Pink's Life 04242006

[pfloyd]

A good weekend was had with Mom-in-law up here. She left on Sunday, around noon, and was back at home around 700pm. Not bad driving. She'll be back up in a couple of weeks for Marcus' birthday.

House: We got my computer desk moved from the living room and into the office room. Next major thing will be making room so I can move some shelves in, and start putting my books up.
Tonight I'm going to be cleaning up the laundry room. It will involve doing a couple of loads of laundry each night.
Hopefully I'll be able to start moving shelves this weekend.

Computer: I think I've just about talked Colleen into buying a new PC. I've got a Dell already configured (P4 w/HT, 3.0GHz - 1GB RAM - 160GB SATA hard drive - media card reader - 256 PCI Express ATI Radeon x600 video - Sound Blaster Audigy 2 w/Dolby 5.1 - Dell 2.1 speakers w/subwoofer). Total cost is $767 before shipping. Already planning to finance it. We need a new PC, as I think the PIII/800 isn't going to cut it anymore. Oh, did I mention the 19" flat panel monitor? We've already got a spiffy printer to go with it too.
Now I know some of you out there are saying that I should nix Dell and just build my own.
Arguments for:

1. I'd be able to put what I want in the system.


2. I'd be my own support for the unit.

Well, I've got some arguments against that:

1. I don't have the time to build a new system. It would take me time to run around, find the parts, and get them together, not to mention installing the software. With the new system, I just need to install extra software (like Office, Firefox, Thunderbird, games, Money, music software, etc.)


2. I'd be spending more than $750 to do so. Much more so. Barebones systems can run half to two-thirds of that right there, and that won't include decent video and sound, monitor, storage media...


3. I'd be my own support for the unit -- no warranties, no parts shipped out express, no outside tech support. I'm it. And sometimes I don't trust my own judgement.


4. This system has everything I want. And it's fairly up to date.


5. I happen to like Dells. I've crawled inside them enough times to know what's going on and what goes where. I was Dell certified for a contract job. Plus they have excellent tech support (which I believe is no longer outsourced).

End of argument.

So hopefully in the next couple of weeks, I'll be back online from home. And playing some games from time to time.


Ah well, nothing much else to report.