| Someone recently asked me "I teach senior
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| | back to the hard drive, or permanent
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| citizens in a community based free
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| | storage. And as with CPU power, the more
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| computer lab. They often ask what to look
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| | RAM you have, the better your computer
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| for when buying a computer, what software
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| | will perform. I recommend you have a
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| they need for email, basic Internet
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| | minimum 256 megabytes (MB) of RAM, but
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| usage, word processing, etc. Many are on
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| | with 512 MB you'll notice better
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| a limited budget. What would you suggest
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| | performance.Hard (Drive) DecisionsThe
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| they need as a minimum?"Recommendations
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| | hard drive is your permanent file
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| For a New ComputerThe good news is that
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| | storage. All of your personal files,
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| computer prices have dropped a lot over
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| | such as word processor documents, photos,
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| the past few years, and the computing
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| | music, and emails are stored here, in
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| power you get for your money is going up!
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| | addition to software packages and the
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| I don't recommend used computers for
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| | operating system. Most new PC's come
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| anyone, because the rate of change of
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| | with a hard drive that's 40 gigabytes
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| computer technology will render most
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| | (GB) or larger. I recommend you start
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| systems nearly obsolete within three
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| | with a hard drive of 80 GB or more, if
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| years. If you're a computer novice,
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| | you plan to keep lots of photos or music
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| wondering what kind of computer, monitor,
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| | on your computer.Go For a Large
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| hard drive, memory, and operating system
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| | MonitorHere's the formula: Larger
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| to get... here's some advice to get you
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| | Monitor = Less Eyestrain and Less
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| rolling.Windows or Mac?You may have
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| | Scrolling. I recommend a 17-inch
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| friends, relatives or neighbors trying to
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| | monitor, or even a 19-inch if you don't
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| pull you into the "Windows vs. Mac" holy
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| | mind spending a bit more. Don't worry
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| wars. In my opinion, the choice of
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| | about brand names here, they're all
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| operating system really doesn't matter.
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| | pretty much the same. Stay away from 14
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| From a beginner's perspective, each has
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| | or 15-inch monitors, they're just too
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| point & click interfaces that are pretty
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| | small to be practical.What About
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| easy to use. Both will take you to the
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| | Software?Most of the software you need
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| same Internet, and enable you to send and
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| | will come pre-installed on your new PC.
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| receive email. Both offer word
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| | Windows comes with Internet Explorer (for
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| processing, and the documents they create
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| | web browsing) and Outlook Express (for
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| are interchangeable. Because
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| | email). Many PC systems include a word
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| Windows-based computers make up 90% of
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| | processor, such as Microsoft Word,
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| the market, they are cheaper. It's the
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| | WordPerfect, or OpenOffice. If your
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| law of supply and demand in operation.
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| | computer doesn't come with any of these,
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| And in some areas, it may be hard to find
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| | I suggest you purchase Microsoft Works,
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| technical or repair support for Apple
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| | which will give you MS Word, a
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| Macintosh computers. So if you're
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| | spreadsheet similar to MS Excel, and
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| budget-minded, and you don't have any
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| | other useful programs.Look for a computer
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| friends willing to help you with Mac
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| | that comes with anti-virus software
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| issues, I suggest you go with a
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| | pre-installed. If yours doesn't come
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| Windows-based PC.A good entry-level
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| | with any anti-virus package, check with
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| computer with monitor can be purchased
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| | your Internet service provider to see if
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| for under $400, and sometimes you even
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| | they offer anything for free. Failing
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| get a printer in the deal. So what
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| | that, you can download the free AVG
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| should a newbie look for in terms of
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| | package.SummarySo in a nutshell, here are
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| speed, monitor, memory and hard drive
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| | my recommendations:
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| specs? It doesn't have to be all that
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| |
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| confusing...What about Horsepower?The CPU
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| | Look for a Windows XP-based PC with
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| (central processing unit, or "processor"
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| | monitor for around $400
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| for short) is the brain of your computer.
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| | Processor: 1.5 GHz or better
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| In general, the faster the better.
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| | RAM memory: 256 MB or better
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| Processor speeds are measured in
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| | Hard Drive: 80 GB or better
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| gigahertz (GHz) and as of this writing,
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| | Monitor: 17-inch or larger
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| the fastest models available operate at
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| | Software: Microsoft Works and AVG
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| about 4 GHz. Entry-level machines start
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| | anti-virus
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| at about 1.5 GHz and are more than
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| |
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| adequate for web surfing, email and word
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| | Where to Buy?Look at your local computer
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| processing. If you see a computer with a
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| | store first, they may have some good
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| processor that has a speed specified in
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| | deals and offer local support. Office
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| megahertz (MHz), steer clear -- these are
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| | supply and electronics stores such as
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| older models.Thanks for the MemoryThe
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| | Staples, Office Depot, and Best Buy are
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| next decision you have to make is how
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| | good options to explore too. If you're
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| much RAM memory you need. Don't confuse
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| | comfortable buying online, check out the
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| RAM with hard drive (file storage) space.
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| | or offerings.BOB RANKIN ...is a tech
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| RAM is the temporary working memory that
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| | writer and computer programmer who enjoys
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| your computer uses to perform
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| | exploring the Internet and sharing the
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| calculations and manipulate files. When
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| | fruit of his experience with others. His
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| you open a document, it is copied from
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| | work has appeared in ComputerWorld,
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| the hard drive into RAM. As you and your
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| | NetGuide, and NY Newsday. Bob is
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| word processor work on the file, the
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| | publisher of the Internet TOURBUS
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| modified copy exists only in RAM. When
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| | newsletter, author of several computer
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| you save the file, it is copied from RAM
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| | books, and creator of the website.
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