I am computer ill-iter-ate I actually do not know my Mhz from my GB and I have tried getting you all to give me help before.

Well Now I have more information and I would like two things:

1. What does this mean - in simple, plain, everyday english please.

2. Is this a good system, or not?

And the system is from Gateway a 500X

Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.533GHz w/ 512K L2 Advanced Transfer Cache and 533MHz FSB This is meaningless to me - what does this mean? Is there better? How do I know if this is what I need or if it is enough?

Memory: 256MB 333MHz DDR SDRAM All fine and well, what does this mean in real terms?

Hard Drive: 80GB UATA100 7200RPM Hard Drive is this a good thing? I presently have 60 GB, and am only using 3.2 BG

Floppy Drive: 3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive I know what this is - it is a good thing

Optical Drive: 16x/48x DVD-ROM Drive and 48x/24x/48x CD-RW I know DVD and CDROM too

Case: Gateway Mid-Tower Case I saw the picture

Controller: Integrated Ultra ATA Controller What does this control? Is it good?

Expansion Slots: 3 PCI and 1 AGP ????????

External Ports: (6) USB (2 in front and 4 in back are version 2.0) Parallel, Serial and (2) PS/2 I assume to plug in my printer and scanner?

Certification: Energy Star Compliant

Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition XP - hmmm, Is it really better than 98 2nd ed?

Application Software: Microsoft® Works Suite 2003 - Including Microsoft® Word and Encarta

AntiVirus Software: Norton AntiVirus 90 day Introductory Offer Presently I own McAfee software - can I continue using Mc Afee?

Monitor: 17" LCD Flat Panel Display (17" viewable) Flat Screen - plain english I understand

Video: 128MB NVIDIA™ GeForce4 MX440G Graphics with TV Out A who to what? What does this do?

Keyboard and Mouse: Logitech Wireless Keyboard and Wireless Optical Mouse ........[ +US$65.00] To wire or not to wire - that is a good question - is the tecnology for wireless keyboards good enough?

Sound System: SoundBlaster Audigy Audio w/ IEEE 1394 (FireWire) Does this mean I can listen to all of my MP3s?

Speakers: Boston Acoustics® BA745 Speakers with Subwoofer How loud is loud on this one, does this mean I can use my Computer like a stereo?

Modem: 56K PCI Voice Modem Anyone know if I can get my DSL internal modem installed on this kind of system or do I have to buy an external DSL Modem?

Network Adapter: Integrated 10/100 Ethernet What's this?

Internet Service Provider: One year America Online® Internet Access I hate AOL - I will decline this offer


Promotion Software: The Sims™ (Limited Time ONLY - a $49.95 value) What is this?

Note, I asked my question by each item.

Thanx

David

Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.533GHz w/ 512K L2 Advanced Transfer Cache and 533MHz FSB

This is one of the latest and fastest processor available. Good Thing.

Memory: 256MB 333MHz DDR SDRAM

This is good, lots of Random Access Memory (RAM) This what programs run in, so lots is good.

Hard Drive: 80GB UATA100 7200RPM Hard Drive

Big drive (lots of space) and a very fast drive. The high RPM means your data will be accessed quickly. Good Thing.

Controller: Integrated Ultra ATA Controller

ATA is Advanced Technology Attachment. A controller is a device that controls the transfer of data from a computer to a peripheral device (like a CD-ROM drive or printer) and vice versa. Good Thing

Expansion Slots: 3 PCI and 1 AGP

PCI is Peripheral Component Interconnect – AGP is Accelerated Graphics Port - These are slots where you can add cards to upgrade your computer later on if you wish. Good thing.

External Ports: (6) USB (2 in front and 4 in back are version 2.0) Parallel, Serial and (2) PS/2

Yes, these are plugs for your devices, printer, scanner, camera, mouse, etc. Version 2.0 means these are the new technology style. Good Thing.

Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition XP

"Better" is a relative term. This operating system is supposed to be more stable (not crash so often) as earlier versions of Windows. From the little use I've had with this OS, I've generally liked it, though there is a learning curve. It takes a while to get used to it. Some things are definitely better IMO, because it is easier for people new to computing.

Application Software: Microsoft® Works Suite 2003 - Including Microsoft® Word and Encarta

All good software. Good thing.

AntiVirus Software: Norton AntiVirus 90 day Introductory Offer

You can use the Norton for the 90 day trial, then decide if you wish to purchase it. Your old McAfee probably will not work with the Windows XP Operating System. You can get a $20 cash rebate from Symantec (makers of Norton) if you change from McAfee to Norton. See the details on the box at your local software store. Good thing

Video: 128MB NVIDIA™ GeForce4 MX440G Graphics with TV Out

This is a very good graphics card. It will play the new high power games very well. "Video Out" means you can connect it to other devices like a television, video camera, etc.

Keyboard and Mouse: Logitech Wireless Keyboard and Wireless Optical Mouse

"Wireless" is nice. These devices have batteries that need changing. Good thing.

Sound System: SoundBlaster Audigy Audio w/ IEEE 1394 (FireWire)

Yes, nice sound system. The FireWire is a fast way to transfer data, so you could plug in external devices. Good Thing.

Speakers: Boston Acoustics® BA745 Speakers with Subwoofer

Yes, this will play very loudly. Good thing (your neighbor may not agree with this assesement).

Modem: 56K PCI Voice Modem

This is pretty standard

Network Adapter: Integrated 10/100 Ethernet

This is where your DSL will plug in to the computer. Good thing.

Promotion Software: The Sims™

A computer game. Many people really love it, though I am not into games. You manage the lives of various game characters. This game is among the most popular around.

Please note, my "Good Thing" comments are my opinion, but I would say this is a very good computer system.

This computer would be especially good for playing games and working with graphics, video editing, and for playing mulimedia (movies, music).

The only other consideration really is if the price is good. You can compare it to similar systems by Dell and Hewlett-Packard.

I hope this will help!

Dwight

[This message was edited by Dwight on 01-05-03 at 03:02 AM.]

Thanks Dwight - I appreciate it.

This sysem comes with options - such as I could up grade to Small business software. I am uncertain if I could use it or not. The next step in this process is to make the long trip to our Local Gateway store and try to find a non-pressure salespeson to show me a similar system.

Needless to say, They usually try high pressure sales on me which makes me stubborn.



Thanks for taking the time to answer all of this.

David

About the small business software...is it anything that you could use? Are there similar programs on your current computer that you're using and like? If not, maybe there would be no need to buy it.

The sales people at Gateway Country stores generally don't get paid a commision for sales of computers. They only get commisions for add-on items like printers, scanners, etc. Their best commisions are on the service agreements and training courses, so that is why they push it so hard.

Dwight

David:

It sounds like the same system I purchased in August. The only real difference is I didn't get the wireless mouse, got the USB Optical.

The speakers are great, really good and loud. My son was impressed.

I have DSL. I got the modem from my local service but I hit a deal on free modem, installation and one month free.

The Sims, for me, is a real pain. I still haven't gotten pass the floor plan of the house yet! If you have allot of patience you'll like this game.

I also got a bundle of CD's. Quicken, Home XP, photo, card maker, landscaping, cookbook, just all kinds of things I haven't even looked at yet. A surge protector.

I added the Lifetime Support, 3 yr. part/labor/ service, One year Norton Security along with the 3 mos. free., training class, and the Lexmark Multi printer /copier/scanner.(I got a refund for the class)I don't feel I was pressured by Gateway. I went in with a list I had been working on with a couple of friends on what I wanted. Except for the training class( He was an idiot instructor, showed us how to open the tower to add memory but some people walked out the class still not knowing how to email)I demanded a refund and got one.


I still haven't explored 90% of what this thing can do but I love it. The tech support has been good but I usually come here when I have a problem. And I LOVE the flat screen...no glare and the color is fantastic. All the mistakes I have made I STILL haven't crashed this thing...this must be a miracle machine.

Good luck with your new purchase.

Well Dwight, I haven't been able to run any small business software on this little dinky computer. Not enough free memory, and this system has many bugs which causes it to crash on a regular basis. Well, I gots what I paid for.

I need small business softeware, and today we went to the Gate Way store and looked at it, I played with the computer, and the next thing I know we walked out of the store carrying the paperwork. We are expecting our new baby in 10 working days....

Actually I did shop around, compared prices and talked to a lot of people this time around.

been thinking about it since Septemeber of 2002.

Thanks.

David

Needless to say , what Dwight says is gospel..
My only comment is about the anti-virus system...
I have had - and used for considerable length of time - both McAfee and Norton- and dislike both...
I now have AVG (grisoft.com) and like it, and TRUST it...
There are some who poo-poo it because it is a free download...(thats not very bright in my opinion)...
Give it a whirl....
P.S. Sounds like a heck of a good system...

DvdGStwrt, I Am really jealous now thought I bought a good `puter 6 months ago.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,

Well you did, six months ago it may have been top of the line. Today, six months later it may not be.

This was one of my major concerns when purchasing a new computer - technology advances so fast that I just knew that as soon as I opened the box the new computer would be outdated.

Don't worry - 6 months from now the Pentium 6 chip will be out, and all monitors will be flatter and 20 inches ;-)

David

Thanks David your reply supresses my envy

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,