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well update from last week:yep, my hard drive was gone on my 2 year old old lap top and I did look into getting an old desk top, but the repair guy advised me against it. Why I listened to him I don't know. I don't even like the guy. Anyway he was able to save my files. I got a new lap top yesterday and he will download my files for me on Monday. I am hoping this computer lasts longer than the last one and I can learn not to keep hitting the panel and erasing everything like I did before. BTW, I went with about the cheapest one I could cause the last one was not cheap and didn't last anyway.
If I have to work on something more than a few hours, I prefer using a desktop to a laptop. Laptops generally have too small of a screen for longterm use.
I make sure when I buy a laptop, I can easily hook up larger monitor(s) for ease of use. I have found Thinkpad laptops are rather durable. I always hook up a mouse to my laptops as I dislike using touchpads as well.
I haven't had a Mac in ages, I just don't like the sticker price of any type of new Mac. As for tablets, I cannot stand them at all as I dislike touching a screen to use a computer.
I use an iPad daily. Apple would have won the tablet race if in their iPad Pro they would have offered a full on Mac OS instead of IOS.
If my iPad bites the dust, I am tempted to go the MacBook route.
I've had the best luck with Apple hardware. I used a 17" MacBook Pro from 2007 to 2013 (also with a BootCamp partition)....hard use. In 2010, after my AppleCare had ended, I bought a bigger hard drive at Fry's in Las Vegas and had a computer store in Blythe, CA put the new drive in and do the transfer for well under $100. In 2013, the screen finally burned out. I was initially unaware that that was the issue, and accidentally corrupted the drive. At some point I may try putting the original HD from 2007 back in and try to boot it up with an external monitor.
2013-2016...I used two new laptops I had 'stockpiled' that I had been able to purchase for about the same amount as a hard drive with the same storage. Over a three year period I wore out both of those new laptops, and a year ago I bought the MacBook Air. I did a Time Machine back up to an external drive in 2013 about a week before the screen died on my 17", and also had the data and pictures on another drive. With help from the Apple Store, I was able to set up two accounts/user names/desktops on my new MB Air, one '2007' one, and one '2016' one. The '2007' one has all of the programs from my 2007 MB Pro, and I think all of them work except two or three. The last version of iPhoto works on El Capitan, and I was able to find it on another site after Apple deleted it from their site. I have two libraries on an HFS+/'Apple' external drive, one iPhoto library, and one Photos library, and I can open each of them in El Capitan on my MB Air. I just added AppleCare for two years (barely within the 1 year purchase window), and plan to keep this MB Air for many years. I have three 22" external monitors that I will eventually use with the MB Air (need to dig up the external video card boxes I used with my 2007 Mac and test them).
I really like that Apple put the iPhone 7/7+ camera in the 2nd Gen iPad Pro 12.9 inch. My next Apple purchase, probably in the fall, will be the 2nd Gen iPad Pro 12.9 inch. I'll use the Duet Display app (have already downloaded it to my MB Air) to be able to use that iPad Pro 12.9 as an external monitor/extra screen real estate for the MB Air.
Eventually, if Apple ever offers the new USB-C port only MacBook Pro with 32 gigs of RAM, I may end up getting that (and some higher resolution external monitors) for another purpose.
The thing I like most about the Apple Photos program is that it allows individual picture titles/captions of a fairly long length (at least 60 characters) and, in a different field, to allow an addition description that.....AFAIK....no one has used to the ? limit (I used 500 characters once, and could have added more).
Last edited by RMESMH; 07-26-2017 at 03:14 AM..
Reason: ADDED LAST PARAGRAPH
Same here: if I have a lot of work to do, I'd rather be at a desk, using a big monitor. On the other hand, when I'm traveling and need to do emails, I'd rather have a laptop than a tablet or a phone.
Tablets are fine for checking google for directions but I don't like doing anything more personal on them for security reasons.
Since I use my laptop only at home and it remains stationary, I have a keyboard hooked up to avoid using the mouse pad on the laptop (which is mostly useless and frustrating to use).
I do 95% of my computer work on a laptop, I ended up using a desktop to complete a project the other day. The larger monitor made the project a lot easier. The form I was entering was poorly laid out and a pain on either screen. The 7 Ps of good operations was not followed on this deal.
I also tested a tablet running windows 7. The main program I used was absolutely terrible. Clumsy and very hard to read.
Since I use my laptop only at home and it remains stationary, I have a keyboard hooked up to avoid using the mouse pad on the laptop (which is mostly useless and frustrating to use).
I designed a desk for myself. The standalone keyboard, ergonomic and curved, has a drawer which is just the right height. A plastic crate turned over is where the laptop sits on the desk, at eye level. I rigged up a small fan inside the crate which turns on when the computer does to help cool it off. And its space to store a bunch of stuff, like pens and notes to yourself and so on. The track ball also fits in the drawer area with the keyboard. I use my old office chair, but it set at the lowest seat, my usual, with the drawer set up to match.
It works very well, especially since I added the fan set to run straight up on the bottom of the crate anytime the laptop is on. I don't think its enough for the old hp I need to turn on and start copying before its kills itself, but may try one of those laptop fans for it too.
This setup with stuff to hold my computer stuff next to it is also in the living room since that way I can watch tv too....
I can sit it at my desk and work during the day, put on my lap on the sofa and play games in the evening, take with me on trips, lay in bed with it, chill on the balcony with it, love it.
Same - but, instead of sitting at a desk, I take my laptop (17" screen) with me wherever I go ... unless I'm using my tablet (Surface Pro) as a portable reading device. (I've also started traveling with my tablet, since it is smaller and lighter).
I don't remember the last time I used a desktop computer at a desk --- or, for that matter, a mouse. Since I take my 'lap' and fingers with me wherever I go, I've always got a "desk" and "mouse" handy.
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I've had the best luck with Apple hardware. I used a 17" MacBook Pro from 2007 to 2013 (also with a BootCamp partition)....hard use. In 2010, after my AppleCare had ended, I bought a bigger hard drive at Fry's in Las Vegas and had a computer store in Blythe, CA put the new drive in and do the transfer for well under $100. In 2013, the screen finally burned out. I was initially unaware that that was the issue, and accidentally corrupted the drive. At some point I may try putting the original HD from 2007 back in and try to boot it up with an external monitor. 
