What do you do when you have issues with your computer. Always something going wrong and very difficult to be without it.
Anyone recommend a good website or helpline?
Get a mac ;-) thats what I did 9.5 years ago! Still not using any virus software and still no crashes or problems ever!! When you cost it all out it's saved me huge amounts and never frustrated me! When I do have to use Clients PC's it's very frustrating.
Absolutely agree with Guy. I 'went Mac' about 5 years ago and would never EVER go back to PC. I'm a bit rubbish with computers, so was a little wary having to try to learn a new system, but Macs are so straightforward, virtually risk-free and look great too! My fiance has just bought herself a new one and I'm very jealous... putting the pennies aside to get me one! :)
Go Mac!
I won't disagree too much. However today's macs are no different inside than macs these days. Also macs are only relatively safe cox most viruses are designed to attack windows based kit and software. Also! Did you know macs close down the amount of aval cores on today's intel processors. So nope today I still would pay the amount I'd need to pay to have the equivalent mac.
For editing the latest adobe premiere software is considered better than final cut now !
I do agree a few years ago macs were a better bet in the long run but for me ... Not not today.
If you protect yourself with good free software like avast or avg 2011. And you don't keep installing trial or free software progs... You will keep your pc running sweet.
I was having slow broadbands speed on my virgin network Tests showed malware. I ran free. Malwarebytes. It pickled up some rubbish etc and once deleted full speed returned. So it's really just a case of keeping a careful eye on what you do and instal. I'm not paying 100's more for pretty looking glass screen who cox of aicence issue with intell shut down 50% of it's processor power!!
Hmmmm....the above was written on my Iphone on the train last night....have corrected the typos!!
I won't disagree too much with your views on Macs. However today's macs are no different inside than PC's these days. Also macs are only relatively safe simply because most viruses are designed to attack windows based kit and software....ist nothing much to do with Macs themselves....just that the hackers wont cause as much damage as they can on PC's! Also. I have been informed: macs close down 50% of the amount of available cores on today's intel processors...despite quoting the full cores included. So no…. today I still would not pay the often "twice as much" amount I'd need to pay to have the equivalent mac over my PC's. Though I do admit the Apple operating system is perhaps deemed smoother….or seems to be?!
For Video editing the latest adobe premiere software is widely considered better than final cut now ! I do agree a few years ago macs were a much better bet in the long run but for me ... Not so much today!
If you protect yourself with good free software like avast or avg 2011 - and if you don't keep installing trial or free software progs... You will keep your pc running sweet. For about £20 …if you do not know about PC's …AVG "tuneup-2011" for PC's is a great bit of software to have running in the background.
I was having slow broadbands speed on my virgin network, despite what I thought was a clean PC, Tests revealed malware was residing. I ran -for free- Malwarebytes. It pickled up some rubbish etc and once deleted full speed returned instantly.
So it's really just a case of keeping a careful eye on what you do and install. Personally, I am still not paying out 100's more for pretty looking white framed glass screen who - because of a licence issue with Intel…. shut down 50% of it's avail processor power!!
Go to the website of the manufacturer. There should be a technical helpline number listed. If the pc was built independently with generic parts the seller may also have a technical helpline.
However be aware these numbers can be very expensive to call, unless you are under warranty. They may also ask you to open up the pc if they think it might be a hardware problem. They work by a process of elimination to find the fault so it can be time consuming. A local independent pc repairer may be worth a call.
You could also put a brief synopsis of the problem on here or search some pc problem forums for answers.
Hope this helps.
There are sites where you can pay a set fee and they can link into your pc and take over your pc from their remote server. You just sit there and watch them do their thing. Fine if it's software related but if it's hardware that's as far as they can go.
I'd be careful of relying on them.
At the end of the day you want a skilled person to fix your pc for free or very little.
Put the argument on it's head... I want a skilled actor to work for nothing?!!!
I'm not having a pop but at the end of the day you will only get what you pay for!!
Sorry Mark I have to totally upend your mac ideology.
Yes the hardware is the same ( Currently Changing now though - but that's not my point :-) ) but it's the software that stops viruses +.
I haven't run or had Anti Virus software in 9.5 years. I have had no Issues whatsoever, and with reliability + I've saved money not having to buy Anti Virals.
Also Anti viral software slows down all computers because it's very nature is to inspect all programming.
Mac up front costs are expensive and that's fact - but in the long run you'll be glad you switched!
Best to all including me ol' mucker Mark!! We really need that Beer in Chelthnam! ;-)
Ha....I would not completely disagree with my learned friend "Guy!" Seriously.....he knows way more than myself about macs. Possibly for editing at the top end of large hi def files....one might still come down on the side of a mac…..but for me….the extra price and costs involved do not make it attractive enough yet! Not when the latest Premiere Pro CS5 software can do pretty much anything that Final cut can offer me, and more.
As for the operating system….well you might well be right Guy….I know the opp system could be deemed more secure and less fidly in the long run. However…read those three forums (websites links) and it backs up my point regarding why a mac might be "appear" safer in the long run. ie: Simply Coz…the hackers do not or would not get as much fun hacking Macs or apple systems. A Hacker…or a virus maker…wants max public destruction as possible: So he/she will always go for Windows based systems.
Anti Virus software like NORTON and or McAffee did indeed used to cause PC's to run slower because the ruddy software takes over the PC's registry and can get pretty evasive. I find for most tasks and online banking something like free editions of AVAST….or AVG 2011 work very well. At the end of the day we all (Mac and pc users alike) need to surf sensibly and not just download and install any old file. How many of you run regular clean up checks on your PC's…..getting rid of all the old temp files etc?
I do not deny a Mac is a better looking machine…..some would say easier or smoother format to work with, but for me the flexibility and costs plays the biggest part of the final decision. Which one is better than the other…..Hmmmm…that is far too wider debate to win……to many pro's and cons all round these days I'd have said. I suspect most users (readers of CCP and other actors) simply surf, email and run some sort of office software on a laptop…..I just think its arguable and not all that financially wise to lash out more or less twice the amount on something coz its white and glossy!
It's a bit like comparing a Ford Ka and a VW Polo. One will cost you more to buy and insure…..but neither will get you from A-B any quicker or better really. ….plus both can crash….good pun?!
If I could afford the top IMAC at about £2000 or more….plus another few hundred for the Final Cut software…..I might have a punt. However, I have just built a PC editing machine which will blast the equivalent Mac out of the water in power and general graphics and video ability for only £700.
£1,100 if I wanted to add a huge widescreen monitor…but I already had two of them! For me personally and what I do, it's no contest.
If you really want to be secure, run Ubuntu. Almost nobody writes viruses to target that OS ... and it's free.
As Mark said ... the reason there are less viruses targetting Mac is that it's less rewarding (in terms of victims hit) for the writers.
A few simple procedures can all-but eliminate your problems on any PC.
- Don't surf in "admin" mode
- Don't click on those "install this to see this web page" boxes
- Have AVG installed + Firewall
- Don't install freeware "just for a giggle"
(Note: there is some VERY good freeware I couldn't do without. BUT it's been around a long time and shown to be good
As someone who works in IT, the number 1 rule is BACKUP EVERYTHING to an external hard drive. They are very cheap and will save you a lot of hassle in the event of your PC/Mac breaking down.
You can also get 'imaging' software, which takes an image of your PC (which you store on your external HD) and in theory anyway, you can then reload the image to your new or repaired computer, so everything should be as it was before. That's the theory anyway, in reality if you get a completley different processor and so on, it might not work properly.
May I also say hello to evryone as this im first ever post. So, HELLO EVERYBODY!
You must login as a candidate to participate in the forum.
Please note:Messages written in the forum do not represent the views of The Mandy Network, nor have they been vetted by The Mandy Network staff.
If you read something which you believe to be offensive or defamatory, please contact us and we will take the appropriate action.
