I receive lots of questions about technology, some of them are common, and some of them less so.  However, I decided that I would put together a top 10 list of sorts.  If this list answers a question you had and saves you money, awesome!  If this list gets close but not quite there you can always shoot me an email or give me a call for a consultation.  Let’s get going.

  1. Should I buy a Mac or a PC?
    • Although a binary question this is actually quite complex.  There are quite a few differences between a Mac and a PC.  The primary difference is that Apple makes both the software and hardware for the Mac, which creates a closed ecosystem, and guarantees compatibility and plug and play operation an anything Apple approved.  On the contrary the average PC is made from a mixture of components from varying companies with a Microsoft based operating system loaded on top.  All of this adds up to increased costs on the Mac and a generally lower cost on the PC.  All puns aside, in an apples to apples comparison the prices are generally comparative to one one another.  As for differences in what you can do with the two there are some stereotypes that must be shed.  Apple was originally the best thing for designers and artists, this was both because of the higher power graphics systems and the fact that these groups were generally not computer geeks.  PCs were generally viewed as tools for business without any soul or character.  All of this has blended and changed in todays world.  A Mac can serve in a business setting and a PC in an artists world.  Also, I use both systems as well as Linux.  Use the best tool for the job.
  2. Desktop or Laptop?
    • To sum it up short.  Desktops provide more power cheaper and more extensibly.  Laptops are more convenient and have achieved a level of power that is more than enough for most users.
  3. I want a PC, what brand should I get?
    • This question has become a lot like asking what car to buy.  There was a time in computing history where computers were different from one another, that is not the case today.  The components for most computers are made by a small handful of companies, and most of the big companies have nearly identical specs and prices.  My advice is to pick an aesthetic and form factor that you like and then compare the different brands across similar setups.
  4. What is a netbook and why wouldn’t I buy a $300 computer?
    • The netbook is an interesting concept that is incredibly useful for some and useless for others.  Netbooks are wonderful for college students, guests, people who travel, children, and supplements to other computers.  Netbooks are terrible for people with less than stellar vision, large hands, and who need to use a large amount of processor on a regular basis.  Netbooks lack an internal optical (CD, DVD, Blu-Ray) drive.  I view netbooks an a form of insurance for more expensive machines.  If you want something to check email with and surf the web and show off pictures without worrying about the $3k computer upstairs.
  5. I am getting a new computer and it has Windows on it, which version should I get?
    • One of the most bizarre things that Microsoft ever did with the Windows OS lineup was create separate editions for each iteration.  The first sub-question normally asked is whether to get XP or 7.  This question, while highly personal is also a pretty simple answer; unless you know why you need XP, get Windows 7.  There are a few people out there who might have some difficulty migrating to 7, the rewards will be well worth it.  Windows 7 is far more secure, stable, and all around polished.  As for Windows 7 there are currently 6 editions of Windows 7 worldwide, but only 4 that you will likely encounter in the wild.  The first is Windows 7 Starter Edition.  Started was aimed at low power, cheap devices, like netbooks above.  It does not allow the user to make certain changes, most notably the wallpaper of the computer.  The next edition that you will see is Windows 7 Home Premium.  This is relatively unencumbered and can do pretty much anything that the average computer can do.  Unless you are offered a free/cheap upgrade to the two above this, then I recommend Home Premium to the average user.  Professional and Ultimate are the top two editions and are prohibitively expensive for the vast majority of users.  If you are told that you must have them for a specific purpose (work/college/school) then it is best to listen, but short of that, save some money.
  6. What is the difference between the $15.00 wireless router and the $150.00 one?
    • $135.00.  Just kidding a little.  I generally tell people to avoid the super-cheap routers because they tend to act up and fail quickly.  If you want quick and easy buying advice follow this link to my home networking decision article.  There are a few bits of jargon that will help to understand the costs and features of these devices.  The first is the frequency range of the router.  This is measured in GHz (gigahertz) and is most often (in the USA) seen as 2.4GHz or 5Ghz.  The 5GHz band is much wider and carries much more data and is more resistant to interference.  The downside is a shorter maximum range.  The 2.4GHz band is older and more compatible with portable devices.  For instance iPhones/iPods and Nintendo/PSPs cannot connect to the 5GHz range.
    • In addition to different frequency bands, there are also different letters assigned to networking types.  For more info you can check out this wikipedia article about wi-fi channels.  There are different letters assigned to different specs.  The confusion amplifies with the new N standard.  If you have one or two devices that are brand new and known to support the new N standard you could very well go with a new N router.  If you think that you will be having guests and use older devices you are still probably better off buying a G router and waiting for N to get cheaper and more devices to support it.

There will be more to come (and I know, this is not a list of 10 things yet!).