Strange as it sounds, I could go either way. Let me explain, we are a house of seven people six of whom are capable of using computers. We had a computer in the kitchen, a laptop, whose screen delaminated as it otherwise went kaput. I use this computer to read the morning headlines to the children at breakfast and pontificate upon them at length to their undisguised annoyance. My wife suspects the laptop was sabotaged. She would like a computer in the kitchen at dinnertime because she can listen to Rush as she prepares dinner here in Germany when he comes on at 6 PM our time. Alternatively, I could buy a refurbished or really cheap desktop, or even an all-in-one, for the kitchen and wait another couple of years for the technology to advance and get myself another really good computer.
PC or Mac?
We have only PCs in the house and I know but little about Macs except the cult like devotion of their adherents. I am willing to experiment if it is compatible and can network.
Which operating system?
We have PC XP Pro on every machine that I had not yet seduced into Windows 7, feeling that my crack IT team-my 13 year old-is pretty well tied up school and soccer. And for this reason I have not explored any other OS.
What will be the computer' s primary purpose?
Depending on the answer to the first question it will either serve as a kitchen countertop utility similar to a radio or TV, or it will be the lead computer used for small business activity, watching American television here in Germany (that means primarily Fox and downloaded shows for the wife and kids), Skype, and of course, Free Republic-the pontificating never seems to end. I need good memory for my computer because I like to have either TV or radio going in the background.
Anyone with insights to offer will find them gratefully received.
