Computer performance should not cost more than our Cameras!

[ddt0725]

Thank you SO MUCH for the info, Dan!


The issue with my last computer was programs running in the background at startup! I have absolutely no clue how to "see" what programs these are on this computer. I can't even find where to defragment with Vista! It's not in the control panel.


I am putting adding more RAM on the list of needs and am off to talk with my computer geek coworker now and showing him your response.


So much for any lens or camerapurchases anytime soon until I get this all squared away just in case a new computer ends up being on the list! [:'(]

Thank you again!

Denise

[HDNitehawk]

I am planning on cleaning my computer up ....uninstalling programs I don't use much, run "Crap Cleaner", defragment and anything else I can think of. Then I am going to have an engineer at the office install more internal hard drive and maybe switch out from Vista to Windows 7.

Denise


Its like Dan told you, no need to clean if your going to load up windows 7. Adding Ram might help with speed, add as much as you can afford, go with 64bit windows 7 if your using Photoshop for sure.


And...most importantly...backup all your stuff before you do it on an external hard drive.


Finaly use some type of anti virus protection on your new system.

[Tallywho]

To Dan, thanks for the info, i was in the processes of writing something similar, but you answered it for me.


and for deniseThe biggest thing that you need to do in CCleaner, is Tools>Startup, and turn those tasks off! now i know every computer is different, but, im going to throw out a list of tasks that don't need to be running. and if you are not sure what some of them are. download Glary utilities. It has a start up program manager just like ccleaner, except you can right click on the task and there is am option to "search Google." Its a free program as well.


quicktime task


google updater


any toolbars/ updater


any hp monitor, updating,


adobe/acrobat speed launchers


java, updater


flash updater


Leave Itunes Helper if you have anything that syncs with itunes(wont sync if you turn that one off)


divix app


yahoo


google earth


hp care


hp customer.





here is a Wonderful! link with a huge list


http://krick.3feetunder.com/startup/list.html


if anyone would like to add to the list be my guest.

[Keith B]

After doing graphic design for 10+ years, I will tell you the extra $$ for a Mac and the simplicity reliability and "elegance" are more than worth it.


I have worked on a PC while employed by a very budget conscience person. The simplest things such as the keyboard layout are not even user friendly. To someone who use and depend on key strokes to speed up there processes this IS a big thing. I started experiencing severe pain in my left wrist trying to use the control key with my pinky in conjunction with other keys. With a Mac you use the thumb on the command key and it pivots with ease. If you are completely happy searching through drop down menus and not concerned about carpal tunnel or have no need to speed up processes the Mac may not be worth the extra $$.


The interface will save you hundreds of hours a year, from drag and drop from finder to apps to simple finder function custom-ability for just about everything. Also the 64 bit version of Snow Leopard OS 10.6 cost me $30. I think Windows will cost a little more than that.


Let

[Trowski]

I really don't understand how your friend could have spent $5600 for his MacPro. I've lost track of how many Macs I've bought over the years, and I've never spent more than $2800 on one. Based on what I see on Apple's site, if you built a $5600 Mac to compare to the one you built, you certainly weren't comparing apples-to-apples (no pun intended). I realize you can start at a base of $4999, but that's for a 12-core monster. Your computer certainly doesn't have 12-cores. The $2499 system is much closer to the one you built, inferior in some ways but superior in others. With a little work on NewEgg and Amazon I could probably add the RAM and hard drives for around $600. This would bring the total to about $3100, which considering it was a pre-built system isn't a bad comparison.


A few notes to the above:


When comparing buying the parts yourself and putting it together vs. a pre-built machine, of course the pre-built machine is going to be much more expensive. A more fair comparison would be a Dell vs. Apple machine as some have pointed out. You pointed out yourself that your $1600 Dell was worth about $600. In the same manner, a $3000 Apple is probably worth about $1000 in parts. I'm not naive, in the Dell vs. Apple comparison, I'm sure the Apple will be the more expensive of the two, and that's the price you pay for quality in other areas. As HDNitehawk said, many of us buy L lenses for a little better image quality. I buy Macs for a little better computer.


Also, I agree Apple usually overcharges for some upgrades, such as RAM or hard drives. I've only once added RAM to my machine before clicking order. I usually buy it from NewEgg instead of Apple since it's the same stuff and it costs a lot less on NewEgg. I've got 4 hard drives in my MacPro now, all ordered from NewEgg or Amazon.

[neuroanatomist]

...I think you will find the Mac to be quite a bargain in the long run.

I know I've used this example before, but in the 4.5 years I've had my current my Mac laptop (also bought with the top of the line processor of the day), I've also been using a Windows laptop provided by my employer. In fact, I am on mysixthwork-provided laptop in the same 4.5 years I've had my current Mac laptop - of the previous 5 Windows machines (a Compaq, 3 HP's, and 2 Lenovos), one was end-of-lifed and the other fourjust up-and-died (hard drives, CPUs, etc.). Of those 6, only the current Lenovo has a faster processor than my Mac (and despite that, my Mac performs equivalent tasks in equivalent software faster than the PC).


Even with corporate volume discounts, my employer spent a whole lot more money on PC laptops for me than I did on my Mac, and that's just counting the product dollars, not the productivity dollars.

[ddt0725]

Thomas -


Thank you VERY, VERY much for the info and the provided link! I have my work cut out for me tonight to start the emergency surgery process on my computer!


I remember when I had Windows Me seeing lots of things listed under startup that I don

[HDNitehawk]

I really don't understand how your friend could have spent $5600 for his MacPro.

My computer is, 8 core with 16gb of Ram, add 3 hard drives and a 27" moniter and your at $5600. Now not only do I have a Mac I can process videos with, put windows on it and I have the best of both worlds. So $5600 is very possible, but the machine the OP described as custom built is no where close to this class of machine as this Apple. Its an unfair comparison to overstate the case. And a AMD processor...Bahhh

[HDNitehawk]

I know I've used this example before, but in the 4.5 years I've had my current my Mac laptop (also bought with the top of the line processor of the day), I've also been using a Windows laptop provided by my employer. In fact, I am on mysixthwork-provided laptop in the same 4.5 years I've had my current Mac laptop - of the previous 5 Windows machines (a Compaq, 3 HP's, and 2 Lenovos), one was end-of-lifed and the other fourjust up-and-died (hard drives, CPUs, etc.). Of those 6, only the current Lenovo has a faster processor than my Mac (and despite that, my Mac performs equivalent tasks in equivalent software faster than the PC).


Even with corporate volume discounts, my employer spent a whole lot more money on PC laptops for me than I did on my Mac, and that's just counting the product dollars, not the productivity dollars.

My first work computer was a 286..my first experince with windows was when I bought a used computer with the first version of windows on it. I brought it home and spent three days getting virus off it. This was in the olden days when we didn't get virus off the web, we got them from infected floppy disks (ah the improvements hackers have made). So describes what would become the norm for the next (almost) 20 years.


Your post has described my (almost) 20 years of working with windows and PC's...imagine my suprise when I brought my first Mac home


Unfortunatly though....is that Mac will not run all of the programs I need at work. But it will most.

[Trowski]

@HDNitehawk: I guess I mis-spoke. I can see spending $5600 on a MacPro, I was just confused at how his friend could have spent so much and had an inferior system to the one Thomas built. If you buy the RAM, hard drives, and monitor from Apple, that definitely adds to the cost.


On another note, my MacPro is now over 4 years old (bought in Sept 2006) and still going strong. It's a dual-processor dual-core 2.66GHz Xeon. I upgraded it to 8GB of RAM, with 500GB, 2x 1TB, and 2TB hard drives. You would still have to spend quite a bit of money to match its performance.