Bought any computing stuff today?

[chrisbainbridge]

Just received and set up my new iMac.  For my old one started running slowly and intermittently restating and then just stopped.

It was 7 years old so bought a new shiny 27" model.  The screen is amazing.  Setup was very fast. Once through the network, language stuff installing MS Office and a few other things was blisteringly fast!

[Jurek]

Just received and set up my new iMac.  For my old one started running slowly and intermittently restating and then just stopped.

It was 7 years old so bought a new shiny 27" model.  The screen is amazing.  Setup was very fast. Once through the network, language stuff installing MS Office and a few other things was blisteringly fast!

I bought a Macbook Air about a year ago.
I was gobsmacked as to how easy it was to set up when compared to the iMac which I bought in 2015.

[ian]

Hmm, mine is a late-2015 retina 27-inch model. It's tempting to upgrade. I still have the 2009 Mac Mini it replaced running as a server.

That said, it's still speedy as a very speedy thing and looks wonderful, so it's probably got a couple more years.

[chrisbainbridge]

Ian, I am sure you can resist temptation but I can confirm that the 5k retina screen is ABSOLUTELY beautiful. I am sure that it will enhance your computer usage and make videos of Surrey Bears even more appealing

[ian]

I actually didn't realise how old it was till I just checked. It's got a 5k retina screen which is a pretty awesome, not sure how they made it awesomer, but I'm sure they have.

[Afasoas]

Switches, patch panels, access points, lots of cat6 cable, conduit, SDS drill, soft/yellow sand, sharp sand, cement, plaster, caulk. Backplates and RJ45 faceplates.

That'll be the end of the network cables hung out of the windows then.

[hellymedic]

I have just ordered a 21.5" iMac for D to use in his studio/study/shed.

Its 2012 27" predecessor is DEDD.

The graphics card failed 2 years ago and was fixed but has failed again.

D replaced its hard disc last summer, when it was demoted from Main Computer to Studio Horse.

We bought a new 27" iMac in the summer from JL for Main use.

Apple durability and fixability is 'disappointing'.

[Afasoas]

Its 2012 27" predecessor is DEDD.

Apple durability and fixability is 'disappointing'.

Lasted almost a decade; that is not too shabby.

[fuaran]

Its 2012 27" predecessor is DEDD.

Apple durability and fixability is 'disappointing'.

Lasted almost a decade; that is not too shabby.

Though it highlights the problem with all-in-one computers. If part of the computer fails, or just becomes obsolete, need to replace the whole thing.
Monitors usually last much longer. Or if you do want to upgrade to something bigger/better, can use the monitor with an old computer, or TV, or games console, or give it away.
A Mac Mini plus a monitor of your choice wouldn't take up much more desk space.

[Kim]

Teltonika TRB140.  (An industrial LTE router with wired Ethernet, that's a bit cheaper and substantially more configurable^[1] than the canonical Netgear product.)  This was to replace a buggy USB LTE dongle that was causing all manner of pfSense headaches with its general inability to stay connected and the amount of USB-gymnastics required to make it be a modem rather than a usb-storage device that happened to have a WiFi router built-in.

Having wrapped my head round the necessary incantations required to make it do bridge mode (easy) while still being able to access the admin interface (less intuitive, but I've been through this with various DSL modems over the years and know the score), it seems to be playing nicely.  This should guarantee that our DSL remains rock-solid and help mitigate against any sudden house-moves.


_{[1] It's OpenWRT under the hood.}

[hellymedic]

Its 2012 27" predecessor is DEDD.
Apple durability and fixability is 'disappointing'.

Lasted almost a decade; that is not too shabby.

Though it highlights the problem with all-in-one computers. If part of the computer fails, or just becomes obsolete, need to replace the whole thing.
Monitors usually last much longer. Or if you do want to upgrade to something bigger/better, can use the monitor with an old computer, or TV, or games console, or give it away.
A Mac Mini plus a monitor of your choice wouldn't take up much more desk space.

We discussed this but I suppose I just wanted to end DEDD computer problem quickly. I don't think we'll continue to get all in ones. Their heat management seems dismal. D uses MANY peripherals and Mac socket's aren't ergonomically positioned.

I think D's 33 year marriage to Apple might end soon...

[Kim]

Though it highlights the problem with all-in-one computers. If part of the computer fails, or just becomes obsolete, need to replace the whole thing.

Which includes laptops, though unlike iMacs, they come in 'cheap and low-spec' where that sort of thing's less offensive.

[ian]

Computers and components fail like anything else. Extrapolating singular experiences isn't very useful.

I think a 2012 computer is fairly good going, in 2012 they were probably looking at a three-year intended life (I suspect that's gone up these days).

No idea about heat management, mine doesn't get hot. If there are lots of peripherals, get a powered hub. I just have a single wire out the back to the hub.

[Canardly]

Shortages and scalping are making building a new pc very problematic atm.

[Afasoas]

Though it highlights the problem with all-in-one computers. If part of the computer fails, or just becomes obsolete, need to replace the whole thing.

Which includes laptops, though unlike iMacs, they come in 'cheap and low-spec' where that sort of thing's less offensive.

Cheap, low spec and impossible to repair without oodles of patience and ingenuity.
All in ones are probably a bit easier than laptops, depending on how many bits are soldered onto the main board/how much glue has been used. No dastard hinges to contend with, as in a laptop!

I really like Dell's business orientated stuff because you can download official guides on dismemberment, should you find yourself in the position of trying to fix one.

[Afasoas]

Shortages and scalping are making building a new pc very problematic atm.

Tell me about it. I've had an AMD Athlon CPU on back order since November.

[hellymedic]

Apple email informs me computer has been dispatched, though delivery date when I ordered was stated as mid-March.
Expected delivery date March 4 though Apple deliveries have been early before.
Credit card payment is pending but not cleared.

[ian]

A new fancy waterproof Kindle Paperwhite so I don't have to put it in a plastic bag when reading in the bath (an exigency because I used to nick all the bags from the security checkpoint at Heathrow, they were a perfect size and thickness). I gave the old one (first generation paperwhite, still works, but a bit on the slow side) to my wife, who is unaccountably planning to read a book.

[Polar Bear]

Looks like webcam are back in stock and the prices have subsided a little too.

I've ordered one for the FiL which will be delivered on Thursday. Apparently.

[Mr Larrington]

New Babbage-Engine for the Estate Office.  Would’ve cost half as much again if I wasn’t planning to reuse the picture and sound cards and three SSDs out of the old one.

[Kim]

Looks like webcam are back in stock and the prices have subsided a little too.

I've ordered one for the FiL which will be delivered on Thursday. Apparently.

I nearly bought a camera for the BHPC (automagic finish line photos, for the capture of), but aborted at the last minute as it appears the software developer is experimenting with adding support for Ethernet (rather than just USB) cameras.  Hurrah.

[ian]

I just spent £8k on the best Mac studio going. Then I bought another.

Sadly neither for me, for workshy data scientists who are making our infrastructure chaps grumpy with their monthly Azure bills.

[ian]

Infrastructure changed their minds, and now we have some bigly VMs on Azure instead. It wasn't like I could stroke The Shiny anyway.

As a rather sad consolation prize I've bought an Apple Pencil. Never been convinced about styluses but I like to scribble notes in my ladylike handwriting. I have a wipe-clean Rocketbook thing at the moment, which is fine, though wiping it is a minor first world hassle and I get inky fingers. I don't really save the notes in the end, somehow writing them down imprints them on my mind. I also doodle exciting and informative diagrams. And occasionally vampires dining on the throats of those displeasing me. Don't make meetings borings, kids.

[geraldc]

My typing has got a lot worse recently, I'm either missing out entire words or doubling up on bits of sentences. This of course could be an undiagnosed brain condition, but I've decided it's down to me using laptop keyboards exclusively for the past couple of years. The low travel silent keyboards on laptops are too quiet, allowing me to get easily distracted by other conversations in the office etc. Previously the click clack of me typing on old school keyboards drowned out all other noise and helped keep me focused on the email being drafted. So I went down the mechanical keyboard rabbit hole, and and now have a Keychron k2, small form factor wireless keyboard with brown switches. The wife complained about the noise about 2 minutes into me setting up the keyboard, and requested that I don't use it at home. The brown switches are supposed to be relatively quiet compared to the blue and green switches that I had been considering.  The rest of the team are going to love me hotdesking in the office tomorrow.

[Mr Larrington]

iW00t!