Fusion laptop 'go live' on Amazon.

I think the Lenovo is all up to date now, having updated the BIOS firmware today, and there are no Windows updates pending.

Ha - and I've just seen that the solution that worked for me has worked for someone else on the Lenovo forum who was tearing their hair out.