what to buy

[Darksecretz]

If your new puter is 64bit then you wont be able to download a patch for it, it will have to be FTM2011 or FTM2012.

tbh Ann, the transisiton isnt that bad, I can now quite happily drift between XP>>Vista>>>win 7, (I have also had a ramble around Linux!!)

[col48]

I have just ordered a new computer which is being delivered tomorrow. It is my third and every one I've had specially built by a local, independant computer shop. I think you get better service and support and you get a system that is tailored to your needs. I went into the shop a week ago to talk to them about what I need and what's available (it is 7 years since I last bought a computer so thngs have moved on a lot!). I suppose it is a bit more expensive than buying online or from somewhere like Tesco but they are bringing it to the house, will set it up for me and give me a crash course in Windows 7. I have the comfort of knowing that, if anything does go wrong I only have to pop into the shop and talk to people I know. All that is worth a lot to me for something that is as important as my computer.

Good for you, Ann. I did something similar a couple of years ago. I went to a local 'geek' and asked him if he could build me a computer (telling him what I wanted it to do) and (having got fed up with Microsoft's policy on Windows and Office - updates I did not want and facilities which slowed down what I did want, changes which made former methods of working impossible, etc) have a Linux OS. It was a steep learning curve, and initially expensive, but I have an OS which is free and if I don't take a later version it does not matter. I know that I can go to him and get service which the big stores (let alone Microsoft!) cannot match. As long as he stays in business.....