Holiday questions fill the bag
I am usually inundated with holiday-gift related questions this time of year and this holiday season is no exception. I’ll do my best to polish off a few.Q. When is the next version of Windows coming out? I am trying to decide if I ought to buy a new computer now or wait for it to come out.
A. Windows Vista should be out late in 2006. Microsoft isn’t all that adept at hitting launch dates so you never know for sure. It’s probably not worth waiting for if you need a computer now. Just make sure you get enough RAM (memory). At least 512 should do, 1 gig is better. It also is important to get a decent video card, perhaps one with 128 MB of video RAM. Hard drive space is less important but shoot for 80 GB or more.
Q. When is the Intel version of the Apple Ibook coming out? I am worried if I buy one now I will regret it when the new one comes out.
A. Well, that one is more of a secret. Apple never talks about its launch dates and is notorious for releasing the next great thing about a week after you’ve bought one. (Its release plan for the Apple Ipod was recently parodied on Saturday Night Live on NBC…because any time you buy one Apple releases a better one right after it.
As for the Apple/Intel partnership it will mean (probably) slightly faster computers and clearly will be the way of the future. I would guess (and this is purely a guess) that the laptops will come out early next year and the desktops will follow in the spring. I would doubt you will see any price drops. (However, you may see price reductions on the remaining non-Intel machines but they don’t last long.)
Q. Are Apple laptops compatible with Windows networks? I have a router on my cable modem and my Windows machines are using that now. If I get an Apple laptop for my daughter can she connect to it?
A. Absolutely. You don’t have a “Windows network” but rather you simply have an Internet connection shared by a router. Your router doesn’t care what brand of PCs you have. The Apple will connect immediately to the router, via a wire or wireless.
Q. I heard you can use your Windows XP as a Tivo to record your television programs and no charge. I am considering buying a Tivo (I know you’re a big fan of those) but I wonder about using my PC instead.
A. Well, sorta. You can buy a PC with Windows XP Media Center Edition and, if you have the right connectors, you can use your PC to record television programs. You need to use a service to obtain the listings (some are free but they are not as good as Tivo’s.) The reason I don’t use a PC for television time-shifting is that Tivo was designed from the ground up for that task alone. The Windows PC wasn’t set up for that task and does not do it so elegantly. In my case I don’t want the PC in the living room, either.
Q. Is it true what you write that I don’t need an anti-virus program for my Apple Powerbook? I see several for sale.
A. In my opinion you do not need an anti-virus product for the Apple platform. There are no viri in the wild for Apples and the odds of one being developed are low.
Q. You mentioned you like the Firefox browser. I keep seeing new versions released and lots of patches. Is it still your recommendation?
A. You’re seeing lots of patches because the program really is under development. A new stable version, 1.5, is now out at www.mozilla.com. I would download this version immediately.
WEEKLY WEB WONDER: The WayBack machine (www.archive.org) will let you look back in time at how Web sites looked years ago.
James Derk is co-owner of CyberDads, a computer repair firm, and computer columnist for Scripps Howard News Service. His email address is jim@cyberdads.com
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