Geezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (rantish)

[JimmyO]

I think its new computer time. Here i am trying to get into digital photography with 3 computers in which i cant use (practically)

1. School Tablet (Hp Tc4400) As a computer i love this. Its rocket fast, it holds all my pics and i can edit using gimp. The problem is i cant download anything! I really want to get photomatix, lightroom and CS3.... It also doesnt have a disc drive so i cant backup or burn CDs or run programs.:x

2. Home comp. (8 year old dell) This thing runs rediculously slow. Accessing pics from a card reader takes roughly 10 minutes. I couldnt trust it with out family pics so i have all them backed up on external HD:x

3. Dads comp (old compaq laptop) He bought this to use with work but didnt use it enough and it was realy treated nicely. The track pad doesnt work and all the USB ports are extremely unreliable (ive never succesfully synced an ipod on it):x


My plan was to buy a macbook at the end of the summer with money from summer job/photography jobs, but this is starting to look like it isnt an option. I really need a computor right now just for my pictures. Im looking to buy a really cheap laptop ($500) just to hold them and edit them, it doesnt even need internet.

Ughhhhh, i wish liked film more and had a dark room :x

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Try parting off the computers or selling them on craigslist for $10-$30 each and use that money along with the $500 to build your own desktop and cannibalize as many useful parts as you can from the older computer.

 

[jg123]

Buy an external dvd drive for your tablet for $50 or you can probably pick up a 1-year old desktop for just $200 (or less) and it would run a lot faster than the options you have now.

 

[JimmyO]

Buy an external dvd drive for your tablet for $50

I had to spend 2 hours with the IT so they could unblock my ability to run a u3 jump drive, and they really werent even happy about it

 

[passerby]

I have a laptop 2.4 gh pentium with 2 gb memory which hardly used, if you live nearby I can pass it to you cheaply. But that option is not on the table surely.

How about build your own computer? Use AMD chip like mine, duo core with blistering speed.

I asked the local computer shop for a cheap computer that I saw on his brochure and he said he can make it ready for me in couple hours for $350 whenever I am ready. No monitor no key board and no mouse though. But those thing you can get them for about $100.

Btw, do you know that 500 GB hard drive is less than $100 now? Go look around at your local shop (Remember LOCAL SHOP) and ask.

 

[Rhys]

I suggest building your own PC if you cannot afford an iMac or Macbook. I recommend that you do not put Windows on your PC. Instead put Linux and get Bibble to do your photo processing. I understand Picassa is available for Linux also.

You need:
Case,
Mainboard
RAM
CPU
heatsink and fan.
hard drive.

From your elderly Dell you can pillage the floppy drive, optical drive, monitor, speakers, keyboard and mouse.

Linux is a free download. I recommend using Mandriva or Ubuntu.

That lot is going to be more secure than any windows software. Viruses exist solely to attack Windows.

I cannot imagine if you buy all the stuff from NewEgg that you'll spend more than about $400.

Be sure when you specify the mainboard to get one with onboard sound, graphics and networking.

If you use dial-up you might want to add a modem card to that.

 

[JimmyO]

Where abouts are you passerby? Im near philly but would pay for shipping.

Also
Anybody have anything to say about older mac laptops?

 

[RKW3]

I hate laptops for Photography to be honest. The monitors are often small and screwy.

 

[JimmyO]

Tru
I just need the portability mainly. I also dont have any room for a desktop

 

[passerby]

I am in sydney australia, that is the problem.

 

[passerby]

Also
Anybody have anything to say about older mac laptops?

If you want to try to gamble upto $100 you may get some gem in the auction.

Couple weeks ago there were 12 desktops sold with the price ranging from $35 to $60. All with flat screen monitors, KB and mouses.
But in auction like this come about one hour early and test the goods you intent to bid to make sure it works. I bid a camera last saturday without even looking and the damn thing was film camera - Olympus IS 100. I have not even try this thing yet, most likely I will throw it to the bin.

Ask around of the auction sites near you, and at least have fun in there.

 

[Rhys]

That's a good thought. Many dealers get outbid by the private individuals as dealers have to maintain a profit margin. Thus something a dealer would sell for $100, he wouldn't pay more than $40 for. The private individual can pay $50 and get it effectively half price. Beware of bidding fever though. There'll be another in a week or two.