TCS

My name is Terry Tromanhauser, owner/operator of TCS Computer Services. We offer residential and commercial technical support. We are available 24/7 and most often can solve your computer problems within 24 hours. We go right to your business or home.

905-380-8350

terry.tromanhauser@cogeco.ca

Residential and Commercial Technical Support

Monday, August 16, 2010

A New School Year, A New Computer


A client of mine is heading off to school in North Carolina on a golf scholarship and he before he left he asked for some advice. No, Andrew didn't ask me about his swing but rather asked for some help in purchasing a new computer.

As it is Andrew's first time away from home, under academic as well as athletic pressure, he will have lots of things to worry about without being concerned about his computer! I was able to discuss with Andrew what his computer needs were in order to make sure he was happy with his purchase but we also wanted to make sure he didn’t spend money on unnecessary peripherals. I was able to set up his computer to ensure he had all of the programmes required for success. I am sure there are many people out there in the same situation as Andrew. There is much to consider when purchasing a new computer for school.

The first thing to consider is to know exactly how you are going to use your computer. Lap tops range in size from a ten inch screen to seventeen inches. If the sole use of your computer is for completing assignments and taking notes in class I would recommend a 10-13 inch screen. However, if you also want to use that computer for entertainment such as gaming and watching movies, you may want to go to the large 17 inch model. For games you will want the larger more high powered computer which is also a much more expensive unit.

DVD drives/burners were once very much in vogue but they might be an unnecessary option. If you want to rent and watch DVDs on your computer, or load a new game, then yes you will need the DVD drive. Make sure you make your decision at the time of purchase as it might not be possible to add this feature after.

When DVDs were first introduced we were amazed at how much data could be stored compared to the floppy disc. We soon found however, as our need for storage increased, so did our DVD collection which became difficult to keep organized. DVDS also need to be handled with care. Now USB jump drives are the trend to store your data. The cost is from ten to sixty dollars depending upon how much storage. The benefit of a jump drive is you can store all of your data on a stick and attach it to your key chain. You can take your data with you wherever you go. No excuses for not handing in your homework! Another option for data storage is an external drive between one and two terabytes (TB). This is great for someone with LOTS of data. It is perfect for the avid movie down loader.

Just make sure you have thought through how you are going to store your data as having data backed up is vital. You do not want your hard drive to crash the hour before your essay is due.

Good Luck Andrew! Looking forward to hearing all about your adventure in North Carolina.





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