Hello,

Josh here over at FHCS. I know alot of consumers have questions regarding the purchase of a new computer. Questions such as;

1) What brand of computer should I purchase, from where, and does it really matter because aren't the insides all the same?

2) Is the operating system important? If I use XP should I upgrade to Windows Vista?

3) If I purchase a new machine can I still use my old software, printers, scanners, and digital cameras?

I know it can be hard to get good answers to questions such as these. So I will attempt to help you all out.

First, is there a certain brand of computer that you should buy? The answer is yes and no. For the majority of the large computer companies that pre-build your computer (ie. Dell, HP, Acer, Gateway) it's becoming cheaper and cheaper as time goes on. And with the competitive nature of these large companies and enormous buying power it equates to large savings to you the consumer. So unless you are constantly checking those large companies websites and comparing prices to their competitors you would never see a significant difference in price between them.

If you purchase an HP or Acer from a retail store such as Best Buy or Circuit City you know that you might end up paying a little more because it is retail. However, if there is a problem then you have the peace of mind in knowing that you can go that store for repairs and tech support. Also, retailers sometimes offer an extended service plan which costs a bit more but suppliments the manufacture warranty for sometimes up to two years past the extent of the manufacturers warranty. But you will pay for it. If an extended service plan isn't something that is very important to you and the manufacturer's warranty will suit your needs fine, then a smaller retailer such as your local FHCS is probably the way to go.

Often times with smaller retailers, and us in particular, you can count on getting the computer or other products for our cost. We know that we can't beat huge companies enormous buying power so our strategy is to beat them with our great services! Alot of times when you go with the smaller retailer you can get the best deals. What I mean by that is getting your products for near wholesale prices but instead of being checked out at a cashlane then forgotten about, you know you'll receive the high-quality service that should come with your computer. We can offer complete set-up, custom training and tutorials to suit your needs, file transfers from your old machine to your new, and setup your home network/internet/email, and all for a great rate.

Another good thing to think about is customer service and support. If you go with a small retailer such as us you know you can talk to a real person in one or two rings of the phone or just drop on by when you are in the area. With larger companies you can be on the phone for hours just to get a tech from another country that you can barely understand. Then if he can't walk YOU through fixing it he will probably escalate the call to a level II tech that might be able to fix it. If all goes unfixed then hopefully they will send a tech out within a week to a month, if not, you will be forced to ship out your computer at your own expense to them. From there it's impossible to say when your computer will come back to you.

Regarding the second question. If you are scared of getting a new computer because it has Windows Vista please visit this site, and I assure you that you will not only find it comical but enlightening regarding common misconceptions about the new operating system.

http://www.mojaveexperiment.com/

I used XP for the longest time, and I will always like it. But honestly, Windows Vista is better, more stable, cleaner, and easier to use. And if the layout looks to different, YOU CAN EVEN CHANGE IT TO LOOK IDENTICAL TO XP.

Thirdly, if you get a new computer can you still use all your old software, printers, scanners, and digital cameras? If you still have your original software cd's of course you can install them on your new machine. Nearly all software is backwards compatible with newer operating systems. What that means is your old software will work on your new computer but your new software will not work on your old computer. With printers, most companies are releasing Vista drivers for their older printers. You can find out by going to the printer manufacturer's website. If your printer isn't one of them then it sounds like you need to upgrade anyways. It's only a matter of time before it becomes impossible to find your ink cartridges. Scanners have the same deal as the printers. However if your printer is going obsolete then there is no need to worry about the scanner. Most new printers are All-in-One, which means they print, copy, scan, and fax. So if you need to get a new printer then you just took care of three other devices as well. Lastly to digital cameras. Almost every digital camera takes a data card such as an SD, XD, SMC, MMC, MS, or MS Pro. What's nice about this is that almost every new computer has these card readers already built in. Simply pull the card out of the camera and put into the computer slot. There are your pictures!

So with all that being said, upgrading isn't something that you should fear. New technology is inevitable. You just need to be willing to give it a try. Otherwise you might get left behind the power curve.

Edited by joshharder - August 21 2008 at 8:49am