Quote: Stylee TingTing @ 6th March 2015, 10:23 PM GMTWhy laptop?
According to internet blurb (yes yes I know), all Windows 8 applications will get a free upgrade to 10.
Two things you should consider:
a) When the seller advertises '500 gig/1/2 Terabyte etc. hard drive', be sure to verify with the (usually 17-year-old spotty know-nothing) salesperson, how much of said hard drive space is already loaded with unwanted crap apps designed for 14-year-olds. My last '500 gig hard drive' all-in-one PC, had 138 (!!) gig already taken up by said crap unwanted apps. Took me 3 months on-and-off to strip it out.. I say 'out'.. some of it is still there, 'cos I gave up stripping due to frustration. *cue gags*
b) Know your battleground: if and when you decide to purchase, gird your loins for an assault on your personal details. Here's a précis of my last purchase from PC World:
ME: Okay - I want to buy that one.
HIM: Certainly Sir.. if you'd like to come over to the desk?
WE SIT DOWN AT DESK.
HIM: So, Sir, if I may take your details? Your name?
ME: (Unsure) It's <redacted>.
HIM: Your address?
ME: (More unsure) Ummm.. it's <redacted>.
HIM: Your email address and telephone number?
ME: (Girds loins) What do you need that for?
HIM: Your guarantee will be invalidated if we don't have all your details.
BEAT
ME: That's patently not true. My statutory rights as a consumer do not depend on any personal details. You're taking them for the purposes of phishing, e-marketing and selling data.
HE BLUSHES.
HIM: I can assure you that's not true, Sir. We must have all your details for the guarantee.
BEAT
ME: So.. are you telling me that you won't sell me that PC if I refuse to give you my personal details?
HE BLUSHES EVEN DEEPER.
PAUSE.
HIM: I'll go and ask the Manager.
45 SECONDS LATER HE RETURNS TO THE DESK.
HIM: That's perfectly okay, Sir.
So, Horseradish, do not fall for any seller's phishing bull: don't give them ANY personal details.
No. Word is part of the Microsoft Office bundle, which usually (but not exclusively) is separate and which must be purchased separately..
..but..
There are several free online software apps which are Word compatible and which do the job that Word does, all for free. (They'll translate all your Word docs into their own format). OpenOffice is one. There are several others.
Stay frosty. Keep taking the tablets and all the best.
Many thanks STT. All helpful advice. I'm thinking laptop as I'm moving as many heavy things out of my life as possible. This is both literal and metaphorical although, as always, I only got the metaphorical bit of it later. I don't really understand tablets and refuse them whenever they are offered. In all senses - kapow!
I think I will stay clear of the big sellers. I know of an Acer shop which is run by a couple of youngish techy types. They are always happy to spend an hour or more explaining what they know while retaining the appearance of never having quite left their beds. And as they are clearly not overly bothered about selling anything, I have the highest regard for them in a 1970s sort of way. I may well buy my new computer there.