Personal Computers

Personal Computers (PCs)

There is no doubt that PCs have brought increased levels of productivity to the world. They provide access to information and computational power that have trivialised tasks that were once complex. In the early 1980's when I was working with electronics I had to go into a technical library to locate datasheets for the semiconductor devices I wanted to use. I used pen, paper and calculator to work through the design equations for tuned circuits or filters. It all took time. Today I grab my datasheets off alldatasheet in seconds (nobody has run off with the book I wanted!), and I key my design equations into Excel. CAD packages design my PC boards, and I print out circuit diagrams on my laser printer. I photograph the equipment that has been built, upload the photos to my PC, and then upload them to my web site. Usually everything goes smoothly.

I work in the IT industry, and sometimes I feel embarrased at how bad the situations really is. What we badly need are computer appliances. Devices we can buy off the supermarket shelves that "just work", like a cellphone or microwave. The average user should not need to be concerned with Windows updates, anti-virus software, spyware, firewalls, backups, spam, etc. In fact, every PC user needs to be cogniscent of all these matters, or their PC is going to stop working. Recent tests have shown that an unprotected PC attached to the internet will become infected with some sort of malware within about 15 minutes, and within a few hours it will be unusable. This shouldn't happen.

What PC should I buy?

I am often asked for assistance when friends are purchasing a new PC or laptop. The current problem, is "what operating system?" This should not be a consideration. Nobody wants to buy an operating system, they want some cool hardware that "just works". Windows held the dominant market position for many years, but gradually got more bloated and cumbersome, and Windows Vista has not improved the situation. As the current operating system market share graph below shows (from Market Share) Mac OS has almost doubled its market share over the past couple of years. Right now, an Apple Mac is a good choice for a relatively trouble-free desktop appliance.

Most people are running Windows XP which has been around since 2002 and is stable and dependable. Yet Microsoft is doing their best to promote Vista by insisting that it is installed on most consumer desktops and laptops. Many people downgrade to XP, and thus I doubt the 22% market penetration that is being claimed in the graph above. Corporates are not upgrading to Vista. It isn't impossible to buy a new PC with XP, but it is hard, and Microsoft are trying hard to withdraw it from sale. My recommendation to anyone buying a new PC or laptop is to ensure they get Windows XP (Home or Pro versions) pre-installed. Avoid Vista.

Currently Netbooks are currently a great choice if you want a small, portable computer. They are smaller and cheaper than standard laptops, and come with either Linux or Windows XP. (Vista is too resource hungry for Netbooks).

Linux

It is possible to run Linux successfully on desktops and notebooks (Linux has 0.83% market share in the pie chart above). There are many distributions, such as Ubuntu and Kubuntu. Linux is really for geeks and enthusiasts. I don't recommend it if you are not particularly PC literate. You can get it to work, and you will save you purchasing licensed Windows software and applications, but it doesn't "just work". You will have to search the internet for patches and utilities, download, and install them. It isn't difficult, but you need some computer knowledge. If you are prepared to do this work then you can successfully free yourself from the grips of Microsoft.

Emerging

Watch out for enhancements to the iPhone operating system, gOS and Google OS. Windows 7 is expected to be a good upgrade from Windows XP.

" What Should I Do? "

I have created these web pages to help people acquire and run a PC in a way as to minimise the hassle and troubles that so many people experience. By following the guidance on the following tabs, particularly "Set up your PC", you will be on the right track. There is a lot of software out there, and there are no right answers. You can install what you want and do what you want with your PC, but don't cry to me when things go wrong! I currently have 7 PCs at home, plus various work desktops and laptops from time to time, and I experience very few problems from viruses, malware or spyware.