# Desktop Computer, Anyone?



## Talent312 (Nov 11, 2012)

I'm wondering if any of us still uses a desktop computer, other than at work.
In this age of laptops, tablets and smart phones, do desktops have a place?

I'm typing this on a laptop, sitting in a recliner, and my desktop collects dust.
I'm dunno what purpose it serves anymore. I store a few back up files on it.
But I'm thinking about dumping it in favor of a few TB's of NAS.
.
.


----------



## ronparise (Nov 11, 2012)

Talent312 said:


> I'm wondering if any of us still uses a desktop computer, other than at work.
> In this age of laptops, tablets and smart phones, do desktops have a place?
> 
> I'm typing this on a laptop, sitting in a recliner, and my desktop collects dust.
> ...



I use a desk top, in fact 2 of them...most of my time on a computer is work related even at home. and I dont work so well in my recliner

I read and watch tv in the recliner and Im looking at tablets for both those things


----------



## Karen G (Nov 11, 2012)

I love my desktop Apple Mac with a large screen and a wireless keyboard & mouse. It's so much easier to operate and to see the screen than the laptop or iPhone.


----------



## slip (Nov 11, 2012)

I'm typing this on my IPad on the recliner but when I'm really doing any work
Like managing my website, rentals or taxes, I have to work with a lot of paper
So the desktop still gets used.


----------



## vacationhopeful (Nov 11, 2012)

I have now started to travel only with my tablet. The laptop has been mortified into the house computer on the desk. The "bad" desktop seems to like living on the kitchen table.


----------



## timeos2 (Nov 11, 2012)

I never thought I'd prefer a laptop or phone or tablet to a powerful desktop but mine hasn't even been powered on in over 3 years now. The desktop is a dead & legacy item now.

It was predicted way back in the early 90's and well handled by OS/2 that the localized computer was headed to extinction. The vast improvements in networked access & "the cloud" along with super efficient items like smartphones & then tablets have virtually eliminated the need for the massive, locally based pc be it laptop or desk top. It also rewards compact. fast OS systems as the majority of storage & computing can be moved off the local device. 

Thankfully it spells an end to Windows except at old cludgy office applications as that is the absolute antithesis of what Windows excelled in - massive local CPU power, storage & mass quantities of memory. None of that needed or wanted in a fast, small & network centric device that the world wants now. 

Finally we have what we could have had back in the mid-90's if MS & Windows hadn't illegally squashed innovation and competitors for too many years.


----------



## ronparise (Nov 11, 2012)

Karen G said:


> I love my desktop Apple Mac with a large screen and a wireless keyboard & mouse. It's so much easier to operate and to see the screen than the laptop or iPhone.



me too. talking about big displays..Im setting up one desktop to drive my 42 inch tv. with the wireless keyboard and mouse I will be able to work from the recliner


----------



## suzanne (Nov 11, 2012)

DH uses my desktop. He doesn't like my laptop cursor. I use the 23" desktop screen for working with photos.  otherwise I use my laptop. I am looking at a smaller 13" laptop as mine is a bit large for travel. It a 17" HP aside from the size its pretty heavy.

suzanne


----------



## Luanne (Nov 11, 2012)

I still have a desktop at home (and at work).  Love the large display.


----------



## Ken555 (Nov 11, 2012)

I use my laptop on my desk, connected to a Dell large screen and keyboard and mouse. When I travel, I just pick it up and go. Why sacrifice ergonomics when working many hours at a desk or portability? Get both in one device.


----------



## DebBrown (Nov 11, 2012)

We still use 3 desktops in our home.  Like others, I love having a big display and full keyboard.

I work at home and my two work laptops are also hooked up the the same big monitor, keyboard and mouse.  I switch between computers using a KVM switch.

What's different for me is just traveling with my smart phone and leaving the laptops at home.

Deb


----------



## Scott W (Nov 11, 2012)

Ken555 said:


> I use my laptop on my desk, connected to a Dell large screen and keyboard and mouse. When I travel, I just pick it up and go. Why sacrifice ergonomics when working many hours at a desk or portability? Get both in one device.



I've often thought about doing this as I can't see going totally portable.  I'm just so used to a full sized keyboard with a mouse.  I have a 6-year-old Dell with a 23" screen.  What is the average life-expectancy with today's laptops?


----------



## DaveNV (Nov 12, 2012)

I use a high-end HP desktop PC at work, a modest Toshiba laptop at home, travel with a Samsung 7" tablet, and I carry an iPhone 4S.  To supplement the laptop file storage, I have a 4TB NAS attached to the home network.

I haven't had a desktop PC at home in several years.  I gave away the last one for parts, after the motherboard blew out.  I haven't missed it.

Dave


----------



## ricoba (Nov 12, 2012)

Yes, I own two desktops and two laptops and an iPad.  I almost always use my desktop for correspondence, writing and classwork.  I seldom if ever use the laptops.  I use the iPad more for leisure and reading.


----------



## Ken555 (Nov 12, 2012)

Scott W said:


> I've often thought about doing this as I can't see going totally portable.  I'm just so used to a full sized keyboard with a mouse.  I have a 6-year-old Dell with a 23" screen.  What is the average life-expectancy with today's laptops?



Things are the same as they were six years ago. Computers will last as long as the warranty. Planning for longevity beyond the warranty is not always advisable, though they will often last longer. Regardless, the display typically lasts much longer than the computer, and you've already got that... Of course, buy a cheap laptop with cheap parts, and don't expect it to last.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 12, 2012)

I use a desktop as my primary computer.  I'm often working with four or five documents simultaneously, and the smaller screen of the laptop just doesn't work,  

In fact quite often I use my laptop simultaneously with my desktop.  I have tow full size monitors hooked up to my desktop, then I put my laptop to the side and open a document there as well, so I can work among three documents without needing to jump between windows.  

When I travel and work on the road, I use the laptop.  But I'm going to be looking closely at adding tablet to my arsenal sometime after the first of the year.


----------



## javabean (Nov 12, 2012)

I retired the desktop pc computer yesterday after 11 years of reliable use. I purchased a wireless mouse and full size keyboard and attached the flatscreen monitor to a 2year old laptop running Win7. So now I have a portable/desktop workstation that hopefully will serve us well. I can't believe how much space I was able to clear up both on and below the desk area. All those cables are GONE, and so are the dust bunnies that hung out down there. No more hitting my shin on the CPU tower. My next challenge is to figure out how to run the monitor and the laptop screen for separate viewing on this one computer. I believe it can be done, and I'm feeling up to the challenge .


----------



## ronparise (Nov 12, 2012)

Scott W said:


> I've often thought about doing this as I can't see going totally portable.  I'm just so used to a full sized keyboard with a mouse.  I have a 6-year-old Dell with a 23" screen.  What is the average life-expectancy with today's laptops?



One of the big advantages of a desk top for me is that I can fix and upgrade the beast myself. I dont know about Average lifespan. I still own a Mac se30 built in 1989 and a 6200 built in 1994. They are in storage but they were working fine when they went into the box

I still use my mac 9600 from 1995  and the new processor, new memory, new video card, new sound card and new usb card as well as an upgrade to OS X makes it work almost as well as my primary machine; a PC built in 2005. 

So I cant speak to average life... I havent killed one yet

Laptops and tablets and smartphones are throw away devices...I dont like that


----------



## Renny30 (Nov 12, 2012)

I like to have a full sized keyboard and mouse so I have a docking station for my laptop at work. I also have a monster sized laptop at home for telework days. It has a full sized keyboard and a very large screen. I use a mouse with it.  

For personal use, I prefer my IPad. I've gotten used to Apple's keyboard.


----------



## laura1957 (Nov 12, 2012)

I rarely turn on my desktop, generally only to upload pics, or dvds to convert or when I have a lot of emails to write...  My laptop usually only gets used for pics.   I curl up on my recliner with my Fire and read, play games, facebook, read my email, or surf the web.    My husband used his desktop everyday for his business, internet radio, news, weather and sports.  

My older desktop is being packed up this week, along with all the games, and being moved to my older daughters home for her children to play with.  I am not ready to part with the one on my desk yet


----------



## simpsontruckdriver (Nov 12, 2012)

We have both. I primarily use my Dell Inspiron E1505 and Ubuntu Linux 12.10 (it has Win Vista, but Ubuntu is better). My wife uses the desktop, which runs Ubuntu and Windows 7.

TS


----------



## SailBadtheSinner (Nov 12, 2012)

I only own a desktop. Am not convinced that a laptop is the way I should go.


SBtS


----------



## persia (Nov 12, 2012)

I have a MacPro, it's got 12 cores of intel goodness to do some serious rendering and video processing, but if I just want to surf the web or read email I'll reach for my iPad or MacBook Air, sitting behind a desktop is too much like work....


----------



## AwayWeGo (Nov 12, 2012)

*iPod, OK.  iPad, Etc., Fuhggeddabowdit.*

Shux, I not only use a (compact) desktop computer, I also still watch primitive non-HD CRT-style TV. 

I do have a cute little portable computer for use at timeshares, etc., plus an older edition iPod, which makes the workout experience tolerable when I'm moving iron or spinning the hamster wheel down at the gym.  (I am too feeble to pump iron.  I just move iron.)  

We do have a portable wireless "smart phone" but the only "smart" feature on it that we use is its mobile wi-fi hot-spot capability, which makes it possible to access the internet on our portable computer when we're at timeshares, etc.  

(I avoid the term _laptop_ because it makes no sense.  That is, there is no lap _bottom_ -- there's only _lap_.  Plus, people mostly set their portable computers on tables or desks when they're doing internet, etc.  -- not on their laps.  Only reasons I can think of that computer folks say laptop instead of portable is to contrast today's slim folding portable computers with those old clunky semi-portables that in truth were about as portable as sewing machines -- & those pretty much all disappeared 25 years ago.)

Until recently, we still recorded TV shows via VHS.  That changed recently when we signed up for FiOS from Bell Verizon for TV-DVR & telephone & internet service.  

We are not exactly early adopters.  But our son & daughter-in-law & nephew more than make up for that. 

That's my story & I'm sticking to it until our obsolete electronic appliances go defunct & we have to buy something less out of date to replace'm.  

Rita Rudner said she will buy a CD player when they promise that's _The Last Thing They're Going To Invent_.  Those people walking along muttering to themselves, she said, are the people who bought 8-track players.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


----------



## nightnurse613 (Nov 12, 2012)

I use my wireless laptop so I can still move around the house (or lay in bed shopping!!).  We have a tablet and smartphones, but my husband still prefers the desktop in the den.  As others have stated, he hates the touchpad, smaller keyboard size and monitor - but he uses any of them when the need dictates. My sons all have desktops (and laptops) because they are into "gaming" and, as someone pointed out, it's easy to upgrade to the latest equipment (add hard drives, video cards, even new processors). Laptops, not so much.


----------



## lvhmbh (Nov 12, 2012)

On my PC right now.  DH and I each have our own.  I travel with my IPad and access it sometimes upstairs rather than walking down just to check something.  DH has a laptop but I don't like it so I got an IPad for travel.


----------



## Elan (Nov 12, 2012)

We still use our desktop at home, although I find myself using my Nexus 7 tablet a lot more.  Have to have a desktop at work as there just aren't powerful enough options in other form factors.


----------



## m61376 (Nov 12, 2012)

Love my Imac- big screen, full sized keyboard and mouse. Much more ergonomic. Lots of carpal tunnel these days compliments of laptops, with more to come. Body mechanics are much better with a desktop than a laptop.

Of course, the Ipad and laptops have a huge convenience factor which outweigh the other negatives for most people. While I use them, esp. the Ipad, it's not my mainstay, but for travel and convenience it's unbeatable.


----------



## csxjohn (Nov 12, 2012)

I use a desk top.  Printer is right here, nice speakers, and easy to use floppies and discs.

I don't like the smaller screen and keypad on the wife's laptop, borrowed a tablet from my daughter and hated it and forget about a phone for the internet, gps or camera.


----------



## geoand (Nov 12, 2012)

ronparise said:


> me too. talking about big displays..Im setting up one desktop to drive my 42 inch tv. with the wireless keyboard and mouse I will be able to work from the recliner



Me too!  For the past 5 years I have been using my 52 inch flat screen as my monitor.  The first 3 years with with a power mac and the last 2 with a mac mini.  DW uses mac pro and iPad.


----------



## "Roger" (Nov 12, 2012)

Another desktop user.  In addition to the larger, nicer display, much nicer keyboard (both mentioned previously), I often need to lay out work, documents, etc.  Doing much of what I do just would not work well from a recliner.  I like having a work space.

I do like to surf the internet from a smaller device without having to boot up the full sized PC, but I would not want to give up either type device.

[Note: In general, I find dedicated devices much better than those which are touted as a jack of all trades.  On trips, a camera (as opposed to a camera phone) can do much more, an ereader (as opposed to reading on a tablet, whatever) is a more rewarding experience, and a dedicated GPS does better than trying to navigate from a phone.  JMHO]


----------



## artringwald (Nov 12, 2012)

I still have a desktop because:

1) I like having two disk drives so I can do automatic backup of everything.
2) I have a TV tuner card installed so I can watch sports while working.
3) It's connected to a good stereo system so I can listen music while working.
4) It's connected to a VHS player, so I can digitize old family videos if I ever get a round TUIT.
5) It has several front panel USB connections so it's easy to plug/unplug our many USB devices that need charging.

Of course our laptop has a docking station with a big monitor and real mouse and keyboard, so I could do all of the above with the docking station, but for now the desktop works great.


----------



## Ken555 (Nov 12, 2012)

Many, if not all, of the reasons why some of you still use desktop computers can be addressed directly by simply using a laptop with external devices, as I posted earlier. I've been doing this for about 15 years, and it works very well.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 12, 2012)

Ken555 said:


> Many, if not all, of the reasons why some of you still use desktop computers can be addressed directly by simply using a laptop with external devices, as I posted earlier. I've been doing this for about 15 years, and it works very well.



I agree to a point.  I also require significant processor capability.  The last several times I've been faced with a computing decision, either the laptops came up short on processor capability or after configuring a laptop system to meet my needs I was looking at about 2x more money to bet myself fully equipped with a laptop.


----------



## Ken555 (Nov 12, 2012)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> I agree to a point.  I also require significant processor capability.  The last several times I've been faced with a computing decision, either the laptops came up short on processor capability or after configuring a laptop system to meet my needs I was looking at about 2x more money to bet myself fully equipped with a laptop.



I think you'll agree that this requirement is quite rare, and certainly not appropriate for a majority of TUG members.


----------



## Fern Modena (Nov 12, 2012)

OK, so maybe I bought a new desktop All-in-One a few months back because I'm an old lady and stuck in my ways.  Or not.  I thought long and hard before I replaced my old (six years or so) computer.  I wanted something which would be easy to hook up and which was configured to my needs, or could be made so before I purchased it. I had specific wants as far as processor speed/cores, hard drive capacity, etc. I also have physical limitations now which makes input on some keyboards (including laptops) difficult.  

I use an IPad2 when I travel, and either a stick or Dragon Dictation when I travel, so I don't need a laptop at all.  My monitor was old, having come from the computer before the last one, making it 10 years +/- old. So, with all my wants and needs, and help from my friends here, I bought an All-in-One at Costco, and I am very happy with it.

Oh, and like Steve,  found that finding a laptop with the specs I wanted was much more expensive than a desktop machine.  For the same dollar amount you will generally find laptops have much less power and hard drive capacity.

Fern



Ken555 said:


> Many, if not all, of the reasons why some of you still use desktop computers can be addressed directly by simply using a laptop with external devices, as I posted earlier. I've been doing this for about 15 years, and it works very well.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 12, 2012)

Ken555 said:


> I think you'll agree that this requirement is quite rare, and certainly not appropriate for a majority of TUG members.



But probably not as rare as you think.  Though my processor needs are different, many people working in a home environment who the added peripheral needs you refer to will find it cheaper to buy and configure a desktop system than to buy and configure a laptop system.

And that's before considering reliability issues.  Laptops are the only electronic goods where for which I buy service plans, and I have yet to not get more than money's worth out of the laptop service plan.


----------



## Ken555 (Nov 12, 2012)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> But probably not as rare as you think.  Though my processor needs are different, many people working in a home environment who the added peripheral needs you refer to will find it cheaper to buy and configure a desktop system than to buy and configure a laptop system.
> 
> And that's before considering reliability issues.  Laptops are the only electronic goods where for which I buy service plans, and I have yet to not get more than money's worth out of the laptop service plan.



The vast majority of people do not need vast processing power to render video, crunch numbers, etc. All modern processors can readily handle web, email, spreadsheet, accounting, etc. I see lots of people in the course of my daily work who think they need a "workstation" with gobs of power when in reality they'd be fine with a standard computer. The criteria for desktop vs laptop is different, in my opinion, since it's the form factor which usually decides the matter and not the power of the computer. Obviously, there are always exceptions, but at some point - as you mention - the decision comes down to whether or not the technology exists to meet your needs and then whether or not you want to pay for it.


----------



## geekette (Nov 12, 2012)

When my last desktop died, I did not replace it, as by then, laptops became sufficiently powerful to run my apps and chunk my data.  that had not always been the case.

People that need large viewing screen or full size keyboard can hook up whatever they want to the laptop.  I prefer Toshibas which generally have "normal" keyboards so I don't have the compact keys issue.  Even on the Netbook, it's good key size.

When I was laid up with a back problem, it was convenient to hook up my laptop to the tv and use wireless keyboard and mouse with 'big display' and it was easier to find a way to be comfortable and do my work.  All I needed to move was me with keyboard and mouse.  

And nice when I was done with work to watch dvds without having to move, either, and have superior sound via tv vs crappo laptop speakers (do ANY laptops have good sound??)

Now that I'm not laid up, it remains convenient to be able to check in on progress of a work task on my laptop by just pushing a button on tv remote.   Sure, that means "I was working" during NFL yesterday...


----------



## IngridN (Nov 12, 2012)

OMG...this thread brings back memories. My first thought was 'what's a desktop?' I haven't used a desktop since the first 'portable' computers came out in the 80s. It was wonderful and allowed me the flexibility of packing up and taking the computer home rather than staying at work into the wee hours. Unfortunately, it weighed 25 or so lbs. and was like packing up and taking my sewing machine back and forth to work and home :rofl:. 

I'm a die hard lap top user and will purchase a larger monitor and full size external keyboard if the need arises.

Ingrid


----------



## hypnotiq (Nov 12, 2012)

Let's see I have:


1 Windows Home Server that handles all the data for my household. It has a 10TB mirrored RAID array that is swapped out monthly to an external location for backup.
1 Desktop PC, 16core, 32GB of RAM, 4GB Nvidia Card with dual 24" monitors - Used for HD Video Editing/HD Photo Editing/CAD and when I work from home.
2 Laptops - Mine is for work/Hers is for school (though she barely uses it since she got her Surface)
2 Surface - One mine/One hers
iPad 2 - Daughters toy now
Kindle - hers for reading
Nexus 7 - My toy to screw around with
Windows Phone 8 - My phone
Apple iPhone 5 - fiance's phone


----------



## redkayak (Nov 12, 2012)

I have an Apple Mac with a 27" screen and love it.  The eyes like it more than the smaller laptops.


----------



## Ken555 (Nov 12, 2012)

hypnotiq said:


> Let's see I have:
> 
> 
> 1 Windows Home Server that handles all the data for my household. It has a 10TB mirrored RAID array that is swapped out monthly to an external location for backup.
> ...



Where's your Commodore 64?


----------



## Talent312 (Nov 12, 2012)

From what read here, somewhat to my surprise, desktops are alive+kicking.
It seems there are plenty of posters who rely on them at home.
It seems that there is a place for fixed stations or big-monitors. 

But I suspect that soon enuff, we'll be living in a touch-screen world.
Mobile computing and cloud-storage is becoming the new norm.

Those of us from a time before PC's may be reluctant to migrate.
But the Millennial Generation will likely equate desktops to land-lines.
.
.


----------



## vacationhopeful (Nov 12, 2012)

Ken555 said:


> Where's your Commodore 64?



Mine is in my closet at my "public" office. My Compaq lug-able is in my basement. My PCjr is also in the basement. 

My younger sisters have worked for IBM (designer of the PCjr wireless keyboard), Compaq, and HP. Corporate security caught them email each other between their work sites (IBM to Compaq). Corporate security thought they had 'coded' corporate secrets while taking about Thanksgiving dinner recipes and Xmas cookie baking.


----------



## hypnotiq (Nov 12, 2012)

Ken555 said:


> Where's your Commodore 64?



In the garage.   I actually went and got it out of my dads storage unit last year and keep meaning to boot it up and play with it. I miss it. I wrote my first computer program on it. :rofl:


----------



## MuranoJo (Nov 12, 2012)

Desktop user here, too, for personal use.  
Until my recent early retirement, had a laptop w/docking station for my teleworking job.
TouchPad for travel or goofing in front of the TV.


----------



## vacationhopeful (Nov 12, 2012)

hypnotiq said:


> In the garage.   I actually went and got it out of my dads storage unit last year and keep meaning to boot it up and play with it. I miss it. I wrote my first computer program on it. :rofl:



I wrote my first computer program on an IBM 1401.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 13, 2012)

vacationhopeful said:


> I wrote my first computer program on an IBM 1401.



I did my first programming on a CDC 6400 in 1967.  Remotely.  Using a card reader that converted my cards to punched tape.  The tape reader then sent my program and data to the CDC via telephone lines.


----------



## ricoba (Nov 13, 2012)

Ken555 said:


> Where's your Commodore 64?



:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 13, 2012)

And my first programming on a PC was with a VIC-20.


----------



## Kagehitokiri2 (Nov 13, 2012)

i only use laptop when traveling 

i will never buy a tablet until apple makes one that runs OSX


----------



## geekette (Nov 13, 2012)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> And my first programming on a PC was with a VIC-20.



I learned Basic on Atari 800.  I was a game programmer before it was cool.  Or heard of ; )

I had the Atari and all the peripherals for a very long time, probably just 5-10 years ago I gave it up.  I do still have a very early laptop, the first my dad had at work (his dept were early adopters).  Too bad that I no longer have a phone that the modem will fit on...


----------



## Ken555 (Nov 13, 2012)

geekette said:


> I learned Basic on Atari 800.  I was a game programmer before it was cool.  Or heard of ; )
> 
> I had the Atari and all the peripherals for a very long time, probably just 5-10 years ago I gave it up.  I do still have a very early laptop, the first my dad had at work (his dept were early adopters).  Too bad that I no longer have a phone that the modem will fit on...



Did you have those huge Atari floppy drives, or a tape drive? And let's not forget the game cartridges...


----------



## timeos2 (Nov 13, 2012)

Talent312 said:


> From what read here, somewhat to my surprise, desktops are alive+kicking.
> It seems there are plenty of posters who rely on them at home.
> It seems that there is a place for fixed stations or big-monitors.
> 
> ...



After virtually living off desktop sales for over 20 years I haven't sold a single new desktop to an individual in over 2 years (and only 6 to businesses).  All lap tops since 2010.


----------



## hypnotiq (Nov 13, 2012)

When I was going through my Commodore stuff I found this. Still brand new and shrink wrapped!


----------



## timeos2 (Nov 13, 2012)

I've got some DOS 3 - 6.x as well as MS Office DOS shrink wrapped too. Interested? Comes with both 5.25 & 3.5" floppies! Your choice  or all cheap!


----------



## geekette (Nov 13, 2012)

Ken555 said:


> Did you have those huge Atari floppy drives, or a tape drive? And let's not forget the game cartridges...



I had both!  I think the floppies (truly "floppy" in those days) was I think 5.5"?  I stored most of mine on cassette.  A smattering of cartridges - unfortunately my parents were not as indulgent as would have been fun for me, but it's likely fortunate that I did not spend all day every day in front of the thing.  I had not known then what I wanted to do in life and did not expect that, ta da, I would be spending all day every day in front of the thing ...

----

until a few years ago, I still had MS Office 1 and 2 on floppy.  weird, no one was interested ...


----------



## sfwilshire (Nov 13, 2012)

I only have a laptop at work, but use a desk top at home. My friendly local computer expert told me that desk tops tend to last longer than laptops and that would be the way he would go if he didn't need the portability.

Sheila


----------



## artringwald (Nov 13, 2012)

Atari 400 is still working.


----------



## Carta (Nov 13, 2012)

Karen G said:


> I love my desktop Apple Mac with a large screen and a wireless keyboard & mouse. It's so much easier to operate and to see the screen than the laptop or iPhone.



======================================
Totally Agree....But If I travel, I take iPod Touch


----------



## Elan (Nov 13, 2012)

artringwald said:


> Atari 400 is still working.



  Magnepans!  Mine sit in a box under my bed.


----------



## AnnaS (Nov 13, 2012)

Karen G said:


> I love my desktop Apple Mac with a large screen and a wireless keyboard & mouse. It's so much easier to operate and to see the screen than the laptop or iPhone.



Same here.

I also don't have any fancy phones so I need to be in front of my desktop to answer/reply to anyone.  Many do this all day long from their phones.....


----------



## artringwald (Nov 13, 2012)

Elan said:


> Magnepans!  Mine sit in a box under my bed.



DW wasn't too happy when I bought them. I thought she'd like them because they looked so much better than the particle board speakers that I built and painted flat black. At the time the speakers matched our flat black cinder block and walnut boards bookshelf. Dorm decor has really gone out of style.


----------



## vacationhopeful (Nov 13, 2012)

My sister was an engineer who designed and built the inferred keyboard for the IBM PCjr.

And I had YEARS of computer experience OVER her.


----------



## Elan (Nov 14, 2012)

artringwald said:


> DW wasn't too happy when I bought them. I thought she'd like them because they looked so much better than the particle board speakers that I built and painted flat black. At the time the speakers matched our flat black cinder block and walnut boards bookshelf. Dorm decor has really gone out of style.



  My DW is the reason mine (black fabric w/white oak) sit under my bed.  Apparently, she wasn't quite as impressed with them as I was/am.


----------



## DaveNV (Nov 14, 2012)

You're all dragging me waaay back down memory lane...  

My first desktop PC (of sorts) was a Radio Shack Model 1 clone a friend and I built on the kitchen table.  It was called an LNW80, and was basically a barebones motherboard we had to solder all the parts onto.  After sucking the guts out of the Radio Shack Model 1's CPU, a Z80 chip, and programming it back into a Z80A chip with an Eprom, the LNW80 identified itself as a Radio Shack Model 1 on boot up.  We built it into a housing, added a modified 9" TV set as monitor, and a cassette tape player for reading the programs into memory.  It ran all the RS programs, and we thought we were just too cool for school.  Last I knew, the crazy thing still worked.  

Then came the VIC-20, the Timex Sinclair 800 (later 1000), the RS Color Computer, and a Kaypro 2X (the 30-pound "portable" computer.)  I moved beyond Basic to CP/M to early MS-DOS by purchasing a gorgeous Kaypro PC-30.  This was a killer cool desktop PC with a _HUGE _30 megabyte hard drive (!!!) and dual 5.25" floppy drives.  One was 360K, the other was a whopping 1.2mb capacity.  (Oooh!)  Those changed to 3.5" floppies later, as I continued to throw money at the box.  And let's not forget that amazing 15" VGA crt monitor!  I knew I was leading the way in technology...  

Nowadays it all seems a little silly, but at the time, everyone was so enamoured with the technology, we thought we were right on the edge of Space Age living.  The Jetsons had nothing on us!  

And now, almost 30 years later, I complain when my cell phone won't show me webpage results fast enough, or if I can't watch that video in real time.  We are SO spoiled!  

Dave

P.S.  Anyone want to go sit with a stack of used "IBM Punchcards" with me, and read the Hollerith code language found in all those little holes?  I can't even imagine how many thousands of manhours I spent in front of keypunch machines in those days...


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 14, 2012)

BMWguynw said:


> P.S.  Anyone want to go sit with a stack of used "IBM Punchcards" with me, and read the Hollerith code language found in all those little holes?  I can't even imagine how many thousands of manhours I spent in front of keypunch machines in those days...


The atmospheric modeling that I do uses programs that were written in FORTRAN, and to this day as they are updated, they are still written in FORTRAN.

The run file that contains my model information is a flat text file.  If I open it in a text editor it is just punch cards in text format.  But all of the old FORTRAN elements are still there, with control cards defining the different portions of the input stack.  And each line has a max length of 80 characters, with the exception of data lines, which can be formatted to be almost any length.


----------



## DaveNV (Nov 14, 2012)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> The atmospheric modeling that I do uses programs that were written in FORTRAN, and to this day as they are updated, they are still written in FORTRAN.
> 
> The run file that contains my model information is a flat text file.  If I open it in a text editor it is just punch cards in text format.  But all of the old FORTRAN elements are still there, with control cards defining the different portions of the input stack.  And each line has a max length of 80 characters, with the exception of data lines, which can be formatted to be almost any length.




Wow.  Very cool!  I used to speak FORTRAN.  And COBOL, Assembler, RPGII, and half a dozen other languages.  As computers have gotten more sophisticated, thigns have gotten easier for the operator.  

And even that word is different:  We are now Computer Users.  We used to be Computer Operators. 

Dave


----------



## hypnotiq (Nov 14, 2012)

Man, you guys are old.


----------



## VivianLynne (Nov 14, 2012)

vacationhopeful said:


> My sister was an engineer who designed and built the inferred keyboard for the IBM PCjr.



My sister-in-law has put in her retirement papers from her current computer employer.  

No more "free" computers for me.  And it was my turn for the free family box in 2014.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 14, 2012)

BMWguynw said:


> Wow.  Very cool!  I used to speak FORTRAN.  And COBOL, Assembler, RPGII, and half a dozen other languages.  As computers have gotten more sophisticated, thigns have gotten easier for the operator.
> 
> And even that word is different:  We are now Computer Users.  We used to be Computer Operators.
> 
> Dave





hypnotiq said:


> Man, you guys are old.



I even knew PL/1 for awhile!!

My introduction to computers was actually via timesharing!!!

Back in the 1960s Control Data has a business where they were selling fixed blocks or time on their mainframes - timesharing. To promote the business, they were making unsold time available to schools.  My high school got on board, with the help of one of the science department teachers who thought it would be a good idea,  That's where I learned BASIC, and that's where I had my programs converted to punch tape to send to the CDC mainframe.  About three days after submitting my program I would get a package back with the printout from my results.  It was about one week cycle time on runs.  Submit on Wednesday, get results on Monday, revise and recode Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday was repunching and uploading, to start the cycle over again.

Then when I got to college I learned FORTRAN and started using punch cards.  And now I could submit my stack and get printout back in hours instead of days.

Then in the later 1970s I was analyzing a bunch of data with a statistics package, using terminals on the UC-Berkeley campus.  Berkeley had just installed this great program that was a text editor - you could create and edit flat files, and submit them to a line printer.  

Then to top things off, they added an interface where you could queue up those files to their mainframe just like submitting a deck of punch cards. How cool was that!!!


----------



## DaveNV (Nov 14, 2012)

hypnotiq said:


> Man, you guys are old.



No kidding!    Of course, as in many things, the older I get, the better I used to be...  

Dave

P.S.  Saw your "Meet Windows 8" demo thing at Best Buy the other day.  That's quite an interface!


----------



## DaveNV (Nov 14, 2012)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> I even knew PL/1 for awhile!!
> 
> My introduction to computers was actually via timesharing!!!
> 
> Back in the 1960s Control Data has a business where they were selling fixed blocks or time on their mainframes - timesharing.



In the mid-70s, during an 18 month break in my Navy service, I worked for a time in Bellingham, Washington, in the computer center for Uniflyte Boats (remember them?) doing Service Bureau work for companies around town. After the boat building company work was done, they'd run evenings and weekends processing job requests for these other companies.  I'd code them in RPGII, and we'd use our Univac Mini Computer to run their reports.  We did all sorts of weird stuff, up to and including payroll processing for major corporations around town.  Uniflyte was trying desperately to justify ownership of that hugely expensive computer.  They still went under, and were bought out by Chris Craft boats a few years later.

Dave

P.s.  And Steve, for about a year just prior to the above I operated a CDC 3300 (later 6600) mainframe at the Navy Headquarters in Washington, DC.  Excellent computers.


----------



## hypnotiq (Nov 14, 2012)

BMWguynw said:


> P.S.  Saw your "Meet Windows 8" demo thing at Best Buy the other day.  That's quite an interface!



Thanks! Its still cool to see it running in all the different stores I go into.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 14, 2012)

hypnotiq said:


> Man, you guys are old.



It was quite a jump for me to go from linear programming to object oriented.  That inverted a lot of the way I had been coding for years.  Took me about six months of effort, writing backend for a couple of Access databases, before I felt as if I had made the jump.

And the documentation of the MS office object model, particularly at the upper levels, is still pathetic.


----------



## timeos2 (Nov 14, 2012)

One of my favorite "Dilbert's" of late taking a direct & very factual swipe at the floundering MS and their weak attempts to remain "relevant":






Oh, how true!


----------



## timeos2 (Nov 14, 2012)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> It was quite a jump for me to go from linear programming to object oriented.  That inverted a lot of the way I had been coding for years.  Took me about six months of effort, writing backend for a couple of Access databases, before I felt as if I had made the jump.
> 
> And the documentation of the MS office object model, particularly at the upper levels, is still pathetic.



Talk about dating ones self. The near perfectly implemented object oriented environment was offered under OS/2.  Of course MS eventually managed to both bastardize the ideas and kill it off but it years to merely get back to what it had in the mid-90's and even today nothing comes close to the elegance it had.


----------



## Talent312 (Nov 14, 2012)

Talk about thread drift! Gray-hairs and their techno-relics. Smithsonian calling?  

Despite the affinity of us old-timers for fixed-base computing, IMHO, desktops are destined for the ash heap of history.  Those of us who remember a time when there were no PC's will hang on to them, but I suspect that those coming of age in the time of smart-TV's, streaming media, tablets and smart phones, will eschew these behemoths.
.
.


----------



## vacationhopeful (Nov 14, 2012)

Oh dang ... this type of talk drives the youngsters out of the room. Leaves more hooch for us to consume.


----------



## MuranoJo (Nov 14, 2012)

Agree, the combined history here is almost Smithsonian value.  Really fun to read the memories.

Oldest history I have is learning Basic in college and dealing with the punch cards, etc.  One of my first jobs while going to school was for an insurance company which used Sperry Rand terminals and I was considered the 'expert' of the office, LOL!


----------



## artringwald (Nov 14, 2012)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> It was quite a jump for me to go from linear programming to object oriented.  That inverted a lot of the way I had been coding for years.  Took me about six months of effort, writing backend for a couple of Access databases, before I felt as if I had made the jump.



Either way it is possible to write code that's difficult to maintain. When linear programming was in style, I managed to inherit plenty of spaghetti code. After object oriented got popular, I saw way to much lasagna code... layer after layer of objects obscuring what was really going on. I do have to say that writing C# code in the Visual Studio environment is so much easier than the assembly language days.


----------



## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 14, 2012)

artringwald said:


> Either way it is possible to write code that's difficult to maintain. When linear programming was in style, I managed to inherit plenty of spaghetti code. After object oriented got popular, I saw way to much lasagna code... layer after layer of objects obscuring what was really going on. I do have to say that writing C# code in the Visual Studio environment is so much easier than the assembly language days.



No disagreement in the slightest there. 

In my FORTRAN class one of the exams was writing a program to play blackjack.  The grade on the exam was based on how much you "won" playing the game - the TA took everyone's programs and played them using the same "deck".  The more you had at the end of the run, the higher your grade.  Except that he had had one hour to review code.  If he figured out how you were cheating, then you got docked a grade for each cheat you put in.  

So I wrote the biggest bunch of spaghetti code imaginable, and I made sure to throw in a bunch of functions and subroutines that really didn't affect how I was playing the game - they just looked like they were doing something.  I had it all commented out so that I could keep track of what was going on.  But when I submitted the deck I took out all of the comments


----------



## Kal (Nov 15, 2012)

I've had at least one of everything since my first Apple IIe. Everytime I head off into the latest new gismo I find a way to spend more money to make that path comfortable. To me, that means the computer is a means to an end, and not the end point. Right now I have two desktops, a notebook, a netbook and a smart phone. I can pick the device to meet whatever situation or location I happen to be in.

In late October I picked up Windows 8. Once I got into it, I knew it would be a big job to get all my stuff into it. But then a few days later I got an iPhone 5 which is a wonderful entertainment toy with some nice computer tricks thrown in. Vastly different concepts, but taken together I can have great production capability with the desktop or walk-about satisfaction with the iToy.

Still slogging thru getting the drift of Win 8, but that platform is geared to being Softy's attempt to compete with Apple. The desktopers just have to endure using a keyboard/mouse to operate a touch-screen device.


----------



## artringwald (Nov 15, 2012)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> No disagreement in the slightest there.
> 
> In my FORTRAN class one of the exams was writing a program to play blackjack.  The grade on the exam was based on how much you "won" playing the game - the TA took everyone's programs and played them using the same "deck".  The more you had at the end of the run, the higher your grade.  Except that he had had one hour to review code.  If he figured out how you were cheating, then you got docked a grade for each cheat you put in.
> 
> So I wrote the biggest bunch of spaghetti code imaginable, and I made sure to throw in a bunch of functions and subroutines that really didn't affect how I was playing the game - they just looked like they were doing something.  I had it all commented out so that I could keep track of what was going on.  But when I submitted the deck I took out all of the comments



:hysterical: James T. Kirk would be so proud.


----------



## geekette (Nov 15, 2012)

artringwald said:


> Either way it is possible to write code that's difficult to maintain. When linear programming was in style, I managed to inherit plenty of spaghetti code. After object oriented got popular, I saw way to much lasagna code... layer after layer of objects obscuring what was really going on. I do have to say that writing C# code in the Visual Studio environment is so much easier than the assembly language days.



Yes, the worst is inheriting someone's BAD CODE and too much encapsulation.  However, since I did not know at college time that I was going to be a code monkey, inheriting messes made me a waaaay better programmer, almost as much as following good code.  Maintainability is key.

Agree that MS created a monstrous object model for Office the last many years, and documentation started sloughing off in the late 90s (does anyone find Help to be actually helpful anymore?)   I'm going to say 2.0 was the last good OM for Office, but of course, that was before a lot of the apps that are now in Office came to be.  

I'm waaay happier in DW/BI than I ever was developing (hated web dev), so I am managing to avoid many of the newer headaches and finally get to be just about the data.  Which was really the only reason I had to figure out how to code anyway.


----------



## momeason (Nov 15, 2012)

suzanne said:


> DH uses my desktop. He doesn't like my laptop cursor. I use the 23" desktop screen for working with photos.  otherwise I use my laptop. I am looking at a smaller 13" laptop as mine is a bit large for travel. It a 17" HP aside from the size its pretty heavy.
> 
> suzanne



I hated laptop cursors too until I stole my hubby's new MacBook air last year. 
I love it. Now my desktop is rarely used...i was all desktop before the MacBook. Thinking of dumping the desktop now. My husband bought another MacBook Air for himself since I hog the first one. He still uses his desktop with 2 big monitors also. We each have a desktop and a Macbook Air and a back-up old Dell laptop. I do not know why we still have that. It is never used. 
I now multi-task and use the MacBook air while watching TV. I am with Karen..dislike the small keys on the phone. I prefer the keyboard on the Mac so I do not use our tablet much. The Mac air is not much heavier and i love the keyboard and the larger display. I am much faster on the keyboard. 
I use the MacBook in the car also when my hubby is driving..as I said, I dislike the small keyboards. Just use the hotspot on the phone and my lightweight full functioning laptop.


----------

