I use a Vista laptop with an external keyboard 100% of the time..sm

• I need to buy a new computer. Any ideas?? - CB
  • I use a Vista laptop with an external keyboard 100% of the time..sm - oldtimer
  • If you buy it brand new it will come with Windows Vista - Okie MT
    • You can still buy some computers with the choice of operating systems. - sm
      • I bought a new one from Dell almost a year ago and talked with the CS person. She told me the - jo
        • they will not provide you with customer support. - if you do that
  • Apple - nana
  • Where did you hear that everything you buy for a Dell has to be from Dell? - sm
    • Dell - CB
    • Power supplies are Dell proprietary and must be purchased from - the Dell website. Also, the travel (sm)
      • STAPLES is now carrying Dell PCs, laptops, exclusive retail agreement. nm - Paradox

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bigger the monitor the better, but I have a 14" one and have been using it for 6 years.  Absolutely get as much RAM as you can, no less than 512.  You don't need a supersize hard drive unless you want to store music/pictures, but you should have a backup of them because computers have been known to crash and you wouldn't want to lose them.   Most everything now is USB and I would say get a minimum of 2 ports.  You can buy a hub for under $30.00 (saw a 4 port hub today on sale for $10.00) to add USB ports.   I would get one that had wireless capability.   I would also get one that has at least a DVD player if not a recorder.  Usually if they have DVD they have a CD recorder so you can burn songs/pictures.  I suggest the DVD in case you need some down time from caretaking and you want to watch a movie.

I have a Dell and an HP.  My Dell has been a piece of junk from day one.   I've had my HP for 3-1/2 years without any problems other than a software glitch, which wasn't an equipment problem. 

When buying a computer consider repair issues.  With my Dell I had to send the computer to them so I was without a computer for approximately 2 weeks, plus shipping charges of about $30.00.   You can buy an in-home repair policy though.  With my HP I bought it from a local electronics store and I could get in-store service. 

I also would not get a Celeron processor - get either a Pentium or a Centrino  (which is supposed to be really good).  The Celeron is not as good of quality and is usually found in the lower end computers.

I got a catalog from Dell today and I just glimpsed at it, but they had a laptop on the cover for $649 (I think). 

You may want to attach an external monitor (I don't) or use a box of some kind to elevate the computer.  They have boxes at the office supply store in the computer area that have trays for storage or a place to put your keyboard and that is about the right height.  I would also suggest an external mouse.   If you need a new keyboard/mouse I'd go wireless.  If you want to be somewhat mobile, like sitting in the backyard in the shade unhooking and hooking everything up gets to be a pain and if you just want to diddle and not work you can use the laptop keyboard and not have to take the other keyboard and mouse. 

If you are used to a large monitor that is probably your biggest adjustment, the rest is fairly easy and may take some trial and error to get everything worked out. 

i thought i remembered seeing on these boards that to hook up a peripheral keyboard to a laptop, you have to disable the laptop one? i cannot find info when i try to search...if so, how do you do it?  

many thanks.

My twin granddaughters, the dynamic duo, (17 months)  who will be spending the rest of the weekend with Gram and "Aunnie" (my 11-year-old).  Can't wait to play and spoil, spoil, spoil!

I probably will be in bed and sound asleep after they leave Sunday at 7:00.  :)

I really do appreciate it. 

DixieKaye

I'm not sure what the name of it is, but you connect to it via USB.  It costs $50.00 and says the sound quality is significantly better than standard sound cards,  you can transfer cassettes and LPs to MP3 files, ....  My main concern is I want an increase in sound quality of my wav files. 

Just wondering if the sound quality is really that much better.  I have notebook computers and the PC cards are $100.00.  I was thinking this might be a substitute for the PC card. 

That key printing never wear down because the letters are part of the key itself.  They just don't make them that way anymore because it is too expensive to make.  Some of the mechanical keyboards like Cherry have what they double shot key imprinting and the letters are part of the key itself and don't wear off. That IBM keyboard is very noisy from the type of keyswitch it has so you may not like that.  Logitech and Belkin make some membrane switch keyboards that are supposed to have longer lasting key imprints.  I have a logitech that has the longer lasting key imprints and it is pretty good.  You have to look on the specs to find out if has the longer lasting key printing.

I have experimented so much with keyboards and have done a lot of research.  Way too much info.  

Okay, any lefties use this keyboard? How long did it take to get used to? I use my left thumb for the space bar and I notice on a diagram of the keys that I would always be hitting the backspace key.

I'm really interested in getting a better keyboard. I destroyed my left hand and wrist the other week when I fell because I'm becoming a real klutz.

I bought the Soft Flex gloves, but they only help a little bit. My production is down because of it and it's driving me crazy. I can only type an hour without stopping and then have to rest the hand for some time.

I did buy a Microsoft 2000 keyboard but have yet to recieve it. Is this a good one?

Do you use a keyboard tray with it or just set it on the desk? Do you think a kayboard tray would be the least expensive item right now that would help with a straight keyboard?

Any info you can provide to help me in making any decision would be greatfully appreciated.

'Scuse me for being old school, but I've only ever used a straight keyboard.

For longtime comfort which is best - split keyboard mounted on chair arms or split keyboard to be used on the desk?

Also, why the preference over split keyboards that come totally apart versus split keyboards that are permanently connected at the top?

I want to revamp my office and there are so many different options.