Cheap Laptops

[Yampa Bob]

I received my laptop from the outlet, it's apparently a factory new discontinued, not a scratch on it.   It has 98SE, but with the patches and internet upgrades.

It normally comes with a 24X CD, but I had them upgrade to a CD-RW.  I installed Nero, my favorite burner software.

I'm through buying new computers, this one is great. In fact, I may order another one for a backup. 

Remember when flash drives first came out, how expensive they were?  Check out the prices from this company.
http://www2.pny.com/homepage.aspx

I picked up some 1GB Attache' for $10 each at K-Mart. The driver for 98 is available from their site.  Their line of media cards for cameras is also very reasonably priced. 

I'm putting all my train information and pictures on one for travel purposes.

Bob

[pdlethbridge]

I built the computer I'm running. 80 gig hd, 2.6 gig p4, 2 gig memory, 256 mg video card. It was fun and very easy to build. I even installled XP but I since have switched to Ubuntu linux. It runs great on my machine and best of all it's free. No more money going to microsoft. Because its linux I don't need a firewall or virus protection. Firewall is built in as default and no one writes virus's for linux. If it was as popular as windoze, then they would start doing that. There is very good support for Ubuntu on line and they have a new version come out every 6 months.

[Mike]

Pd- Sounds interesting. I'd love to be "Microsoft free". But does the linux world have programs similar to MS Office which offer compatibility for files exchanged with MS Office. I am at the point where I just need to be educated before I make a decision.- Mike

[pdlethbridge]

Yes, its called open office. A lot of windoze apps can be run using a linux program called wine, here http://appdb.winehq.org/

[Yampa Bob]

I've used Windows since version 3, and have never had any problems with it.  I don't understand why so many criticize Microsoft/Bill Gates. 

The original developers of what would become DOS sold the rights to Gates for about $15,000, they had their chance and blew it. 

Whenever someone complains about Windows, my suggestion is to just delete it.  Anyway, I'm too old to change now, especially with over 50 Windows programs. 

Bob

[Santa Fe buff]

I have a Vista desktop with intel Pentium D, from Compaq.

[grumpy]

I bought my grandson a Compaq with Vista . The vista operating system used up so much of the memory there wasn't enough left to do any thing serious with.
Don

[Guilford Guy]

My aunt works for apple, I have the G4 laptop, we have a G5 family computer, and my mom has the MacBook. No Vista, and often times more memory space, but most Train Simulators won't run on Mac's, although Railroad Tycoon does.

[Yampa Bob]

I have an older laptop with Windows 95 on it.  After I took out all the garbage, it only takes up about 20 meg. 

Microsoft has discontinued support for 98x, Me, and 2000.  To use flash drives on 98 requires downloading drivers for each manufacturer.  The driver package for Iomega was 4 meg.  The driver for PNY flash drives was only 20kb. Other companies making flash drives don't offer drivers for 98.

There is a warning on PNY site that their drivers may not work on 98se but they did. If you run 98 and are considering flash drives, better get some and get the driver package before they drop it.  I have the driver for the standard Attache' if anyone needs it.  All the other models require separate software, so I d/l them also just in case. 

We have 5 computers and don't want to network them, so the flash drives are perfect for transferring files.  I hate to part with our desktop, but it's taking up too much room in my wife's office

The only thing  I like about XP is plug and play for hardware.

[Yampa Bob]

I have several DOS programs that will only print through a parallel port, and all the new printers only have USB.  Finally there is a solution:

http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/SearchDetail.asp?productID=15700&ta=prod_info

It's expensive, probably due to limited demand.  They say it will work with most ink jet printers, but there is no assurance your DOS program will send the print commands required by the USB printer.  Check the guarantee.

Bob

[Santa Fe buff]

Speaking of Railroad Tycoon, how do I get DDL on this computer, I tried to put it on a 98, then a Vista- Error, need something with DDL or what ever that means, any help?

[Yampa Bob]

DLL stands for Dynamic Link Library, a file that provides instructions to associate the executable with Windows.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=dll+files

[Santa Fe buff]

Thanks Bob,
I'll talk it over with my uncle, he knows more about computers then I do. I guess that stock CPUs aren't equiped with all the DLL they need.

[Yampa Bob]

The old DOS programs that many of us still use do not recognize USB ports, only Parallel.  Very few computers and/or printers have the parallel port.  There are many adapter cords on the market, but they work the wrong way, by going from USB on the computer to an older printer with parallel.

If you are having this problem, I found one inexpensive printer that has both USB and parallel input. It works with 98SE through XP.

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=983839

Older parallel printers had the DB25 input, newer ones as above, now have the Centronics 36 pin on the printer.

The new line of Epson all-in-one printers is superb, with more features and lower prices.

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=1469093

Now I can start scanning the train magazine articles and pictures I've accumulated and get it all on CDs.

 

[dwc13]

Speaking of parallel port printers, I have an HP Laserjet 2100MP printer that I have added to a mixed (XP/98, Mac, Linux) network using an H-260U internal print server from Silex Technology.  Silex makes some pretty nice print & device (for multifunction units) servers.  The H-260U (@$99 several years ago) is fantastic -- and was 1/3 the price of the HP EIO network card.  My Linksys & Netgear print servers wouldn't support Macs -- a necessary evil, as my wife loves her old G4 iBook -- so I had to find another solution.  I had tried a parallel port-USB converter similar to what Bob had found, but performance was too inconsistent.