Desktop PC for parents

[Turbo Rider]

Well as long as they can find Google Chrome / IE they'll be fine!

Yes...take them to PC world for a demo...a handy member of staff will be along to help if there's bother...the one on Purley Way, near Sainsburies in Croydon has got loads of bits to look at...

 

[neil_merseyside]

Don'y pay extra for M$ Office, but if its included or cheap then fair enough, but Libre Office is good for free (but do make a donation). Lots of very good software for free (do donate though) which isn't bloated and is as effective as paid. Run Belarc Advisor to see what software is on the system and when and how often it's used and it will show the licence keys in case you can't find them if you are re-installing. Don't be afraid of W8.1 runs just like W7/XP with classic shell so no learning curve needed.

I wouldn't mind betting if you nip over to Priform and get CCleaner and Defraggler you can save buying a laptop...

 

[vickster]

Don'y pay extra for M$ Office, but if its included or cheap then fair enough, but Libre Office is good for free (but do make a donation). Lots of very good software for free (do donate though) which isn't bloated and is as effective as paid. Run Belarc Advisor to see what software is on the system and when and how often it's used and it will show the licence keys in case you can't find them if you are re-installing. Don't be afraid of W8.1 runs just like W7/XP with classic shell so no learning curve needed.

I wouldn't mind betting if you nip over to Priform and get CCleaner and Defraggler you can save buying a laptop...

???

In English again...

 

[Turbo Rider]

He said don't by Microsoft Office, as you can download a freebie. Don't buy internet security, as you can download freebies. And you can get Windows 8.1 running like XP or 7 if you download a program called Classic Shell.

It's all true, just a lot of faff..but not too much faff...this is a link explaining the Windows 8 dilema - it has a link to classic shell on number 2:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2385007/the-top-10-windows-8-questions-everyone-asks.html

 

[andyfraser]

How much and how big are the screens, they need full size (15"). And can you word process, transfer Office documents etc from an existing laptop and so on. I know not!

The only 15" Chromebook I know of is the new Acer for £250. For Office documents I'd set up a OneDrive account if they don't have one and transfer them there. OneDrive has online versions of Word and Excel. Google Docs can read and write Office docs too so documents can be stored in Google Drive. It's not as complicated as I make it sound. My OH has taken to her Chromebook (my old 11").

 

[neil_merseyside]

???

In English again...

Get Piriform CCleaner here:- http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download
and install and run and it will clear up all the crap - never failed me.

Then get :- http://www.piriform.com/defraggler
and install and run that and it will defragment the drive

Then see how clunky the laptop is afterwards - might just be OK

 

[andyfraser]

All this faff is why I either run Linux or use Chromebooks or, where I do need Windows, buy PCs with no OS and take the hit on an OEM version of Windows (£76.19 currently on ebuyer).

 

[vickster]

There is something very odd with their current laptop. They can't complete any transactions on it. There may be a setting somewhere, but I have no idea what. They had a malware issue, an IT bod looked at it (where they used to live), did stuff and it's been quite problematic. It must be at least 5 years old and it was a £300 laptop then

 

[vickster]

All this faff is why I either run Linux or use Chromebooks or, where I do need Windows, buy PCs with no OS and take the hit on an OEM version of Windows (£76.19 currently on ebuyer).

That's fine if you understand and are interested in IT, not the case for many including my family!

My parents are in their 70s and want Windows, they are familiar with it enough to do what they need to when running smoothly!

 

[andyfraser]

That's fine if you understand and are interested in IT, not the case for many including my family!

I know, I'm just saying. You could always find a tame IT person to do an install of Linux or set up an bare PC with an OEM version of Windows though.

 

[vickster]

I don't even know what Linux is. Prefer to get stuff that is ready to use with no faff. Same with bikes

 

[andyfraser]

I don't even know what Linux is. Prefer to get stuff that is ready to use with no faff. Same with bikes

Linux is an alternative operating system to Windows. I'm trying Linux Mint on my laptop. It's pretty much fire and forget.

 

[vickster]

Linux is an alternative operating system to Windows. I'm trying Linux Mint on my laptop. It's pretty much fire and forget.

You've lost me again. Do you work in IT perchance?

 

[andyfraser]

You've lost me again. Do you work in IT perchance?

Software developer/UNIX system administrator so yes.

 

[vickster]

Yes, you are talking utter gobbledegook