Help!! I need knowledge!!!

[morganlefayw]

Alright, I'm gonna be truthful. i know next to nothing about computers and usually discover things when I do something accidently. Technology and me? No, like oil and water. ANYONE who can help me or lend thier two cents is greatly apprecaited.
I am looking around for a laptop for myself. Here's my problem: I don't know what brand. All I know is that I'd like to have it for wireless internet access, Word documents, burn cd's and dvds, use it for photoshop etc, etc, etc. I am kinda stupid when it comes to technology so I need alot of help here. The most expensive one I cam across was a HP for $2,199. I have no clue whether it's worth it or not, I need your imput.
And another stupid question: how exactly do you download files from other people's computers on the internet? My friend does it all the time, but I have no clue how to even do this: PLEASE HELP ME!!!!
Please, I know you're rolling your eyes at my idioticy, but I honestly need your advice!!!

[CNagy]

Honestly, to do what you've described you could get a laptop from Dell or Gateway for around or under a $1000. I haven't seen a laptop over $1700 that wasn't basically made to play games.

[General_Admission]

1)Dell
2) p2p software. 'Ares Lite' is prob the best for you. It's what I use and is very easy.

http://www.aresgalaxy.org/download.html

[Marblehead]

Honestly, to do what you've described you could get a laptop from Dell or Gateway for around or under a $1000. I haven't seen a laptop over $1700 that wasn't basically made to play games.

Agreed, If all you're goiing to do is surf the web and write some papers, go cheap.

[morganlefayw]

I need the type that I won't have to upgrade for 2-3 years. And it's not to write papers- I dropped outta college. I need a seriously artsy-fartsy one. One that has really good graphics and I came put a buncha art programs on it.

[CNagy]

Chances are a middle of the line Dell will serve you well, for years to come. Just check the programs you want to throw on the laptop now, buy the next grade over what they require at least, and you are good to go.

[Jiant Flying Panda]

I need the type that I won't have to upgrade for 2-3 years. And it's not to write papers- I dropped outta college. I need a seriously artsy-fartsy one. One that has really good graphics and I came put a buncha art programs on it.

What? Like 3D modeling?

Hmmm. I'm not really good with comps either but I'd say.... At least a 1.8 - 2.? gig would do? Someone please, correct me if I'm wrong.

And have a graphics card with at lest 256 MB....

PS: Again. Someone please correct me. I'm not much of a computer guy so.... Yeah.

[morganlefayw]

Yes, like 3-D modeling and such.
And thank you General Admission for the website. I no longer feel like sucha freakin' idiiot.

[setrict]

"I need a seriously artsy-fartsy one. One that has really good graphics and I came put a buncha art programs on it"

Consider buying a Mac. Seriously. Almost all of the professional graphics artists I've worked with always seem to use a Mac as primary work machines, or have both a PC and Mac.

[Jiant Flying Panda]

"I need a seriously artsy-fartsy one. One that has really good graphics and I came put a buncha art programs on it"

Consider buying a Mac. Seriously. Almost all of the professional graphics artists I've worked with always seem to use a Mac as primary work machines, or have both a PC and Mac.

Ahhhh forget everything I said. Go with him; I just realized how reliable Macs are for these things.

Good call setrict :).

As for what you should use for exchanging stuff between comps.

I suggest this as well (http://www.limewire.com/english/content/home.shtml)

Or..... You can go with Bittorrent. It's a lot more direct and safer way of sharing files between computers but I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU DO NOT USE IT!! (I'm not even going to give you [or anyone] a link to it) well, not now at least, it's..... It's not very user friendly if you don't really know what your doing. Also, it's a bicth to get rid off. It took me and my even more computer savy friend like a hour and a half to COMPLETELY get rid of it and every little thing it left on my comp.

I only mention this because maybe you might want to mention this to some of your computer savy friends who might be familliar with the program.

[General_Admission]

^ if you want to download torrents get a program like Bitcomet and you won't have those porblems. Makes it like a music p2p search.

Bit Comet it awesome. It's what I use to download movies. Also, if you want a good site for downloading porn torrents I can hook u up. It is the best I have ever seen and PLF showed it to me.

[Jiant Flying Panda]

^ if you want to download torrents get a program like Bitcomet and you won't have those porblems. Makes it like a music p2p search.

Yeah I heard of Bit Comet but that was after my ordeal with Bittorrent. So I was pretty much wary of anything with the word Bit in it and didnt want to risk having hidden crap in the darkest places of my comp, hehe.

I might try out this Bitcomet...... On my friend's computer, mwuahahaha! (insert evil smiley here). Yeah, we mess around that much.

Bit Comet it awesome. It's what I use to download movies. Also, if you want a good site for downloading porn torrents I can hook u up. It is the best I have ever seen and PLF showed it to me.


Hehe. Nah, that's okay dude.

[General_Admission]

^ I use and it and so far it's clean.

http://www.bitcomet.com/

[Jiant Flying Panda]

^ I use and it and so far it's clean.

http://www.bitcomet.com/

Yeah so was Bittorrent. Bittorent was brilliant but the problem with it was getting rid of it and every little thing it left behind.

I'm scared Bit Comet might work the same way dude, excellent and might seem like completely great shit until you want to get rid of it but you can't because it was made by some lame ass hacker.

I don't want to go throw that again... It was horrible :(

[General_Admission]

Yeah so was Bittorrent. Bittorent was brilliant but the problem with it was getting rid of it and every little thing it left behind.

I'm scared Bit Comet might work the same way dude, excellent and might seem like completely great shit until you want to get rid of it but you can't because it was made by some lame ass hacker.

I don't want to go throw that again... It was horrible :(

ah, ok?

1.5 hours spent to clean up a comp isn't that bad.

I remember when I completely screwed up a comp when I was 12. My dad showed me how to go through and clean it so it could at least run windows again. It's a bitch to look for back-up disks and things. :D

Also, about 2 months ago I fried my 160 GB HD. I think it may have been due to me modding CoD too much. :confused: However, Dell replaced it for free and had it to me with a guy to actually put it in for me the next day. That's service. :D

Lucky it was summer vacation so I didn't have anything important on it that was due. Now I back all my papers up.

BTW: What is up with the smilie flood protection thing!

[akitaka]

And have a graphics card with at lest 256 MB

I disagree in the fact that I majored in CG at High school for the full 4 years; you only need 64 if you go 2D, and 128 if you go 3D. Honestly, rendering 3D is based on your memory and processing power; with this said, you won't have feel sad and shell out more cash just because the laptop happens to have a 256MB Radeon x800 or some junk.

Macs are expensive in any direction; if you want to pinch a penny then go Windows.
Macs are only desired, because they don't junk up. Aka pros need NO ERRORS; and macs provide a steady flow of speed, since anything that is erased, stays erased. Less junk data.

However, personally, I know how to build/operate PCs enough to kill the bothersome details. Dell makes good laptops that are affordable; Look for the ones that give steady HD space (more than 40), as well as memory at 512+ mb, and have a radeon card that hits 128 (just because it's better/price). If you don't want to get outdated for 3 years, well, I've had this emachine that's had only a graphics card update once, and have been happy with it since.

One thing to keep in mind too, is that you can still upgrade the memory for laptops.

[Marblehead]

PC's are easy to upgrade but Mac's are awesome so long as you don't care abouit playing a lot of games. I have a G5 with dual 2.7's. I bought it because I was sick of having to upgrade my pc every six months. Maya is completly compatible with Mac. They even have a demo learning software that you can download for free. You can find a program for 90% of the software out there that'll work for Mac. Worst case scenerio you can get the Windows emulator( just make sure you have a shit load[ about gig] of ram)to run any windows program. Mac is very versitile, but very expensive.

[General_Admission]

^ WTH Marblehead!

You got rid of that chick in your avatar. She had some of the most awesome ears ever!

I demand a link! :mad:

[Jiant Flying Panda]

I disagree in the fact that I majored in CG at High school for the full 4 years; you only need 64 if you go 2D, and 128 if you go 3D. Honestly, rendering 3D is based on your memory and processing power; with this said, you won't have feel sad and shell out more cash just because the laptop happens to have a 256MB Radeon x800 or some junk.

:rolleyes:.

Well I did say correct me if I'm wrong.

Jeez, you didn't have to make me look so bad :(.

[Marblehead]

^ WTH Marblehead!

You got rid of that chick in your avatar. She had some of the most awesome ears ever!

I demand a link! :mad:

Dude, it's the same chick! That's Mari Yaguchi, formally of Morning Musume and here's your link:

http://wiki.theppn.org/Yaguchi_Mari

and this:

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/6887/739317tt.jpg

[akitaka]

Sorry, chief; my fire spat a little there. However it's in my experience; I remember back when the teacher really egged us about the cost of macs, when she didn't even know what kind of card was in them. They costed about 2k each, and we had two of them. Meanwhile the cheapo PCs that had 64meg nvidias were outperfoming them, somehow. Visuals were just as good, too.

[General_Admission]

Dude, it's the same chick! That's Mari Yaguchi, formally of Morning Musume and here's your link:

http://wiki.theppn.org/Yaguchi_Mari

ahhhhh...thank you... :o

That satisfys my ear fetish for the day. Just look at how much her ears stick out.

http://wiki.theppn.org/images/3/36/yaguchi_mari_2.jpg

:o

To the HD she goes.

[Marblehead]

ahhhhh...thank you... :o

That satisfys my ear fetish for the day. Just look at how much her ears stick out.

http://wiki.theppn.org/images/3/36/yaguchi_mari_2.jpg

:o

To the HD she goes.


She is just that awesome! :D

[akitaka]

You've got a sticking-out ear fetish too, huh. I find them kind of cute, as well.

[Marblehead]

You've got a sticking-out ear fetish too, huh. I find them kind of cute, as well.

Seriously, that is one of the most cute things a girl can do. It drives me just a little bit bonkers. :D

[Jai]

Honestly, to do what you've described you could get a laptop from Dell or Gateway for around or under a $1000. I haven't seen a laptop over $1700 that wasn't basically made to play games.

And if your silly enough to buy a $1700 laptop to play games on, youve either got

1. too much money

2. a workplace/school where you can get away with playing games, but only if you have them on a laptop

3. no idea about what makes a true gaming platform (this also applies to anyone using a console and a TV :p )

Ironically the same rules mostly apply to a graphics-heavy platform. Unless you desperately need the portability, your insane to buy a craptop. Youll get a desktop that can do the same thing better for under half the moolah.

[houkouonchi]

ive put about $2500 in my laptop it is:

Dell XPS gen 2
2 GHz Pentium-M CPU
2 GB PC2-533 DDR2 memory
100 GB 5400 RPM HD
8x dual layer DVD burner
256 MB GeForce go 6800 Ultra
17" WUXGA LCD LG display
2x80 WHr batteries
Creative Audigy 2 ZS Notebook
Dell XPS gen 2 backpack
4 year dell warranty with in-home service

I would say I got a pretty good price on it, that is after tax/shipping buying 3rd party memory and with the sound card.

I would say definitely go dell if you get a laptop you will get the best price, get coupons from this site:
http://www.gottadeal.com/dell.php

I also got a really good deal on a Dell Inspiron 6000

1.6 GHz pentium-m
512 MB PC2-400 (i think) memory
80 GB HD
15.4" WXGA screen
8x dual layer DVD burner
Bigger 80 WHr battery
intel integrated graphcis(they kinda suck)
3 month dell warranty
$580 shipped/tax of course it was refurbished but less than 30 days old someone probably just sent it back within the 21 day dell return policy.