So you decided that it's enough, today you will get a new computer! Since you are not confident about your knowledge on the topic, you asked a "geek" friend to come to the rescue. That "geek" friend is (sic) me.
I understand the stress for the ridiculous number of choices available (cf Wikipedia:Decision theory
) but before parsing through them, consider first if you first need a new computer and why.
- new computers are faster
- true, but what is your usage of a computer? Usually if it's neither video processing nor video game, your usage is not resource intensive thus the speed is truly irrelevant. The work will not get done faster since speed was never the bottleneck in the first place.
- note that a computer, just like anything else that is used often and repetitively has to be taken care of, thus cleaned, organized and from time to time, radically. A new computer in that sense is very clean but that's not because it is new, but rather unused. If you were to erase everything from your current computer, it would be just as unused.
- new computer are greener
- that might be true but they still have to be produced and shipped whereas your current computer is already there and working.
- web applications require more and more resources
- yet hardly more than what a modern mobile phone can handle... thus what a very old computer can handle to
- I want, no I need power and multiple screen because Im good at multitasking
- multitask your way to the numerous studies on attention, focus and the inability of most people (yes, including women) to properly conduct a complex task with split focus
- new computer are...
- my computer burnt to ashes
- ok, you do need a new computer (consider first fixing your electricity outlets and the ventilation system).
Questions to go further
French
- Avez-vous un ordinateur ?
- Depuis combien de temps ?
- Avez-vous deja utilise sa garantie ?
- Fonctionne-t-il ?
- Quelles sont les 3 applications que vous utilisez le plus ?
- Qu'est-ce que vous n'aimez pas sur cet ordinateur ?
- Deplacez-vous souvent votre ordinateur ?
- Quel est votre budget maximum ?
- Pour quels usages allez-vous utiliser votre ordinateur ?
English
- Do you have a computer?
- How many years did you use it for?
- Did you ever use the warrantly on it?
- Is it currently working?
- What are the 3 applications you are using the most?
- What do you dislike about your computer?
- Do you carry your computer around?
- What is your maximum budget?
- What will you use your new computer for?
If you decided to buy one anyway
- consider giving the older one away
- if you want to keep it
- you can still "donate" its resources
- BOINC volunteer computing projects
- Tor Anonymity Online
- Freenet Share, Chat, Browse. Anonymously. On the Free Network.
- Seeks free and open P2P design and application for enabling social websearch
- UNHOSTED Freedom from web 2.0's monopoly platforms
- Wikipedia:Compulsive hoarding
See also
Fabien Benetou's PIM
