Desktop V Laptop.

[Yorkie]

If you have a wireless modem, and a wi-fi enabled printer, you can connected them to the desktop computer wired, but if you do later get a laptop as an addition, it means that with your desktop shut down, if you are say sat in the lounge with you laptop, it will connect wirelessly to internet via your modem, and also with your printer, so you could, if you wished, print stuff off even though your desktop is switched off.

(Great to see a post from Terry - I hope you're keeping well and in good spirits T!)

[Alistair D]

I have been looking at options for turning my HP all in one printer into a wifi device so that I can print from the laptop without turning the desktop. I came across a device that can not only do this but can still allow the scanner to function wirelesly. It would also allow an external hard drive to be accessed via wifi, indeed many USB devices can be made wireless.

http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/review/ser...10u/312884

As regards the desktop v laptop debate, I am tending towards laptop. I now have an old swivel monitor stand attached to my workbench so that I do not have to print out schematics when I am working on a piece of kit.

P.S. I forgot to say that this device is not actually a wireless device but would plug into a spare port on a wireless router.

Al

[ed731pdh]

I went through that stage with wireless kit, and after suffering a reliability/unreliability ration of approx 100 to1 in favour of not working when you want it finally went over to a full 10/100 system with a networked colour laser on the line. All the PCs in the house can access the printer and the NAS's, with no conk out issues.

[Radio Fixer]

Yes! I'm with those who say stick to a desktop. Full sized kbd and mon and you can always upgrade it.

Recently upgraded mine: new mil grade mobo (motherboard), AMD 6 core processor (ideal for video rendering which I do), 8GB of Ram, fast graphics card and, great to have, an SSD (Solid state drive) with an external on USB3 (now that is fast). But kept the case and good quality (near silent) power supply. Didnt use the cooler that came with the CPU as these are always cheap and have noisy fans... fitted a massive finned copper slab with silent PWM fan (variable speed, depending on temps, by pulse width modulation). I have another of these in the rear.

Very pleased with the set up, near instant boot and loading software is very quick too. Every prog works well and fast... I hate waiting.

Like W7 (mine is 64bit Pro version to run legacy progs) which is Vista sorted... solves most of the driver issues for you. Easy to use: whats not to like?

Now I would like a bigger monitor!

Agree about not being able to fix laptops... cant be done for something serious... you cant get another mobo for example

Gary