which PC
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- haha
To all you PC users out there: I'm looking for suggestions for super cheap PC laptop. I'm a mac user, but my accountant wants me to switch my accounting software from quickbooks (using on mac) to online quickbooks service (only for PC).
I don't want to run bootcamp on my Macbook Pro, I want to buy a seperate laptop strictly for this. Any suggestions? I would love to keep the price at around 500-600 dollars? Possible?
Is Dell my only option, and if so, which one would you suggest?
- mimeartist0
don't even want to use parallels desktop?
- madirish0
craigslist.
it doesn't matter which one you get- it will piss you off either way.
just get something that turns on and won't explode. and back the data up.
- haha0
yes i know that would save me money, but not interested in junking up my Macs with all the PC ware that comes with.
Keep it separate, only use the PC strictly for accounting, no web surfing, etc. At least thats the plan.
- haha0
lol thanks madirish... i know thats why I want them separate.
- Jaline0
*slaps Matty
- haha0
all joking aside, anybody got any suggestions?
- Nairn0
Why a laptop? why not a small form-factor unit, which can share your Mac's monitor, mouse and keyboard? Or do you need to run the two machines concurrently?
I'd just dig around for a trustworthy second-hand unit from somewhere local - see if any friends or businesses have an old machine they'd like to offload.
If not, your primary consideration should be what specs your future account software requires.. beyond that, buy a computer magazine and dig around the ads at the back - or go for a Dell, but last time I saw one I felt like I'd been abused - they're not the prettiest of machines.
- Jim_t0
I've got an ASUS laptop. They stay pretty cool whilst running and have good screens. Plus the battery lasts for ages.
- madirish0
*slaps Matty
Jaline
(Mar 22 07, 04:13)not too hard- i have sensitive skin....
- jpea0
you actually sound like the exact customer that parallels was created for. needing to run 1 or 2 Windows only programs while running a Mac. it doesn't clutter up your mac with anything at all. that's the beauty of virtualization. it all is contained in a virtual environment, never touching anything on the mac side of things.
but, hey, if you wanna blow some money for no good reason, get a craigslist craptop and regret it while you have the perfect solution right in front of you.
- jpea0
btw, you have a great portfolio there adam. I dig the archive...
- mrdobolina0
come on over and I will give you a 750mhz, low form factor compaq.
- mrdobolina0
bring beer
- haha0
thanks jpea, nice to hear compliments.
also, thanks for the advice. I agree parallel desktops would be nice, I'd love to spare myself the expense of one of those things.
The only concern I have is when I asked the apple salesperson about it, they said that if i run windows at all on my MBP, expect to share all the spyware, etc. also. I don't know if that's true or not, but it sure freaked me out a little. I depend on MBP to shoot with on location, and although I have a spare PB, I'd sure hate to lose it temporarily while I sort all th PC problems off of it.
So thats why I think a separate machine might be nice (plus I like the portability of a laptop, in case I ever need to take it in to my accantant, instead of just working online.
Thanks
- jpea0
it's only partly true. if you get spyware on your parallels install of windows, then yes, you have spyware in your windows install. since it runs in virtualization though, it's completely self contained to that specific windows virtual machine and won't affect anything on your mac. if your windows install ever crapped out on you, you could simply delete it and create a new virtual machine and you'd be back to a fresh install, all while never affecting your mac. the apple rep was confusing the issue.
- madirish0
for example:
http://maine.craigslist.org/sys/…;)
- rafalski0
apple salesperson.. sounds like someone who knows what they're talking about..
I second parallels. You can run a windows app as if it were an OSX window now and it won't have access to anything outside virtual machine
- flashbender0
If you're looking for something cheap and new, browse around newegg's selection - best pricing anywhere:
- haha0
cool thanks
maybe I'll look into parallels.I'm assuming you don't have to have a copy of Windows installed then?
We just need to run this:
http://oe.quickbooks.com/
- Nairn0
Surely you would need a copy of Windows?