The Official Computer Tech Support Thread

[MicShazam]

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Your mother really should start dating outside the family.

[Trollheart]

Does anyone own a laser printer? I've had a lifetime of fighting inkjet printers with paper jams, ridiculously expensive cartridges that then don't last as long as you would think, and also the printer just stopping in the middle of a run for no reason at all. I'm moving up, and looking to buy a relatively cheap laser now (below 100 Euro), just black ink, preferably with replacement toners that don't cost as much as the machine. Just for printing out my writing, so no bells and/or whistles required. But the ones I'm checking out (Brother HL1112 and Samsung Xpress M2026) both seem to have issues with paper jams and no tray for printed docs. I know I could spend more to get a decent one with all I want, but really, it's not that much to ask, is it? A minimum of paper jams, legible type, reasonably inexpensive replacement toners/toners that give a decent amount of print life (1000 sheets or so seems to be standard) and somewhere for the printed paper to be collected.

Any ideas welcome. Links too. Please don't link me to US sites; some don't deliver to Ireland and even if they do I could be hit with VAT or high postage charges, not to mention I'd probably have to replace the US plug with a UK one.

Thanks!
TH

[Frownland]

What's an easy to use laptop for old farts that has good functionality?

[Key]

Originally Posted by Frownland

What's an easy to use laptop for old farts that has good functionality?

You can easily pick up a new Dell laptop for between 300-500. It's literally bare bones for people that just want something as a laptop. I can do some searching if you like.

[Frownland]

I'm asking for a family member who's in his 60s. He wants something intuitive that can handle the janky remote access third party program that he uses for work. Price isn't really an issue for him.

[DwnWthVwls]

Ease of use is more dependent on the operating system than the computer itself. Is this a troll question? If he knows how to use a computer than he can use any computer.

If he's remoting in he doesn't even need something good because the comp he's remoting into will be doing all the processing.

[Key]

Originally Posted by Frownland

I'm asking for a family member who's in his 60s. He wants something intuitive that can handle the janky remote access third party program that he uses for work. Price isn't really an issue for him.

Then any Dell laptop should be fine. My dad wanted one for the same thing and he's had his for 6 or 7 years now. It is starting to crap out nowadays but still.

[[MERIT]]

Originally Posted by Frownland

What's an easy to use laptop for old farts that has good functionality?

Get a Windows 7 or 10 [64-bit OS] laptop [brand really doesn't matter] with an AMD processor and as much RAM as possible. Set it up with an object dock so that things are easily accessible from the desktop, then teach the person how to use it. My uncle refurbishes computers and sells them for cheap. Say the word and I can hook you up.

[Trollheart]

Are there no tablets with built-in onscreen keyboards? Everything I read about says "buy keyboard separately". Surely there's one that allows you to write as you would on a mobile/cellphone, no?

[Frownland]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Are there no tablets with built-in onscreen keyboards? Everything I read about says "buy keyboard separately". Surely there's one that allows you to write as you would on a mobile/cellphone, no?

As in a touchscreen keyboard? I would think that most every tablet would have that functionality.