Yeah, its new today, but will it be 'history' tomorrow?

A lot of folks have gone out and spent good money on a laptop or desktop computer for their kid(s) to use at school; I hope they let their kids pick them out.

Well meaning parents, wanting desperately to keep the college costs under control skimp and buy under powered PC's/laptops only to later discover they've been penny wise and pound foolish. Take notes here, save a dime or two and avoid the 'instant obsolescence' trap:

1st: There is NO SUCH THING as TOO much RAM memory. RAM is a bad place to skimp; if you don't know what I'm talking about, just trust me and buy a machine with 2 GB of RAM.

2nd: Does the machine include the software the user needs for school? Probably better have them add Microsoft Office Basic, which includes most of what any student will need.

3rd: Ask for an Intel 'dual core 2' processor or better. Again, trust me...the Celeron processors suck; they just do. The ADM chips MAY be fine, but Intel is ALWAYS a safe bet.

4th: Yes, every college kid needs a WI-FI wireless card. No ifs, ands, or buts. Hi-School kids need 'em, too.

There's lots more to tell, but if you follow these 4 rules the rest will fall into place. If you disregard these rules you've just bought a machine that is yesterday's technology today.

Older than God! or ... When to buy a NEW PC.

Just as a dog's years are 7 to one, computers have a ratio that exceeds our aging span. Folks often ask me if they should keep and upgrade their computer or dump and replace. There IS a rule of thumb and the ratio is more like 15-1. That is:

• Year 1 & 2 - Computer is like 1-30 : In its prime. Ask yourself, "How are things working? Do I need more RAM memory (more about that in another post elsewhere)? Do I need a 'check up' with a service technician"?
• Year 3 & 4 - By the end of year 4, I hate to say it but you have a computer Senior Citizen on your hands. Not that that's any crime, but upgrades are almost too late to do much good to extend the life of your machine. Life is cruel but, though it still may have a lot to contribute, your computer is just NOT a kid any more.
• Year 5 and above - Hey, it's a bear being over 75, but its not the end of life as we know it. With some tender loving care your computer will still give you good service. Have a 'computer Doctor' do an exam and consultation, but keep the money you spend on this cherished family member reasonable, given that it won't be doing 'Internet Disco' much anymore, likely.

Bottom line? Over 5 years of age replacement is probably a better choice than expensive upgrades. The world around the computer is moving so fast that software tools, graphics's from the internet and e-mails become more complex and begin to over tax older machines. Hey, if you are over 50 you KNOW what I'm talking about. We still have plenty we can contribute, but we aren't able to leap tall buildings in a single bound anymore. It's just a fact of life.