Finals Days of Windows XP
This month’s article is short and sweet – but ever so important.As many of you know from our previous articles, we at Computer Courage prefer Windows XP to the newer and slower Windows Vista.Due to the general unpopularity of Windows Vista, Microsoft has been extending the shelf life of Windows XP – we’ve been able to buy computers preloaded with XP long after Vista was released.Sadly, this all changes very soon.
On June 30th, Microsoft will officially ban manufacturers such as Dell, HP, etc. (also called “OEMs”) from selling PCs with Windows XP preloaded on them.This means that now is a good time to buy a PC if you were planning on doing so in the next several months.
Last Chance to Buy XP – as early as June 18th
Since it takes a while to put the PCs together, some OEMs, Dell included, have made the cutoff date even earlier.For Dell, you can only buy a system preloaded with Windows XP until June 18th.That’s about one week from today.
OK, I’m Buying Now – What Should I Get
Currently, our favorite flavor of PC is the Vostro 200.It’s technically for small businesses, but Dell will sell it to anyone.Dell sells a laptop and a desktop version of the Vostro.The Vostro is cheap, comes with the Intel Core 2 Duo processor (a must in our opinion), 2 gigabytes of ram (also a must), and you can get the desktop with a beautiful 22″ widescreen monitor for under $650.
Of course when you do get your new system, be sure to visit www.computercourage.com to learn more about what antivirus software to run, how to keep your machine running smoothly, and how we can help you with customized home installations.
What If I Don’t Buy
If you decide to wait on a PC until after June 30th, you’ll have a few choices.
First off, you can buy a Dell or HP with Windows Vista on it. Vista isn’t the end of the world – some things are nice about it.
You can buy your own copy of Windows XP and install it, but this is hard to do on your own (we can help) and sometimes impossible (especially with HPs.)
Another option is to buy a cheap PC with Linux preinstalled, then upgrade to Windows XP if you don’t like Linux.Some of these Linux machines are really cheap – WalMart sells them for as little as $200 (though they have no monitor and run pretty slow…).
Finally, you could always buy a Mac!
Conclusion
If you are planning on buying a PC in the next few months, it’s time to seriously consider just biting the bullet and buying a Dell Vostro right now.Getting your copy of Windows XP is going to save your frustration and money in the future.If you have any specific questions, please feel free to give us a call.We’re happy to help you pick out a good PC, and help you set it up to be reliable, fast, and secure.
Coming Soon: Computer Courage Blog
Just a quick heads up, we are in the process of upgrading our website right now, and should have some great new features up there soon.One of the most exciting is the Computer Courage Blog, where you’ll be able to browse our newsletters as well as get daily or weekly updates on what’s new in the computer world – complete with tips, deals, and opinions from your favorite local computer team.Look out for an announcement in the coming weeks.