Hi guys
I am looking at buying my dad a Laptop for his 60th next week the only thing is once he retires (March) my parents are looking at going SKIing and moving to Spain.
They only want the laptop for Internet, so is there anything I can get that can use the net here and in Spain. Would a data card work abroad or would it be too expensive?
Cheers in advance
JOE
Answers:
Well if they're retiring in Spain why don't they get an internet connection there?
Answers:
That was my initial thought, but I think they might do a 3 month stint and then come back over here.
How can I check what internet options are available for them over there?
Answers:
not entirely sure what options there are but they will probably be able to get some pay as you use dial up type package.
Answers:
I did not want them to go with dial up
Answers:
I did not want them to go with dial up
I would wait until they come back and in the meantime use a cybe cafe.
Answers:
Apple G3 iBooks (12") are very portable and selling on eBay quite cheaply. I use a 600MHz version which happily runs OSX. I take it abroad with me on business and it has no trouble connecting to wireless networks. Nor are there any worries about viruses and other malware.
In contrast, I have a friend who lives in Spain permanently. He has two laptops running Windows and it's rare for both of them to be working. He keeps getting malware so one PC is always being "cleaned" while he struggles on with the other. If you want to do your Dad a big favour, don't buy a Windows PC.
Answers:
He keeps getting malware so one PC is always being "cleaned" while he struggles on with the other. If you want to do your Dad a big favour, don't buy a Windows PC. This is down to user error as my Windows PC that I built is fine, no malware, spyware, virus or other piece of nastiness on my PC so user error it is then as with the correct defense i.e firewall, antivirus and antispyware in place all will be ok so use either MAC or Windows based PC.
Answers:
Looking on ebay now, he is not pc friendly either so i want it as easy as possible for him
Answers:
Unfortunately, a lot of older people are not up to speed on all the setting-up required to make Windows reasonably safe. In contrast, MacOSX is inherently safe "out of the box", which is why I bought my 78 year old Mum a Mac "Mini". She loves it. She can "surf" and email her friends without problems.
For new users there's a handy tutorial:
And for Windows "switchers":
Answers:
Unfortunately, a lot of older people are not up to speed on all the setting-up required to make Windows reasonably safe. All the setting up?
Oh you mean downloading about 3-4 programs and installing them, yeah I forgot how hard it was not forgetting macs are vunerable aswell.
People should really learn how to use a PC before buying one, well the basics anyway and should also ask why do they really need one apart from the fashion statement about how big their
Answers:
I should add that, for wireless connectivity, you'll need an iBook with a standard "Airport" card. These sell for typically £68 and are really simple to fit. However, it's probably cheaper to buy an iBook with one fitted.
Here's an auction that ends today:
Ideally it needs that 128MB memory card replacing with 512MB or larger.
Here's another:
I would personally pay the extra to have the Airport card and extra memory fitted. If it seems expensive, bear in mind that I paid £700 for mine a couple of years ago!
macs are vunerable aswell To what? There are currently no OSX viruses in the wild. Even if there were, it'll take a long time to catch up with the 40,000+ available for Windows.
Answers:
To what? There are currently no OSX viruses in the wild. Even if there were, it'll take a long time to catch up with the 40,000+ available for Windows. Looky and
40,000 + Id like to see that data.
Answers:
Looky and
40,000 + Id like to see that data. If I click on the here or here with that give me a virus??
Answers:
If I click on the here or here with that give me a virus??
No, why would anyone post a virus on a forum if you hover your mouse over the link you would see where it takes you and ofcourse I wouldnt take anyone to a virus.
Answers:
If I click on the here or here with that give me a virus?? Haha.
There were over 50,000 computer viruses in 2000 and that number was then and still is growing rapidly. Sophos, in a print ad in June 2005 claims "over 103,000 viruses." Here's a list of Windows viruses currently being reported "in the wild":
It's "only" a few thousand. (That's "only" a few thousand more than the number of OSX viruses.)
Answers:
Well I think it's pointless to discuss this with someone who hasn't used Macs but here's my answer in brief. MacOSX has hundreds of undiscovered theoretical "vulnerabilities" that will never ever be exploited. There's a handful that might one day cause a few Mac users a problem if they happen to install this, and do that and that on a Thursday when it's a full moon and venus is in conjunction with mars. It's all "pie in the sky" and not worth worrying about.
My 78 year old Mum has used her Mac Mini for over a year. During that time the only problem she had was "Safari disappeared". This was because she'd dragged the icon from the dock and it went "poof" (as it's supposed to).
The answer was to set her up on a non-admin account (which I ought to have done in the first place - not to protect against imaginary "vulnerabilities" but to protect her against herself!) then "lock" the dock from the admin account.
As for Internet Explorer vulnerabilities, don't get me started. AFAIK no Mac owner uses I.E. It's (thankfully) not even available for OSX in a version later than 6.
So, bottom line is, if you love your parents, get them a Mac. They'll have far less problems than with a PC.
Answers:
Getting back to the point. There are loads of internet cafes around in the main tourist parts of Spain. Would the place they rent even have a dedicated land line, they are not in every house over there, and if someone wants one they have to battle with Telefonica for them to put one in. Mobile connection is expensive and very slow, so honestly I agree with the original thought, stay with an internet cafe connection in Spain until they know what they want to do and what infrastructure is in place. Broadband is not available everywhere.
ISP's in Spain Gonuts4free, Tiscali, Telefonica to name but a few, but Telefonica has a bad reputation to not being able to get on dial-up.
Regards
Answers:
apples safe -
anyone who believes their computer is safe without any protection is asking for trouble.
Also Macs for less technically knowledgeable people does have its downside in that there is less support as freely available.
Answers:
Still in two minds