Are not computers supposed to make our lives easier? Should your computer do what YOU say, and not vice-versa? Why should you have to spend your hard earned cash on a computer that does hat not do what you want, when you want it to? You probably shopped around before buying most of your other household appliances, why not look at some alternatives to Microsoft Windows?
Whether you´re looking for simplicity, security, or just peace of mind, something brought you here. Operating systems aren´t only developed behind the closed doors of Redmond. There exist quite a few alternatives to Windows and some of them you´ve probably heard of. Before getting into the specific alternatives it´s necessary to give a little background information - mainly on Unix and Open Source Software.
Unix was an Operating System originally created by AT&T employees in the 1960´s. It was meant for portability, security, and clarity. The Unix philosophy splits tasks up to be accomplished (and accomplished well) by groups of smaller programs rather than a large complex kernel. There´s a familiar filing system for Unix based Operating Systems; files that configure your computer are editable in plain text. Unix was made to be simple and usable. The Open Group that sets the standards for computing defines Unix with the Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX) standards.
When software is free, it can be free as in "FREE BEER!" or free as in "Free to distribute, edit, reproduce, and use" (Open Source). Microsoft Windows is not free in either sense of the word. Much of Windows is closed source and they take great pains to insure their software is not pirated. Some versions of Linux are Open Source - but you have to purchase the software.
Reprinted with permission from Andrew K Nelsen original author
Your source for informative technology.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Windows PC Maintenance: Uninstalling Old Programs
When you haven’t used a program for a few months, you tend to forget that it’s still lurking somewhere on your hard drive. Even if you have plenty of extra space left for more files and programs, you should still clear out some of the clutter from the hard drive. You’ll have more room and your computer will work faster. The less your system wades through to find a file, the faster it can bring that data up on your screen.
Another common problem is that we like to take advantage of trial software to find the right program, but forget all about the several “duds” that we leave on our hard drives. These trial programs need to go as soon as possible. If you find another, similar program that works better, you’re obviously not going to go back and use the others again. These installations waste megabyte after megabyte of space that could be better used.
The best way to uninstall most programs is to go through the “Uninstall Software” menu in your Control Panel. You’ll get an updated list of all the programs on your hard drive. Along with this information, you’ll also find out when you installed that program and how often you use it – rarely, frequently, or somewhere in between. You’ll also find “uninstall” links that remove the program permanently.
However: many programs come with “uninstall” icons, which are often listed in the program group on your Start menu. Use these links if you can’t find the program in the Control Panel’s list.
Before you do that, though, you should know these things:
-If you don’t recognize the program, you should leave it alone. Some of the weird things in the Control Panel’s list of installed software were put there by your computer’s manufacturer or the operating system. They’re vital to your PC, so don’t uninstall or alter them.
-Be sure that you have a copy of the installation file before you delete anything. You might not care for that card game now, but what if you want to play it again in six months? Have the files on hand so that you can reinstall and enjoy again when you want to play.
Now that you know how to remove some of the clutter from your hard drive, spend a few minutes looking for programs that are safe to uninstall. You’ll appreciate the extra space – and not having to wait so long for your hard drive to find the files that you want.
Another common problem is that we like to take advantage of trial software to find the right program, but forget all about the several “duds” that we leave on our hard drives. These trial programs need to go as soon as possible. If you find another, similar program that works better, you’re obviously not going to go back and use the others again. These installations waste megabyte after megabyte of space that could be better used.
The best way to uninstall most programs is to go through the “Uninstall Software” menu in your Control Panel. You’ll get an updated list of all the programs on your hard drive. Along with this information, you’ll also find out when you installed that program and how often you use it – rarely, frequently, or somewhere in between. You’ll also find “uninstall” links that remove the program permanently.
However: many programs come with “uninstall” icons, which are often listed in the program group on your Start menu. Use these links if you can’t find the program in the Control Panel’s list.
Before you do that, though, you should know these things:
-If you don’t recognize the program, you should leave it alone. Some of the weird things in the Control Panel’s list of installed software were put there by your computer’s manufacturer or the operating system. They’re vital to your PC, so don’t uninstall or alter them.
-Be sure that you have a copy of the installation file before you delete anything. You might not care for that card game now, but what if you want to play it again in six months? Have the files on hand so that you can reinstall and enjoy again when you want to play.
Now that you know how to remove some of the clutter from your hard drive, spend a few minutes looking for programs that are safe to uninstall. You’ll appreciate the extra space – and not having to wait so long for your hard drive to find the files that you want.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Tips to Secure a Windows XP System
Securing a Windows system in this era of viruses, hackers, malwares, etc., is a big concern, particularly since Windows is a very insecure Operating System. You might need to do a little more work on your system to get it completely secured (you needn’t do this in case of Linux or Unix based systems). The following are some of the tips you should follow to give the maximum protection to your Windows system.
1. Consider an upgrade: If your OS is safe, its upgraded version is safer. If you are using Windows XP Home edition, then an upgrade to either Professional or Media Center edition is a prudent thing to do. They are obviously more secure than the Home edition. Professional edition is used mainly to serve business needs, and has more security features. Now, since the Windows Service Pack upgrades are available for XP, downloading them makes your system still more secure. One of the features of XP Professional is EFS (Encrypted File System), which is available also in the lower version of Windows, Windows 2000, but ironically, Windows XP Home edition lacks this. The Simple File Sharing system in Windows XP Home, which doesn’t give you much choice on the individual files (like who can open it, and who can change or delete it), is an inadequate security feature. All these clearly point to the need of an upgrade.
2. Use a limited user account for general use: The Windows system gives you several user account types. They are Guest Account, Administrator Account, Limited Account, etc. Limited Account doesn’t have much privileges. It can alter neither the hardware configuration, nor the basic system configuration, but is perfect for a general use of the system. If you are a novice user, or are not in need of much system level tweaking, then you should use a limited user account, and reserve a password protected Administrator Account for advanced tasks.
3. Use a password on Guest Account: The Windows has a guest user account in place. This is for use by the guest users of the system, and is in effect a limited account. The Guest Account is by default disabled. However, you can enable it using the User Accounts module in Control Panel. If many people have to access your system, you should password-protect the Guest Account, so you can be sure that only the authorized people (whom you gave the password) use the system, and skittish kids or unpredictable lot do not access the system and play with your data.
However, keeping the Guest Account disabled will not help you in this regard. The Guest Account never gets actually disabled. The option “Turn off the Guest Account” will only turn off the direct Windows Login with it. But the account will be used, because XP uses it to grant access to the remote users to the shared system resources over a network. Therefore, you cannot fully withhold the effect of the Guest Account. However, Windows doesn’t allow you to choose a password for this account within the User Accounts tool. It should be done through the Command Line. Here is how:
Open the command line console (type “cmd” at Start->Run); type in this command in the console: “net user guest” (without the angle brackets and replacing “password” with your new Guest Account password). This will create a new password for your Guest Account.
4. Private Folders Protect User data: Windows XP has Simple File Sharing feature to share your files over a network. Windows XP Home doesn’t provide you a further customized file sharing, as does Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional. In Windows XP Professional, you can customize the file sharing by unchecking “Use Simple File Sharing” in the Folder Options->View tab. The Folder Options resides in the Control Panel. In Windows XP Home, you can make a folder secure by making it private. View the folder properties; there is a tab, “Sharing and Security.” Here you have the option to make the folder private.
In Windows XP Professional, when you disable the Simple File Sharing, you can get advanced file sharing options. There will be a new tab, “Security” when you view the properties of a folder or file. In this, you can virtually choose which user can do what (read, write, modify, or delete) on the file.
5. Enable ICF: The Internet Connection Firewall (ICF), provided by both Home and Professional editions, is a built-in firewall application. You can enable the firewall for any network connection you make. This can be done from the properties of your new connection. Within the Advanced tab, you can turn on the Windows Firewall and the Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). However, you can leave them disabled, and install a third party antivirus and firewall application instead. Also, it is recommended to do so. Windows Firewall, though provided by Microsoft, is not an exhaustive firewall application. It is only better than nothing. Using a professional third party antivirus and security suite, on the other hand, you can get more extensive security to your system at a minimal cost.
It is difficult to achieve high security in Windows; however, the techniques discussed above and many other understood methods should make your system very secure. I needn’t instruct you not to open attachments from unknown emails, not to share important personal information, or regularly update your Antivirus and Firewall software.
1. Consider an upgrade: If your OS is safe, its upgraded version is safer. If you are using Windows XP Home edition, then an upgrade to either Professional or Media Center edition is a prudent thing to do. They are obviously more secure than the Home edition. Professional edition is used mainly to serve business needs, and has more security features. Now, since the Windows Service Pack upgrades are available for XP, downloading them makes your system still more secure. One of the features of XP Professional is EFS (Encrypted File System), which is available also in the lower version of Windows, Windows 2000, but ironically, Windows XP Home edition lacks this. The Simple File Sharing system in Windows XP Home, which doesn’t give you much choice on the individual files (like who can open it, and who can change or delete it), is an inadequate security feature. All these clearly point to the need of an upgrade.
2. Use a limited user account for general use: The Windows system gives you several user account types. They are Guest Account, Administrator Account, Limited Account, etc. Limited Account doesn’t have much privileges. It can alter neither the hardware configuration, nor the basic system configuration, but is perfect for a general use of the system. If you are a novice user, or are not in need of much system level tweaking, then you should use a limited user account, and reserve a password protected Administrator Account for advanced tasks.
3. Use a password on Guest Account: The Windows has a guest user account in place. This is for use by the guest users of the system, and is in effect a limited account. The Guest Account is by default disabled. However, you can enable it using the User Accounts module in Control Panel. If many people have to access your system, you should password-protect the Guest Account, so you can be sure that only the authorized people (whom you gave the password) use the system, and skittish kids or unpredictable lot do not access the system and play with your data.
However, keeping the Guest Account disabled will not help you in this regard. The Guest Account never gets actually disabled. The option “Turn off the Guest Account” will only turn off the direct Windows Login with it. But the account will be used, because XP uses it to grant access to the remote users to the shared system resources over a network. Therefore, you cannot fully withhold the effect of the Guest Account. However, Windows doesn’t allow you to choose a password for this account within the User Accounts tool. It should be done through the Command Line. Here is how:
Open the command line console (type “cmd” at Start->Run); type in this command in the console: “net user guest
4. Private Folders Protect User data: Windows XP has Simple File Sharing feature to share your files over a network. Windows XP Home doesn’t provide you a further customized file sharing, as does Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional. In Windows XP Professional, you can customize the file sharing by unchecking “Use Simple File Sharing” in the Folder Options->View tab. The Folder Options resides in the Control Panel. In Windows XP Home, you can make a folder secure by making it private. View the folder properties; there is a tab, “Sharing and Security.” Here you have the option to make the folder private.
In Windows XP Professional, when you disable the Simple File Sharing, you can get advanced file sharing options. There will be a new tab, “Security” when you view the properties of a folder or file. In this, you can virtually choose which user can do what (read, write, modify, or delete) on the file.
5. Enable ICF: The Internet Connection Firewall (ICF), provided by both Home and Professional editions, is a built-in firewall application. You can enable the firewall for any network connection you make. This can be done from the properties of your new connection. Within the Advanced tab, you can turn on the Windows Firewall and the Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). However, you can leave them disabled, and install a third party antivirus and firewall application instead. Also, it is recommended to do so. Windows Firewall, though provided by Microsoft, is not an exhaustive firewall application. It is only better than nothing. Using a professional third party antivirus and security suite, on the other hand, you can get more extensive security to your system at a minimal cost.
It is difficult to achieve high security in Windows; however, the techniques discussed above and many other understood methods should make your system very secure. I needn’t instruct you not to open attachments from unknown emails, not to share important personal information, or regularly update your Antivirus and Firewall software.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Starting Fresh, formating and installing from the Windows XP CD
Straight forward instructions for the user with the Windows XP CD. These work for both Windows XP HOME and Windows XP Professonal.
Occassionally it is good for the consumer to have someone reinstall the Windows operating system for them to help remove all those nasty bugs that tend to crop up. The windows user should follow the instructions below...
Instructions
* STEP 1: This section explains how to reformat a drive from the Windows XP installation CD. This can be used when installing a fresh copy of Windows onto a computer. Here it is especially important to backup all of your important information because upon formatting you will lose EVERYTHING that used to be on the drive. This includes all applications and device drivers, so you must backup everything you can.
* STEP 2: Insert your Windows XP installation disc into your CD drive (Home or Pro it does not matter).
* STEP 3: Restart your computer. On the first screen that comes up as your computer starts it should say at the bottom a key that you can press to change the Boot Sequence (may also be called Boot Device or Boot Order), press whatever key is specified. If your computer does not give you the option to change the boot sequence directly from the startup screen you will need to enter your BIOS Setup by pressing whichever key your computer specifies for Setup, and then from the BIOS setup you need to change your boot order so that the CD drive is before Hard Disks. If all you see right when your computer starts up is a splash screen with the computer manufactuer's name press the 'Esc' key to display which keys to press for boot sequence or BIOS setup.
* STEP 4: Now as you computer boots a little more it will say “Press any key to boot from CD..” press a key to do so.
* STEP 5: The CD will load up a blue screen and then spend a while loading files it needs. When it is finished it will list a few options mainly “Press ENTER to set up Windows XP,” press Enter or Return.
* STEP 6: Now you will be at a screen to select where to install Windows to, this is where you can delete old partitions and format drives. The box in the bottom half of the screen shows all your drives and the partitions that exist on them. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to highlight your “C:” partition and press the 'D' key (if all that shows up is “Unpartitioned space” and you have no C: or D: partitions skip this step). On the next screen press the 'L' key to finalize deleting the partition.
* STEP 7: Now you are back on the screen to choose where to install Windows. The box on the lower half of the screen should no longer show a partition but simply have an entry “Unpartitioned space xxxxxMB.” Select this with the arrow keys and press the 'C' key to create a partition on the drive. The next screen tells you the minimum and maximum sizes the partition can be and lets you pick the size. The default size is the maximum, but double check that the number entered is the maximum and hit enter.
* STEP 8: Now you will again be back at the choose where to install Windows screen only this time you will have a partition that looks something like this “C: Partition1 [New (Raw)] xxxxxxMB.” Highlight this entry and press enter.
* STEP 9: The next screen lets you choose which filesystem to format the drive with. If your computer will be sharing files over a network with a Windows ME, 98, or 95 computer select “FAT32” otherwise choose NTFS as it is faster and more secure. If the drive is brand new and has never been used before then use one of the options that ends in “(Quick)” otherwise choose one of the lower down options. Use the arrow keys to select the proper one and press Enter or Return.
* STEP 10: From here you are all set and the installation of Windows will proceed starting with a format of your drive. This will take a while (over half an hour) so you can go take a little break.
Occassionally it is good for the consumer to have someone reinstall the Windows operating system for them to help remove all those nasty bugs that tend to crop up. The windows user should follow the instructions below...
Instructions
* STEP 1: This section explains how to reformat a drive from the Windows XP installation CD. This can be used when installing a fresh copy of Windows onto a computer. Here it is especially important to backup all of your important information because upon formatting you will lose EVERYTHING that used to be on the drive. This includes all applications and device drivers, so you must backup everything you can.
* STEP 2: Insert your Windows XP installation disc into your CD drive (Home or Pro it does not matter).
* STEP 3: Restart your computer. On the first screen that comes up as your computer starts it should say at the bottom a key that you can press to change the Boot Sequence (may also be called Boot Device or Boot Order), press whatever key is specified. If your computer does not give you the option to change the boot sequence directly from the startup screen you will need to enter your BIOS Setup by pressing whichever key your computer specifies for Setup, and then from the BIOS setup you need to change your boot order so that the CD drive is before Hard Disks. If all you see right when your computer starts up is a splash screen with the computer manufactuer's name press the 'Esc' key to display which keys to press for boot sequence or BIOS setup.
* STEP 4: Now as you computer boots a little more it will say “Press any key to boot from CD..” press a key to do so.
* STEP 5: The CD will load up a blue screen and then spend a while loading files it needs. When it is finished it will list a few options mainly “Press ENTER to set up Windows XP,” press Enter or Return.
* STEP 6: Now you will be at a screen to select where to install Windows to, this is where you can delete old partitions and format drives. The box in the bottom half of the screen shows all your drives and the partitions that exist on them. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to highlight your “C:” partition and press the 'D' key (if all that shows up is “Unpartitioned space” and you have no C: or D: partitions skip this step). On the next screen press the 'L' key to finalize deleting the partition.
* STEP 7: Now you are back on the screen to choose where to install Windows. The box on the lower half of the screen should no longer show a partition but simply have an entry “Unpartitioned space xxxxxMB.” Select this with the arrow keys and press the 'C' key to create a partition on the drive. The next screen tells you the minimum and maximum sizes the partition can be and lets you pick the size. The default size is the maximum, but double check that the number entered is the maximum and hit enter.
* STEP 8: Now you will again be back at the choose where to install Windows screen only this time you will have a partition that looks something like this “C: Partition1 [New (Raw)] xxxxxxMB.” Highlight this entry and press enter.
* STEP 9: The next screen lets you choose which filesystem to format the drive with. If your computer will be sharing files over a network with a Windows ME, 98, or 95 computer select “FAT32” otherwise choose NTFS as it is faster and more secure. If the drive is brand new and has never been used before then use one of the options that ends in “(Quick)” otherwise choose one of the lower down options. Use the arrow keys to select the proper one and press Enter or Return.
* STEP 10: From here you are all set and the installation of Windows will proceed starting with a format of your drive. This will take a while (over half an hour) so you can go take a little break.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
How to Choose a Wireless Network Router for your home
With so many wireless routers on the market, it can be difficult to figure out which one will best fit your home network's needs. The decision can be overwhelming, but these tips will help you narrow down your choices until you find the hardware that will work the best for you.
When you go shopping, consider these factors.
Compatibility
The wireless router that you buy should work with the wireless adaptors in your computers. Make sure that they all operate on the same frequency: otherwise, you'll have big problems.
Number of Connections
How many computers do you want to connect to the wireless network? Make sure that whatever router you buy can support at least that many computers. Many people have found that they later want to add another computer or two. A child in the family gets a PC in the bedroom, maybe, or somebody gets married and the new spouse moves in with another computer. Think about the possibility of adding more computers when you shop.
Wireless Versus Wired
The main computer – the one that is directly connected to your Internet Service Provider's modem – is probably a wired connection. You might have other hard-wired connections in the house as well. Make sure that the router you buy can handle all of these computers in addition to the wireless connections that the other computers will use. You should also remember that you might sometimes transfer between a wireless and a wired connection. Make sure that your router has enough space to do that when needed.
Signal Strength
Before you go shopping, get an idea of how far the wireless signal must travel in your house. Your router needs to push the signal at least that far. Another helpful feature is the adjustable antennae. Being able to move them around to improve the wireless signal is infinitely helpful when you're having problems.
Security Features
Make sure that your router will let you enable the basic security features. You should be able to hide your network name, for example, and use a network key to grant access to authorized computers. Otherwise, your network is wide open: anybody who can acquire a signal can get online through your account.
Setup Procedure
Many routers are very easy to setup. Just pop the CD-ROM into the drive and follow the instructions. Others are not so easy. Find the router that you are most comfortable setting up. There's no need to do things the hard way if you aren't interested in that particular challenge.
Be sure to comparison shop and ask any questions that you might have before you buy the router. Many stores charge a restocking fee if you return something that is not broken or defective, so save yourself that money by knowing what you want and need before you buy.
When you go shopping, consider these factors.
Compatibility
The wireless router that you buy should work with the wireless adaptors in your computers. Make sure that they all operate on the same frequency: otherwise, you'll have big problems.
Number of Connections
How many computers do you want to connect to the wireless network? Make sure that whatever router you buy can support at least that many computers. Many people have found that they later want to add another computer or two. A child in the family gets a PC in the bedroom, maybe, or somebody gets married and the new spouse moves in with another computer. Think about the possibility of adding more computers when you shop.
Wireless Versus Wired
The main computer – the one that is directly connected to your Internet Service Provider's modem – is probably a wired connection. You might have other hard-wired connections in the house as well. Make sure that the router you buy can handle all of these computers in addition to the wireless connections that the other computers will use. You should also remember that you might sometimes transfer between a wireless and a wired connection. Make sure that your router has enough space to do that when needed.
Signal Strength
Before you go shopping, get an idea of how far the wireless signal must travel in your house. Your router needs to push the signal at least that far. Another helpful feature is the adjustable antennae. Being able to move them around to improve the wireless signal is infinitely helpful when you're having problems.
Security Features
Make sure that your router will let you enable the basic security features. You should be able to hide your network name, for example, and use a network key to grant access to authorized computers. Otherwise, your network is wide open: anybody who can acquire a signal can get online through your account.
Setup Procedure
Many routers are very easy to setup. Just pop the CD-ROM into the drive and follow the instructions. Others are not so easy. Find the router that you are most comfortable setting up. There's no need to do things the hard way if you aren't interested in that particular challenge.
Be sure to comparison shop and ask any questions that you might have before you buy the router. Many stores charge a restocking fee if you return something that is not broken or defective, so save yourself that money by knowing what you want and need before you buy.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
And the winner is Sony's Blu-Ray
Toshiba is expected to announce it will get out of the HD DVD business.
With recent events and market changes such as major distributors and studios moving to support only Sony's Blu-Ray disc format, Toshiba seems to have lost the standards race for the next generation.
With recent events and market changes such as major distributors and studios moving to support only Sony's Blu-Ray disc format, Toshiba seems to have lost the standards race for the next generation.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Buy or Build, which is best for you?
Building a Computer -- Is it Right for You?
The parameters used to be a little more clear. You could easily save money by building your own computer. All you needed was the basic know-how, the time and initiative, and wah-la! You had a good computer at a better price than you could buy new.
But things have changed over time. As technology improved and prices dropped, suddenly the the savings benefit seemingly dwindled away. However, that is not always the case and there are still many excellent reasons for building your own computer!
Customize to Your Needs
By building your own computer, you can customize it exactly to your needs. Whether you're into gaming, video production, audio recording, autocad, or just general word processing and internet surfing, you can build a computer specifically suited to your task.
Easier Upgrades
By using non-proprietary, quality parts, your new home-built computer will be much more easy to upgrade than its store-bought counterpart. Many retail computers have proprietary components that are tied together in such a way as to make part replacement or upgrade difficult. Your customized computer should be easy to work on, repair, and upgrade for a good while.
Learning Experience
Building a computer is a great learning experience. You get to see firsthand just what all the parts do and how they work together. Not only is it educational, but it's great fun too! And you get the satisfaction and pride of having a tangible result of your labor at the end of your project.
Drawbacks of a Retail Computer
There are a number of reasons why most store-purchased computers today are inferior to a custom-built machine. Retail computers often come with bundled software packages that are average at best. The quality level of much of the software is quite low, and most of it is probably unnecessary. It's often poorly-written proprietary software (specifically written for that computer manufacturer) and is usually infesting every nook and cranny of the computer, slowing down performance and taking up storage space.
Much of the brand-name software included in these bundles are basic versions and even trial versions. If you need quality software (and who doesn't), you're most likely going to have to buy it separately anyway.
Many of the computer components are also proprietary, making repairs and upgrades difficult. Sometimes off-the-shelf components just won't work well or at all with a retail computer. And they are often not designed for much room to expand or upgrade.
Warranties
One argument for purchasing a computer from a retailer is to obtain a good warranty. This has some merit, but keep in mind that redeeming warranties is usually not a walk in the park! You may also be without your machine for a while during the time it is being repaired or replaced.
Individually-purchased components most likely also come with a warranty, so if one fails there may be recourse for replacement. The warranty issue probably is about equal with either method you choose.
Partial Upgrade vs. Replacement
An alternative to building a computer from stratch is to perform a major upgrade. This should be cheaper compared to total replacement, and can still give you an excellent machine well-suited to your needs. You must already have an upgradeable computer though, and it needs to have a few key components which you can build around. Perform a cost/benefit analysis and determine which method would best serve you.
A Personal Experience
In the late '90's, my Win95 Pentium 100 (retail purchased) desktop computer was getting pretty inadequate. It was virtually non-upgradeable, there was no room for expansion and key components (motherboard, case) were getting obsolete. So I purchased a custom built computer (tower only, no monitor or peripherals) from an experienced friend, and it served me well for a number of years.
Several years later I got into audio recording and upgraded to larger hard drives. I also purchased a larger monitor.
Last year I made significant upgrades, specifically centered around my needs for audio recording. I purchased a new case and motherboard while utilizing my existing hard drives and all peripherals. Down the road I'll upgrade further to more hard drives (the new motherboard is SATA compatible) and a new flat panel monitor.
You can see that over the years I kept my computer system relatively current and meeting my needs for less than I would have spent in complete replacement for a comparable machine. I've had fun and learned a lot in the process, too.
Not only that, but I took the case and motherboard I replaced, bought some used large hard drives from a friend, and turned my old computer into a backup machine. You can see how much flexibility custom computer building can give.
What's Right for You?
That's something only you can decide. But if you have the interest, a willingness to learn, a need for customization, and the desire for a solid, quality system, I believe you're a perfect candidate to build your own computer!
The parameters used to be a little more clear. You could easily save money by building your own computer. All you needed was the basic know-how, the time and initiative, and wah-la! You had a good computer at a better price than you could buy new.
But things have changed over time. As technology improved and prices dropped, suddenly the the savings benefit seemingly dwindled away. However, that is not always the case and there are still many excellent reasons for building your own computer!
Customize to Your Needs
By building your own computer, you can customize it exactly to your needs. Whether you're into gaming, video production, audio recording, autocad, or just general word processing and internet surfing, you can build a computer specifically suited to your task.
Easier Upgrades
By using non-proprietary, quality parts, your new home-built computer will be much more easy to upgrade than its store-bought counterpart. Many retail computers have proprietary components that are tied together in such a way as to make part replacement or upgrade difficult. Your customized computer should be easy to work on, repair, and upgrade for a good while.
Learning Experience
Building a computer is a great learning experience. You get to see firsthand just what all the parts do and how they work together. Not only is it educational, but it's great fun too! And you get the satisfaction and pride of having a tangible result of your labor at the end of your project.
Drawbacks of a Retail Computer
There are a number of reasons why most store-purchased computers today are inferior to a custom-built machine. Retail computers often come with bundled software packages that are average at best. The quality level of much of the software is quite low, and most of it is probably unnecessary. It's often poorly-written proprietary software (specifically written for that computer manufacturer) and is usually infesting every nook and cranny of the computer, slowing down performance and taking up storage space.
Much of the brand-name software included in these bundles are basic versions and even trial versions. If you need quality software (and who doesn't), you're most likely going to have to buy it separately anyway.
Many of the computer components are also proprietary, making repairs and upgrades difficult. Sometimes off-the-shelf components just won't work well or at all with a retail computer. And they are often not designed for much room to expand or upgrade.
Warranties
One argument for purchasing a computer from a retailer is to obtain a good warranty. This has some merit, but keep in mind that redeeming warranties is usually not a walk in the park! You may also be without your machine for a while during the time it is being repaired or replaced.
Individually-purchased components most likely also come with a warranty, so if one fails there may be recourse for replacement. The warranty issue probably is about equal with either method you choose.
Partial Upgrade vs. Replacement
An alternative to building a computer from stratch is to perform a major upgrade. This should be cheaper compared to total replacement, and can still give you an excellent machine well-suited to your needs. You must already have an upgradeable computer though, and it needs to have a few key components which you can build around. Perform a cost/benefit analysis and determine which method would best serve you.
A Personal Experience
In the late '90's, my Win95 Pentium 100 (retail purchased) desktop computer was getting pretty inadequate. It was virtually non-upgradeable, there was no room for expansion and key components (motherboard, case) were getting obsolete. So I purchased a custom built computer (tower only, no monitor or peripherals) from an experienced friend, and it served me well for a number of years.
Several years later I got into audio recording and upgraded to larger hard drives. I also purchased a larger monitor.
Last year I made significant upgrades, specifically centered around my needs for audio recording. I purchased a new case and motherboard while utilizing my existing hard drives and all peripherals. Down the road I'll upgrade further to more hard drives (the new motherboard is SATA compatible) and a new flat panel monitor.
You can see that over the years I kept my computer system relatively current and meeting my needs for less than I would have spent in complete replacement for a comparable machine. I've had fun and learned a lot in the process, too.
Not only that, but I took the case and motherboard I replaced, bought some used large hard drives from a friend, and turned my old computer into a backup machine. You can see how much flexibility custom computer building can give.
What's Right for You?
That's something only you can decide. But if you have the interest, a willingness to learn, a need for customization, and the desire for a solid, quality system, I believe you're a perfect candidate to build your own computer!
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