NYT - Apple sweeps all three Best Laptop categories in latest Consumers Reports ratings

[AASpartan]

Originally Posted by Trevor Barnes

DSLR and HD camcorder owners. Ok, I don't have an HD camcorder yet, but can envision one in the distant future.

Right. It's a total niche market.

You are a brave man AA. I know several casual PC users that do nothing but send email and browse the internet who have been infected with some nasty stuff. If by not "needing" it you mean that people can just wait till they get infected, then reformat, I guess that's true.

Trevor, I think you've been watching too many Mac ads. "Oh noes! PCs are riddled with viruses! "

Seriously. Safely using the computer isn't rocket surgery. You could probably put McAfee and Norton out of business with a mandatory 30 minute class on how to identify what is a "dangerous" file/pop-up.

[GoStateNate]

Originally Posted by AASpartan

You've got Windows Defender now and there are lots of free Spyware programs out there. I just think that it's totally bogus to say that someone "needs" a commercial virus scanning package in order to operate their computer.

Yep, lots of free spyware programs. They get on your computer, and are extremely difficult to get off.


There are plenty of phishing sites that will tell the un-tech savvy that they need this great free anti-virus program. And many many of the folks that navigate to those pages will willingly download malware and viruses.

So for the computer illiterate, those that simply know how to use the e-mail program, print off the occasional document and surf to a couple of news sites, who do they trust? Hey this big shiny window just popped up saying I'm infected for god sakes. I clearly need to do something about that.

All I'm saying is you have to be able to look through the prism of the computer illiterate. They don't know a goddamn thing about it computers outside of the basic basic functions. It's easy for you and I, but not so easy for the computer illiterate in a world where computers are almost a neccessity.

[AASpartan]

Originally Posted by GoStateNate

Yep, lots of free spyware programs. They get on your computer, and are extremely difficult to get off.

Ad-aware and Spybot.

There are plenty of phishing sites that will tell the un-tech savvy that they need this great free anti-virus program. And many many of the folks that navigate to those pages will willingly download malware and viruses.

So for the computer illiterate, those that simply know how to use the e-mail program, print off the occasional document and surf to a couple of news sites, who do they trust? Hey this big shiny window just popped up saying I'm infected for god sakes. I clearly need to do something about that.

All I'm saying is you have to be able to look through the prism of the computer illiterate. They don't know a goddamn thing about it computers outside of the basic basic functions. It's easy for you and I, but not so easy for the computer illiterate in a world where computers are almost a neccessity.

I trained my mom in what to look out for. She's as unsavvy as it gets. People, on the whole, are pretty stupid. Just need to provide a little instruction to them.

[GoStateNate]

Originally Posted by AASpartan

Ad-aware and Spybot.


I trained my mom in what to look out for. She's as unsavvy as it gets. People, on the whole, are pretty stupid. Just need to provide a little instruction to them.

Oh I know. I've trained family as well, but for every semi-aware internet user, there are 5 more who still don't have a clue. Re-directs layered on re-directs.... The blackhate/whitehat battle is always evolving and moving forward and exploits will always exist.

EDIT: And that con-man John Sherer or whatever the hell his name is isn't going to help.

[locd32]

Originally Posted by Trevor Barnes

Well, except for right here where you implied it:

Again, the notion that OS X is a $1300 premium over Vista is rather silly when my laptop didn't even cost $1300.

I was referring to the specific model I compared throughout this thread. Never once did I mention your cheap laptop that I had no idea you owned when I made that statement. But let's nitpick more...


FACT: What you fail to mention is that Dell only includes 15 months of anti-virus coverage. Surely you're not suggesting that someone use a Windows laptop for two years after that with no anti-virus software. Not to mention the regular spyware scans you need to run and adware scans. Even if they threw in 4 years of updates, lots of stuff these days gets past even regularly updated commercial anti-virus programs. I know two PC owners in the last month with benign surfing habits whose systems had all the latest anti-virus software but still managed to get their systems infected. Even Malwarebytes Anti-Malware wasn't able to clean them up. Each of them spent several hours with it and other scanners and basically had to reformat the whole drive. How much per hour is your time worth to you? If they each billed their own time at $50 an hour, they were easily over $250 each. I just prefer OS X where I really don't even need to worry about it.

You make running virus scans and downloading updates sound like some HUGE burden. Trevor, it's all automatic. You schedule your scans for every week/month/year and your updates can update on their own. You don't even need to manage it at all. It's just nitpicking, again, when you treat this like we have to perform some tedious task every time we get on our PC's. It's just not true at all.

Also, I've been a PC user my whole tech life. In the last 10 years I've never once got infected with anything that didn't get wiped out by a scheduled virus scan OR didn't get detected right away and quarantined/deleted. I haven't had so much as a BSOD or a freeze or random restart either.


FACT: I just randomly pulled up a Dell Inspiron laptop page and they only include a 1 year warranty standard:
Dell Inspiron 13 Laptop

That model along with every other model has a 2 year warranty available standard. Hell, Macs don't even have a warranty standard from what I can tell. On top of that, they only offer ONE option for a warranty and it's 3 years at $250!! I don't know about your but I like choices.


FACT: Of the three Dell computers I've owned, all three have had hardware issues that needed service. Haven't had a problem with my Mac. The two relatives and coworkers I know who own Macs also haven't had any issues after having issues with their previous PCs. It's also interesting that you're citing a Consumers Reports study. You might want to check out this link which features a story from 2009 (not early 2008 like yours) where CR chose Apple as the highest rated laptops in the industry in all three laptop categories. So which is it locd? Are we to trust CR or not?

Hey that's great that you've had no problems! I haven't had any problems with my PC in 10 years! I think I'm going to take the testimonies of 75,000 people over you and the 4 people you know who own Macs though.

Also, one of reports is based on opinions another is based on data. I'll take the data in this case.


FACT: You're just getting silly at this point if you're trying to claim that Dell's photo software or video editing software is on par with Apple's. To get anything on par with Apple's included software you basically need to buy one of Adobe's consumer level products with gets you in the $100 range.

Are you talking about Final Cut Express 4 and Aperture 2? If so, you have to pay extra for those apps. If you are talking about the other software that comes on the Mac then I would say that yes, the software I can obtain online free of charge works just as well. BUT, the standard software that comes with a Dell would work just fine for your average video editor. You do realize that you are not making blockbuster movies right? Are you really letting Apple convince you that you are? All the home vids you'll make on your camcorder can be edited just fine on the standard software that comes with any PC. You don't need all of that extra crap.


Is it worth paying roughly the same price? Hell, I'd pay more if I had to, but thankfully, I really didn't have to. As I mentioned earlier, OS X is definitely worth the extra cost over Vista though, and even XP is worth a premium over Vista.

Wow, you actually buy into that stuff.

Windows 7? You want me to run a beta Microsoft OS? Hell, most businesses won't even run a Microsoft OS until after the first Service Pack is released several months down the line.

There is a big difference between a beta and a release client. Beta ended a month ago...

[Patrick Bateman]

This thread is awesome.

[locd32]

Originally Posted by Patrick Bateman

This thread is awesome.

No comment on the Dell I linked that was $900 cheaper then the comparable Mac I linked? That's a fair comparison is it not

[tuff bob]

If you run Windows, you pretty much need to install spyware and virus protection and at least deal with updating or renewing it, there's really no if's or but's about it.

The good news, is that everything you need is free if you have time to find out about it.

All it takes is for an infected ad to be served up on a popular site that exploits a hole in IE and boom, you're dead without it. Heck, wasn't even this site accidentally caught out with that problem a while ago?

[hexydes]

Originally Posted by Trevor Barnes

You are a brave man AA. I know several casual PC users that do nothing but send email and browse the internet who have been infected with some nasty stuff. If by not "needing" it you mean that people can just wait till they get infected, then reformat, I guess that's true.

I have six computers running at home, none of them with anti-virus or anti-spyware software running. I've never been infected on any of them, and I do a lot more than the average user online...

Originally Posted by GoStateNate

All I'm saying is you have to be able to look through the prism of the computer illiterate. They don't know a goddamn thing about it computers outside of the basic basic functions. It's easy for you and I, but not so easy for the computer illiterate in a world where computers are almost a neccessity.

Aside from the fact that Windows is just as secure as Mac OS X, at least Windows comes with some built-in software that does at least a decent job of watching over these potential issues. Mac OS X comes with nothing.

Go ahead and reply back that it doesn't need that stuff. You're right, and that's because the Mac platform is so unpopular that virus writers simply don't waste their time writing viruses that would infect such a small segment of computer users. Rest-assured, if Apple ever found a way to penetrate a meaningful segment of the computer market, their OS would be compromised just as fast as Windows.

Originally Posted by locd32

No comment on the Dell I linked that was $900 cheaper then the comparable Mac I linked? That's a fair comparison is it not

There never is. The Mac cultists always ask people to give examples of how Windows-based PC's are cheaper. They'll usually come back and read off a list of accessories nobody cares about that are missing from the Windows PC (as I said earlier). If you build a system with all of that and it still comes in cheaper, they just ignore your post.

Apple fans know that they're full of ****, they just don't care. If you know they're wrong and/or lying, they just move on to the next person, hoping they're gullible enough to eat the **** that they're shoveling.

[MSU Mathguy]

Originally Posted by hexydes

Maybe you should mention that the reason for this is because Apple put in artificial constraints on the OS, so that it wouldn't install on "normal" hardware (which is what Macs use) without using this "weird hack".

This is why I hate Apple fans. You're a bunch of ****ing liars. You'll say anything to get people to look at your computer. You're worse than a ****ing used car salesman. It's also why your ilk are likened to a religious cult.

Sweet talk always wins me over.

[hexydes]

Originally Posted by MSU Mathguy

Sweet talk always wins me over.

I don't care about winning anyone over, that would be the Mac crowd. I'm more interested in simply talking about reality.

[scott91575]

Originally Posted by hexydes

I don't care about winning anyone over, that would be the Mac crowd. I'm more interested in simply talking about reality.

Exactly. No one is going to win over the Mac crowd without some serious waterboarding. Yet most people get tired of the lies. Mac has a fine product, and I can see the appeal in certain areas. Yet the amount of downright wrong information that is thrown out is mind boggling.

Most of the Mac plusses are also available for PC's. The only things that are not are the Mac OS and some Mac software. What I love is the people that act like Microsoft is some evil corporation when they create software that can run on Mac or PC, and Apple only makes an OS and software that will only run on their stuff. Why? Because they know they have zero hardware advantages, and the only way to protect their hardware business is with exclusive software. So you pay a premium for hardware that is the same as PC's and say "hey, look at the software I got with it." No, you paid the extra for the software. A lot more compared to comparable Windows compatible software. If you are willing to pay the premium for that software, great. Yet don't pretend Mac uses some magical Mac only hardware. 5+ years ago, yeah. Yet Apple figured out that made no sense.

[Sarsipius]

Originally Posted by hexydes

I don't care about winning anyone over, that would be the Mac crowd. I'm more interested in simply talking about reality.

Hardly. All you ever do is get on every computer thread that includes Apple or Macs and bash Apple, OS X, Mac users, and the Macintosh itself. You are way more interested in keeping people away from Apple than Mac users are interested in getting PC people to look at Macs. You ignore all posts where a person switches to a Mac and profoundly loves the user experience. You ignore all evidence that points to a superior user experience and elegance with OS X. Is not someone's experience "reality." If you don't want to win anyone over, then why the constant bashing of Apple?

-Yes, Macs are more expensive. To those using and loving Apple, it does not matter. The experience is worth the price. So why do you care so much?

-Yes, there is more software available for Windows. It is largely irrelevant. I could spend several lifetimes using my Mac and continually using new software and never run out of things to do. I can do virtually anything I want to on my Mac. If there is a must have PC game, I can probably run it on my Windows partition (or my stand-alone PC for that matter.)

-Yes, you can run all the software you want on Windows just as you can drive from East Lansing to Dewitt with almost any car (Windows.) But the experience of driving there can be vastly different with a well-designed, fun car (OS X.) Obviously OS X does not appeal to you. So be it. Nobody cares. Have fun with your choice. I'm not concerned with you liking Apple, but I am concerned with you trying to sway everyone else away from Apple. Let them decide for themselves. People can see the price of the computer and if they choose Apple, they know what they spent and often know they could get something cheaper if they chose non-Apple.

-Apple people are not in a "cult" and do not all think alike. Liberals, conservatives, rich, poor, black, white, all shades in between, nerds, actors, musicians, businesspersons, etc. all represent Mac users. We simply enjoy our experience so much that we want others to know a better way. For many it will be a better way but most are blinded by ignorance of Macs.

How many people post messages on the net telling of their abandonment of Apple for the better Windows experience? (a few yes, but a low percentage compared to those switching away from Windows to OS X.) How many try a Mac and end up preferring OS X? (most)

Some examples:

Indigio Blog » Blog Archive » Why I Switched to Mac and What I Have Learned
50 Reasons to Switch from Microsoft Windows to Apple’s Mac OS X | Chris Pirillo
I Switched to a Mac - Here Are The Notes | Common Craft - Explanations In Plain English
Thomas Hawk Buys a Mac | Thomas Hawk Digital Connection
Did You Switch From Windows to a Mac or Back? Any Regrets? - Gizmodo Australia
Update On Our Switch To Mac | My Switch To Mac
Once you go Mac « blog maverick
The Big Switch from Windows to Mac OS X — Tom Markiewicz
Reader's Story: I switched to Mac and don't care about the price difference | Hardware 2.0 | ZDNet.com
True Ventures » Mac Switch
David Alison's Blog: Why switching to Mac was the right move for me
gdharries.com - Switched back to Mac
Jason Larson » Why I Switched To Mac - Yes “I’m now a Mac”
Apple MacBook Review: Part 1 : Introduction - Review Tom's Hardware

[hexydes]

Originally Posted by TennesseeSpartan

Hardly. All you ever do is get on every computer thread that includes Apple or Macs and bash Apple, OS X, Mac users, and the Macintosh itself. You are way more interested in keeping people away from Apple than Mac users are interested in getting PC people to look at Macs. You ignore all posts where a person switches to a Mac and profoundly loves the user experience. You ignore all evidence that points to a superior user experience and elegance with OS X. Is not someone's experience "reality." If you don't want to win anyone over, then why the constant bashing of Apple?

I can't think of a time where I've "bashed" anyone who simply said that they enjoy using Mac OS X; I honestly wouldn't do that because I also enjoy using Mac OS X. I think it is a fantastic, very capable, modern operating system, just like Windows. While I think that the Mac computers themselves are horribly overpriced, I certainly have no problem with people buying them, and it also doesn't change the fact that I think Mac OS X is a great operating system, just like Windows.

What I can't stand is the cult of Apple crowd who shows up in every single Apple-related thread, spreading misinformation about Apple's line of computers. I get really tired of hearing the outright lies and fabrications that are generated from the fingers of these people.

-Yes, Macs are more expensive. To those using and loving Apple, it does not matter. The experience is worth the price. So why do you care so much?

I don't. Again, buy what you want. However, when the cult of Apple members begin saying things like "Macs cost more because they are so superior to Windows PCs", that's where I draw the line. If you are willing to pay more for a Mac simply because it's what you prefer, that's great, but don't make up lies to justify why you did it.

-Yes, there is more software available for Windows. It is largely irrelevant. I could spend several lifetimes using my Mac and continually using new software and never run out of things to do. I can do virtually anything I want to on my Mac. If there is a must have PC game, I can probably run it on my Windows partition (or my stand-alone PC for that matter.)

What's your point? I don't think I ever argued against anything you said here.

-Yes, you can run all the software you want on Windows just as you can drive from East Lansing to Dewitt with almost any car (Windows.) But the experience of driving there can be vastly different with a well-designed, fun car (OS X.)

You see?! THIS is what I'm talking about! Apple users' sense of superiority. This is why the majority of people think you're a bunch of pretentious douchbags.

Obviously OS X does not appeal to you. So be it.

See, you don't even know me. I think Mac OS X is great. I use a Mac all the time, and I think it works just fine. I also use Windows Vista/7 all the time, and I think that works great too. In fact, I even use Ubuntu Linux from time to time (though I haven't in a while, admittedly), and for the most part, that works great as well.

This is the problem with Apple cultists; if you don't think that Macs are the best thing ever made/invented/created, then you must hate Apple.

Nobody cares. Have fun with your choice. I'm not concerned with you liking Apple, but I am concerned with you trying to sway everyone else away from Apple. Let them decide for themselves. People can see the price of the computer and if they choose Apple, they know what they spent and often know they could get something cheaper if they chose non-Apple.

Again, if you want to buy an Apple computer, PLEASE DO! They cost more, do not run any faster than a lower-price Windows-based PC, and do exactly the same thing. If the unique form-factor and Mac OS X are enough to justify the difference in price for you, then absolutely, buy it.

However, if you do buy it, please don't tell other people to buy one as well, and then when they ask about it, start telling lies about Windows-based PCs.

-Apple people are not in a "cult" and do not all think alike. Liberals, conservatives, rich, poor, black, white, all shades in between, nerds, actors, musicians, businesspersons, etc. all represent Mac users. We simply enjoy our experience so much that we want others to know a better way. For many it will be a better way but most are blinded by ignorance of Macs.

Are you ****ing kidding me? You just said that you don't all think alike, and then proceeded to describe the group-think mindset and sense of superiority that all Mac users have.

And again, another example of Apple cultist *********gery. Look at you..."we want others to know a better way." Get the **** over yourself, it's a computer, running on the same hardware, running many of the same applications, doing basically the same thing, with a slightly different interface.

How many people post messages on the net telling of their abandonment of Apple for the better Windows experience? (a few yes, but a low percentage compared to those switching away from Windows to OS X.) How many try a Mac and end up preferring OS X? (most)

Some examples:

Indigio Blog » Blog Archive » Why I Switched to Mac and What I Have Learned
50 Reasons to Switch from Microsoft Windows to Apple’s Mac OS X | Chris Pirillo
I Switched to a Mac - Here Are The Notes | Common Craft - Explanations In Plain English
Thomas Hawk Buys a Mac | Thomas Hawk Digital Connection
Did You Switch From Windows to a Mac or Back? Any Regrets? - Gizmodo Australia
Update On Our Switch To Mac | My Switch To Mac
Once you go Mac « blog maverick
The Big Switch from Windows to Mac OS X — Tom Markiewicz
Reader's Story: I switched to Mac and don't care about the price difference | Hardware 2.0 | ZDNet.com
True Ventures » Mac Switch
David Alison's Blog: Why switching to Mac was the right move for me
gdharries.com - Switched back to Mac
Jason Larson » Why I Switched To Mac - Yes “I’m now a Mac”
Apple MacBook Review: Part 1 : Introduction - Review Tom's Hardware

Yeah, that's because there's like 17 Mac users out there. I guess when you have around 90% of the market, there's not many people left to jump ship to your side.

And once again, wrapping up your post, there's that Apple-fan-cult sense of superiority. You people seriously think that it is your purpose in life to convert people over to your computing platform, and you'll say and do anything to accomplish that end.

[PortlandSpartan]

Originally Posted by hexydes

And once again, wrapping up your post, there's that Apple-fan-cult sense of superiority. You people seriously think that it is your purpose in life to convert people over to your computing platform, and you'll say and do anything to accomplish that end.

As if any of this is different than the various technology related crusades you've gone on here. Oh, but you're just giving everyone a dose of reality, playing the humble public servant. As if your OPINIONS carry so much more weight than others.

You talk about douchbaggery and superiority and pompousness but I doubt there is a person on this board who is more in love with their own words/thoughts than you. I guarantee you love the smell of your ****.

You're clearly a smart dude who stays up on tech. Just don't pretend you don't have biases or that you don't behave like the Mac users you rail against from time to time.

[Heat Miser]

Well, the board does have one of these - but no Start smiley. Mac wall conspiracy. OS war.

[hexydes]

Originally Posted by PortlandSpartan

You're clearly a smart dude who stays up on tech. Just don't pretend you don't have biases or that you don't behave like the Mac users you rail against from time to time.

I don't think I ever pretend not to have biases, when I legitimately do have them. I hate Sony, for example. When discussing all things Blu-ray, one facet of my argument is always going to be that I despise Sony, and don't support the products that they make. I'll come right out and admit that (and have, on many occasions).

However, I hold no such biases in the Mac vs. Windows debate. I think both operating systems are fantastic, and fully support people using (and even buying) both. My only beef with the Mac is their ****ty userbase. I don't think that makes me bias at all when debating the factual merits of either platform. I guess you could say I am biased against Mac fanatics, but that certainly doesn't spoil my unbiased position on Mac vs. Windows PCs.

[The Matador]

I've owned a hp. Out of the box it was defective. I spent a year with it defective before hp was willing to look at it (hours and hours on the phone. Many lost files and wasted hours on things I had to do over). Turned out it was a graphics card that wasn't compatible with the motherboard. They put a new board in it and it worked, save the loose screws they left in it to rattle around. A year later I tried to update to windows xp, and after that the. Constant freeze issue popped back up, this time with no warranty.

After hearing how great a dell was, I bought a $1500 inspiron 6000d. It worked well for about a year. It got slow, had spyware that couldn't be uninstalled, so I formAtted it and reinstalled xp. Shortly after I started getting the blue screen. Hard drive went bad, had to replace it. Keyboard went bad had to replace it. AC adapter was junk after two years, had to have it soldered back on. Wireless chip came loose, had to have it reattached. Then the hard drive went bad again.

Found a cheap dell desktop that I have been using that is slow garbage.

I just want a computer that works with limited maintenance, that is why I am looking at apple.

Btw dells preinstalled software is garbage.

[AASpartan]

Originally Posted by The Matador

I've owned a hp. Out of the box it was defective. I spent a year with it defective before hp was willing to look at it (hours and hours on the phone. Many lost files and wasted hours on things I had to do over). Turned out it was a graphics card that wasn't compatible with the motherboard. They put a new board in it and it worked, save the loose screws they left in it to rattle around. A year later I tried to update to windows xp, and after that the. Constant freeze issue popped back up, this time with no warranty.

After hearing how great a dell was, I bought a $1500 inspiron 6000d. It worked well for about a year. It got slow, had spyware that couldn't be uninstalled, so I formAtted it and reinstalled xp. Shortly after I started getting the blue screen. Hard drive went bad, had to replace it. Keyboard went bad had to replace it. AC adapter was junk after two years, had to have it soldered back on. Wireless chip came loose, had to have it reattached. Then the hard drive went bad again.

Found a cheap dell desktop that I have been using that is slow garbage.

I just want a computer that works with limited maintenance, that is why I am looking at apple.

Btw dells preinstalled software is garbage.

I'm on an IBM Thinkpad right now that I set up in 2004. Never reinstalled the OS and the only problem I've had with it was my fault. I busted the space bar off cleaning the keyboard. All the parts on it are the same as when I took it out of the box.

[Heat Miser]

Originally Posted by AASpartan

I'm on an IBM Thinkpad right now that I set up in 2004. Never reinstalled the OS and the only problem I've had with it was my fault. I busted the space bar off cleaning the keyboard. All the parts on it are the same as when I took it out of the box.

I've got an HP MediaCenter desktop I bought in '06 that has been trouble free.

[CORNER BLITZ]

The hard drive on my dell just crapped out after 6 years...do I repair or buy new....

Perhaps I should start another fiery thread on what I should buy mac/pc style as I'm thinking of getting both a desktop and a laptop.

[hexydes]

Originally Posted by The Matador

I've owned a hp. Out of the box it was defective. I spent a year with it defective before hp was willing to look at it (hours and hours on the phone. Many lost files and wasted hours on things I had to do over). Turned out it was a graphics card that wasn't compatible with the motherboard. They put a new board in it and it worked, save the loose screws they left in it to rattle around. A year later I tried to update to windows xp, and after that the. Constant freeze issue popped back up, this time with no warranty.

After hearing how great a dell was, I bought a $1500 inspiron 6000d. It worked well for about a year. It got slow, had spyware that couldn't be uninstalled, so I formAtted it and reinstalled xp. Shortly after I started getting the blue screen. Hard drive went bad, had to replace it. Keyboard went bad had to replace it. AC adapter was junk after two years, had to have it soldered back on. Wireless chip came loose, had to have it reattached. Then the hard drive went bad again.

Found a cheap dell desktop that I have been using that is slow garbage.

I just want a computer that works with limited maintenance, that is why I am looking at apple.

Btw dells preinstalled software is garbage.

And we had an iMac at work that just started displaying rainbow colors on the screen. Turns out the graphics card was fried. All computers can have problems.

Tell you what, give me $750 and I'll build you a great computer. I'm happy with all three of mine at home that I built. I'll even put Windows 7 on it for you.

[hexydes]

Originally Posted by CORNER BLITZ

The hard drive on my dell just crapped out after 6 years...do I repair or buy new....

Perhaps I should start another fiery thread on what I should buy mac/pc style as I'm thinking of getting both a desktop and a laptop.

If you're otherwise happy with the computer, just get a hard drive. They take about 3 minutes to put in, and another 15-30 minutes to install Windows on.

If the computer was starting to seem slow though, maybe it's time for a new system (six years is pretty old, I'm guessing it's probably a Pentium IV or Celeron, probably in the 2.5-3.0GHz range? That's pretty slow by today's standards, about as fast as a comparable netbook.

If you're looking for both, you might want to look at getting a netbook if they're not too small/slow for your needs. The HP Mini is a great series. If you don't need any crazy performance, you can probably do both a netbook and a desktop for around $1000. (maybe slightly more once shipping is introduced, but it'll be close)