Computer talk. If you want something else, read on down the page.
When it comes to computer displays, beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. I prefer CRTs over LCD screens for many reasons. Sure, I hate their bulk and weight and power requirements, but I’ve yet to see a LCD computer display that can give the kind of clear, crisp display of even low end CRTs. I set my refresh rates higher than their usual defaults (but still well within the monitor’s specs) and eliminate darned near all flicker, adjust color temps, keystoning, etc., and am pretty darned happy with the way my monitors treat my eyes.
So, when I was “bequeathed” a monitor recently (from a retired system) that was much larger than I usually use on my desk (real, physical) desktop, of course I plugged the sucker in to give it a whirl.
Nice–really nice–display, but I noticed something right away that gives me pause. My other monitors are “flat” CRT monitors. The actual screens are as flat as LCD screens, and the wonky curving and bending of straight lines that were the bane of older CRTs for years were never evident. This one, while yielding a lovely display, beautiful color values, great range of resolutions, has the older curved screen and no amount of tweaking and adjusting will eliminate the curves showing up, if only in the corners of the screen.
*sigh*
Oh, well, for all the other nice things (including letting me re-use a high-end BNC-connector cable I kept off a flat-screen IBM/NEC CRT that died), I guess I will live with it for a while on this computer. But I may well move it over to a fake Mac I want to “build” using Intel hardware and PC-BSD (well, the Mac OS X is just BSD with the Apple GUI front end), which has a really, really slick GUI and the best package installation process I’ve seen in an alternate OS. Besides, using a PC-BSD will give me what’s arguably the best of both PC and Mac worlds, and I can say to friends with their iMacs, “Oh, you’re using that proprietary straightjacket version of BSD?” *LOL*
Meanwhile, this monitor produces some of the crispest text I’ve seen, especially when I magnify a web page. Wow! Nice! Yeh, I guess now I can bump monitors down the line for a while.
All those old monitors are just flooding the second hand stores right now aren’t they? And shoot, if you don’t mind the bulk (they are about as big as the desk! lol) then they could really be put to use. Hmm, now to find a way to dig a crevice in the wall behind the desk to fit the monitor! 🙂 lgp
Had done a good job all day of not thinking about the need to upgrade my work pc. Then I read your post. Damn. Can’t stand it anymore. Don’t want to buy. Don’t want to keep using this one. Just waiting for it to puke. It’s all old stuff. Can you believe it’s 1999 vintage. Since I had it this long I was going to see if it could make it ten years. Thought that would be some kind of milestone. But it’s really slowing me down. Obsolete everything running a dual boot Win98/Fedora 4. I give Fedora extra credit. The crap hardware on this thing and it did a reasonable job all by itself to use a driver that works pretty well considering.
So the point to all this. Save me some research and tell me your personal preference on what’s available. As general or specific as you care to get. Or just say, hey dumb ass, head to the store and buy something. Not as eloquent as your comment post at my place, but it will have to do. And BTW, President Ford’s pardon was not a good idea. 🙂
Sigh. You with the great monitors, Diane with the great iMac. I’m so jealous of everyone’s stuff lately. I need new everything.
Mel, keep in mind that although I have some GREAT equipment, very, very little of it is bought new. Largely, that’s because I’m a naturally talented, highly trained tightwad and almost uniquely positioned to “inherit” perfectly good equipment from folks who don’t have a frugal bone in their bodies (I really do get calls from folks asking me how to throw out their replaced computer equipment, since disposal of things like CRT monitors–with heavy metals contaminants–is tricky here in America’s Third World County).
So, while it’s true that much of my computer equipment is maybe one (or more) generation old, much of that “old” stuff is better quality than what folks those (without my guideance) to replace… and constantly fine-tuned so that often it runs better (in my hands, for my uses) than the equipment that replaced it (which I’m also frequently called in to rescue from users’ abuse :-)).
Of the computer equipment and peripherals sitting on my desk right now (which includes two complete computers), only six pieces (and that includes mice ;-)) were bought new, as standalone pieces. Oh, one computer is nearly all new (at the time) components, and the other has only the case, power supply and CPU chip as it was when it was new, with other components replaced, but you get the idea.
Most folks, buying new is a good idea… IF they buy smart. Diane’s new iMac seems to be suiting her needs well. But I suspect she could have assembled a computer that would have met her needs about as well if she had wanted to.
For most folks looking at “consumer” brand name computers, at this time I usually suggest Toshiba notebooks and Sony Vaio desktops, because of the quality of components in them. Sure, a little more expensive than comparably configured computers from other name brand companies, but also, IMO–given the current state of consumer PCs–less likely (LESS likely) to suffer component failure.
And I’m really liking Ubuntu Linux more and more. I will be installing PC-BSD on the next computer I get my hands on/slap together, just to check that out. It looks good, especially since it’ll run Linux apps as well as those specifically written for it (and other ‘nix flavors), but I’ll reserve further comments until I have used it for a month or so.
Tell ya what: download and burn a Puppy Linux ISO, pop it into your CD drive and boot a Puppy session. No changes to your hard drive (except for saving a puppy sys file, if yoiu want to save changes to your Puppy session), and your Windows computer will never even know you’ve been “unfaithful” *heh*.
As far as monitors, two months ago, CPU had a brief article on the SED (or SCD) TVs/monitors coming down the line (2009?). Still use a vaccum tube, but instead of one “gun” it has thousands of individual electrons guns, sorta like an LCD. Response time less than 1ms and the crispness you so lust after….but before that, we will see the OLED stuff, and maybe quantum dot LCDs.
As far as recycling “stuff,” from my own 4 years worth of work, find you the local recycling bubbas and get connected to them. If they aren’t selling everything on eBay, then you can buy some perfectly functional stuff (especially the industrial/commercial grade) for builds/upgrades. Just know pieces and parts may crap out, so just buy a little extra.
If you get to know your warranty info on some major products, many times you can scarf up some “dead” stuff, the register it online and send it back for a working item. I just did that with a Samsung 940n (17″ LCD). Cost $65 for the unit that was blinking and didn’t have to ship it….They sent the new one and I put the old one in the box. UPS did the rest.
Lots of hard drives still show up under warranty. SCSIs are usually 5 years, but they can’t be physically damaged. Seagate has 5 year warranty on all their bought in their box. So…plenty of money to be saved if you shop smart and the guy with the full warehouse needs “help” clearing space for the next load.
Oh, yes, Curt. I’m always on the lookout for sources of parts (or whole systems) that someone thinks unusable. *heh* Got started years ago with tech equipment this way when I helped a friend who was THE go-to guy for IBM in a geographical area on all their equipment from mainframes to POS (no, “point of sale” *heh*) equipment. My help? Oh, Windoze help (was terra incognito to him) and… helping him move the IBM repair office for the district he oversaw. Made out like a bandit with all the stuff he told me IBM said to toss, not move. I still find bits and pieces of that junk useful years later.
And I dumpster dive. Yep. Have gotten loads of equipment when IT guys throw out stuff they don’t know what to do with (usually because they “broke” it to begin with, around here *sigh*)