Buying a new computer (Spun-off HIV topic)

If you've got all the functionality you need I wouldn't bother upgrading to 0.19. I doubt it will be any more stable than 0.18 - probably just the opposite for a while as it's a major rewrite of several areas.I'm planning to keep up to date so I get new (UK related) functionality as it rolls out.The two main ones I am looking at currently are being able to get the digital radio stations that are broadcast along with the over the air digital TV stations in the UK (this will be in one of the early 0.19 upgrades).The second - much further down the line - is for when we go to broadcasting HD TV. I have an HD ready TV so I can't wait The BBC is going to broadcast some of the World Cup in HDTV this summer - but not in the area I live

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I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then

Bittorrent, my friend. Watch it on your myth box and you get the best of both worlds. Probably completely illegal, though.This message has been edited by crashfrog, 02-16-2006 11:52 PM

It's a thought - but the real thrill is watching the game live.

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I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then

Heh, I'm of the exact opposite opinion, which I determined a few weekends ago when I Tivo'd the Superbowl.It's much less disappointing to watch when you know for sure which team to root for.

Ok, I know I said I'd build my own machine and all that - but I just looked at the prices of Alienware laptops on eBay...I could get the machine of my dreams, but I'm just too paranoid unless someone can reassure me that buying electronics on eBay is actually somewhat safe?

I have bought a couple of DSL modems on eBay, and all went well.However, I have to admit that I treated it as something of a gamble. The price was low enough that I could afford to lose it. I also spent some time reading through the history comments on the sellers.I'd say that you need to be cautious. One of the modems I bought was advertised as new. It was actually 4 years old, although never used (in an apparently unopened package). This was no surprise to me, since I knew that model hadn't been manufactured for several years. But I would say that the advertising was misleading.I'm not sure that I would buy a laptop on eBay. That's a bit more costly than I would want to gamble.So I guess that isn't the assurance you wanted. But perhaps it is some kind of feedback.

Well, here's the thing - I've seen Alienware laptops (the kind of gaming machines I have only ever daydreamed about owning) for about 200 - 300.Fair enough, I can afford to lose that. I'd just want to know if that sounds dodgy at all, or if eBay prices are normally that low - these laptops start at about 1200 up to 5000!

If it sounds too good to be true...

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

I know... *cries*

To be fair, and present a different story...My aging mother needed a motorized wheelchair. The conventional means were charging almost 7k for a simple model. Online venues had it down to under 2.5k. My brother searched and researched and found a never been used model on EBay for less than 1k. After much calling back and forth between the siblings, he decided to go for. So far no problems. It was delived as promised, seemed to have never been used as promised, seems to behave as promised. The seller had an excellent reputation, found very few neutral comments let alone negative comments.

One important bit to keep in mind on eBay is to pay with plastic.Your credit card co. will help protect you from fraud when eBay will not. The ability to charge-back and contest for 60-90 days after the charge hits your account is invaluable. If you pay via check, money order, wire, or PayPal, there is no one so clearly on your side.I've shopped quite a bit on eBay with only occasional problems.

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The first modem I bought was the new (but 4 years old) one. It was an exact replacement for what I already had, and I knew it was dying. I paid $50 at eBay. The original had cost over $200 4 years earlier.For the second modem, I wanted to try one that was supposed to do better on marginal phone lines (which I have). My ISP was using a speedstream 5100b, which I could purchase new for around $90.00. The eBay price ranged from $30-50. I also looked at a Westell 2200, which is a more fully feature modem. I don't know what the list price is. I ended up getting the 2200 for only $15.00It's a supply/demand kind of thing. Apparently the demand is lower and the supply higher for the 2200, so you can get better deals. Incidently, the modem I got for $15.00 was used, but only briefly. It was only 6 months since manufacture. It is working great.Yes, you can get good bargains at eBay, if there is an oversupply at the time you are purchasing.

I'm going to keep checking - someday I'll spot the computer I want, going for a song and being sold by someone reputable...Oh and I wouldn't dream of using eBay without my credit card.

I have no idea if these are scams or not. Familiarize yourself with the concept of the basic "escrow scam" and jump in. If the seller wants you to use an escrow site that he refers you to, and that you've never heard of, that's the scam. The site will be convincing so don't rely on that. It'll look exactly like a legitimate financial site, have real security certs, etc.Sometimes you can find killer deals because corporations buy lots of something, then find they have to get rid of it quickly; so they sell it for pennies on the dollar to a recycling company (who basically gets it for free) who then turns around and sells it fast on eBay - low overhead and they want to move it fast, so the price is low.There's a chance it's legit, in other words; not a scam, and not something that "fell off the truck" if you know what I mean. Give it a shot. Like I said the classic eBay scam is to sell a laptop - a high-demand, high-price item - and use a fake escrow site to take the money.

Jus connected to the net, on my home PC, using my cell phone and a Bluetooth dongle. WooHoo!

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"The good Christian should beware the mathematician and all those who make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of hell." - St. Augustine