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General discussion

looking for help with buying a new laptop

Nov 18, 2009 8:21AM PST

I helping a frined who would like a new laptop he 81 years old not a computer geek he would used it for a home office and internet.
He like linux never used a mac but anything he get must not be bugy and must just work when booted.
Other things he looking for is cost it need to be the best he can get for $300- 350 area also the cost of the software and is it easy to learn and used?
How are mac's on on linux ? Would a window pc be better? or a used mac What the best way to go ? Thanks

Discussion is locked

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Try an old or new windows computer.
May 7, 2010 9:16AM PDT

If he is using Linux as his main operating system, he should probably try a windows computer. If he buys an apple computer that was not made after 2006, Linux will not work on it unless you use an older edition of Linux. The newer updates of Linux will only work on an Intel or AMD processor. I hope this helps you.

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Mac Mini instead of laptop??
Feb 18, 2011 11:28AM PST

IF your friend isn't going to travel with a laptop...........

Go to an Apple Store or preferably some other place where your friend spend some time operating a Mac. It is about the most error free system - unless you're operating under a virtual system.

The MacMini is a small footprint on a desktop. Mine has a nice 21" screen which I like as I can increase the size of the text on-line and still see most of a page easily.

Get something to do a backup, preferably as a bootable disk. Give him the address to the CNET MacFixIt forums and turn him loose. Wink