Tips on Buying a New Computer, Part 2

- 2001.10.12

When you pick out what kind of computer you are going to get, you will need to learn how to maintain it so that it lasts for several years.

No matter what computer you bought, the first thing you should do is buy more RAM. Before you even bring the machine home (if you ordered it), order more RAM for it. There is no excuse not to have at least 256 MB of RAM in a Mac that supports PC100 or PC133 DIMMs - or in a PowerBook or iBook, for that matter. If you bought a used Mac, especially one that uses the older 3.3v or EDO DIMMs, you might want to be a bit more careful about the RAM you buy, since it tends to be more expensive.

Also make sure that you clean off your Mac's case from time to time. I just use a slightly damp cloth to clean my G4 and my PowerBook G3 - this makes it look like new. It also prevents some dust from possibly entering the case. Once a year, you may want to open the machine up (if it is a desktop, that is), and clean out any dust inside, paying special attention to the fan and power supply area.

Another thing you should do is make sure that your hard drive is always organized. An unorganized hard drive will lead to lost files and lost time looking for programs and files you swear you put in the Applications folder but are really hidden deep inside the System Folder somewhere.

Software

What about software upgrades? Should you install all the shareware and freeware extensions and applications that you can find? Should you upgrade to the latest and greatest software the day it comes out?

The answer to these questions is no. While I am not saying that shareware and freeware is bad, your Mac will run better with fewer applications installed and fewer extensions and control panels enabled. It's okay to have a few shareware/freeware extensions or control panels - it's just not a good idea to fill up your computer with things that you don't use or don't know how to use. Unnecessary software wastes RAM (if it is an extension/control panel) and hard drive space.

Also, don't upgrade to the latest versions of the Mac OS or other software until you have heard some feedback from others. Many people stay one version behind so they can be most compatible with current hardware and software. Often, New versions of the Mac OS sometimes render older applications unusable. For example, the transition to System 7 from System 6 forced many users to buy new programs, as did the transition from Mac OS 7.6 to 8, 8 to 8.5, 8.5 to 9, and now most recently 9 to X. However, Apple has done a good job keeping things compatible in OS X with the Classic environment (Mac OS  9 running inside of 10).

This brings up the other question. If you bought a new Mac, which operating system should you use? New Macs come loaded with Mac OS 9.2.1 and 10.1, but they are set to boot by default into 9. Should you use 9 or X?

My suggestion is to use OS X as much as possible. OS 10.1 is stable and reasonably fast, and there are a number of programs available for it. You can switch between operating systems with the Startup Disk control panel (or system pref in OS X).

Now that you have your computer and your operating system in order, what software should you buy? The most obvious might be Microsoft Office. But let me ask you: Are you buying Office because you like it, or because you have to? Personally, I like the layout of Office, I like the way the programs work, and I like some of the features (I can't stand the automatic spell check, however). But do you like Office? If you don't actually like it, don't buy it.

There are many alternatives, from Apple's AppleWorks 6.2, which it bundles with iMacs and iBooks, to Apple's TextEdit or SimpleText, which comes with the operating system, but can act as a simple word processor if you need to use it as such. There are also programs such as Word Perfect - while made for the classic Mac OS, it will still function under Classic in OS X - and MacWrite, which was made by Claris back in the 80s and early 90s. Again, it runs in Classic in OS X perfectly.

The Mac OS comes with a music program, iTunes, which plays MP3's and CD's, and an Internet application, Internet Explorer (you can always download Netscape, if you prefer). It comes with something for typing, and something for email (Outlook Express or Mail, depending on what Mac OS version you have).

One thing the Mac OS is lacking on is games. No, I don't sit at my computer and play games all day, but it is nice to have a few games to play when you're bored. I can't think of a better one than Reckless Drivin' (shareware). The object is to complete the race and hit as many of the other cars as you can without being caught by the police or running off the road. Far from reality, but it's still a fun game to play.

Your Old Files

How about if you have a bunch of files on your old machine, but want them on the new machine? Probably the best solution to this is using a crossover ethernet cable, available from your local CompUSA or other computer store. Simply connect this cable to the ethernet port on your old Macintosh and the one on your new Mac. Then open the "Sharing" system pref in OS X and start file sharing. Open the Chooser on your old Mac, select AppleShare, and click "Server IP Address." Enter the IP address of your new machine, and click OK. This will connect you to your new machine so its hard drive will appear on your old machine for you to copy files onto it.

If you are using the Classic Mac OS on your new computer, simply turn on AppleTalk on both machines (from the AppleTalk control panel - make sure they are both set to "Ethernet" or "Ethernet: built in"), start File Sharing on your new machine, select "AppleShare" in the Chooser on your old machine, and select your new machine: The name of your new Mac will appear in the Chooser when you select AppleShare. You will then connect to your new machine and its hard drive will appear on your old machine for you to copy files onto.

If you have a Zip drive on both machines, that's another way you can transfer the files. You can also use email, which is a good solution if you connect to the Internet at a good speed (such as a cable modem or DSL).

Which brings up something else. You have a new computer, a new operating system, new programs, and all of your files, but still the same slow dialup Internet access? Why not get cable Internet access or DSL? It speeds up downloads, makes pages load faster, enables you to watch QuickTime movies on the Web, speeds up Java downloads, and lets you download system updates much more easily, among other things. High-speed Internet connections are becoming more common and more realistically priced. If it is available in your area, I recommend that you look into it.

This is only one way to complete the process of buying a new computer. Many people choose to buy a new computer with all new software and all new peripherals, discarding all previous documents and applications. If you can afford it (not just financially - some people depend on documents that they have created on their previous computer), it is a nice way to do things because it lets you start fresh. I know, because this is what I did when I replaced my beige G3 with a G4 tower. At the time I was somewhat sorry to see all of my old documents go, but I soon found out that I wasn't even looking for them. I simply didn't need them - and to think that they took up almost 1 GB (!) of space on my old G3's hard disk.

Buying a new computer doesn't have to be complicated. It can be (dare I say it) fun if you have some ideas of how to accomplish the task.