Comments on: Dell Laptop for €249 http://hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/ Fri, 25 Nov 2011 22:15:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Microsoft Vista SP1 | Anthony Cooper http://hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-208 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:45:21 +0000 http://www.hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-208 [...] Vista SP1 hairyfish.org had a post regarding a Dell laptop for sale coming in at €250 ex VAT. The machine runs Vista Home [...]

]]> By: Anthony C http://hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-200 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:54:30 +0000 http://www.hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-200 Did they buy the €249 ones?

Vista versions are like the old XP versions home & professional. XP Professional being more network and security focused. Same goes for the Vista releases. All versions include that which is included in e.g the home version but ultimate would be like XP Professional, more focused on networking and security. One difference e.g being that Home standard does not come packed with IIS if I remeber correctly, which is included in the latter.

I ran Vista Ultimate for a few months and had no problem with the package as a whole. IIS was however not a good option for setting up a local testing server. Currently I run Vista Home with it set up as a testing server using WAMP and it does the job. Besides a few issues here and there with 3rd party software compatibility I can pretty much doing anything on it. So unless your mayor into networking and WAN’s I would go for Home as it offers all the basic elements required.

On the security side also, there is a service pack 1 out for Vista at the moment, for download from MS site :)

On another note, something of general interest with the Vista…Ever seen the “upgrade” version of Vista? As in having to have a previous version of Windows installed. Well, in actual fact, you can install the “upgrade” version as a stand alone OEM version not requiring any software even on the hard drive. So an upgrade is in actual fact the full package as you can even choose which version of Vista you want to install, permitting you have the correct 25 digit product key to go with the version you chose. Something to bear in mind if your not already on the Vista bandwagon :P

]]> By: Ben http://hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-205 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:36:37 +0000 http://www.hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-205 Yeah the bro and the dad got new Dells with Vista and they don’t like it. You reckon Vista would be worth the deal? If so which one would you reccomend? Business / Home etc?

]]> By: Anthony C http://hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-204 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:13:59 +0000 http://www.hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-204 @Ben – Planning on installing it on the new beast? Just make sure you make a recovery disc 1st when you switch it on the first time otherwise you will be screwed in terms of getting the system back the way it was as the product keys given with laptop software are not compatible with stand alone versions of the software.

XP Pro is nice. I used it for years till Vista came out. Was’nt a big Vista fan when it came out but find it strange using XP @ work now as I have to go look for setting which I could tell you over the phone to find :P

Such is the change in time hey. Good luck with Vaio & enjoy the trip!

]]> By: Ben http://hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-202 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:22:10 +0000 http://www.hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-202 Yeah thats what im thinking! Save the few dollars and get the Sony on the decent exchange rate.

I bought a HP Pavillions series laptop with 256 megs of ram and took it home and it was 256 with 64 of that purely for the graphics card. FAIL.

It has served me well though. Fairly bulletproof and has made me a more patient person!

As for the software, i have a nice XP Pro Cd here waiting patiently. . .

]]> By: Anthony C http://hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-203 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:50:27 +0000 http://www.hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-203 @Ben – I would defo consider paying the extra 50€ and getting the 2x 1Gb chips! Would benefit the programs a bit at least. Even @ 667Mhz. 192kb ram? Does’nt make sense. Back in the good old days even the lowest ram module was a 512kb. Vaio rock! Especially the FZ serious. They cost a fortune over here and you can get the same thing in the US for at least 400€ less. Only thing with Vaio’s though is they have a sh!t load of rubbish software that comes with it.But even with that aside, Vaio’s rock!

]]> By: Ben http://hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-201 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:26:55 +0000 http://www.hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-201 @Anthony C – Granted the processor isn’t the best and you can expand the RAM to 2 gigs for an extra 50 bucks. Any user can clearout the startup with a couple clicks. This is the cheapest laptop i’ve ever seen even with that spec.

My laptop is running 192kb of RAM so welcome to my world. Wouldn’t necessarily be looking to move mountains.

Personally i think it’s a steal and am asking myself should i get this and upgrade a bit OR wait till going to the states in May and pick up a Sony Vaio for a few extra quid. . .

]]> By: Anthony C http://hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-207 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:22:52 +0000 http://www.hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-207 Sempron chipset, integrated GFX, Vista Home and only 1GB ram? I’ll go make some coffee while the machine completes it’s boot sequence :P Combine that with the startup programs running in the background? For entry level users wanting to surf the web, send emails and do some wordprocessing this would be a low budget machine to looks into yes, but dont be expecting to be running CS3 and the likes of those on it. Nevertheless, not a bad price for a entry level unit.

]]> By: Anthony http://hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-206 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:53:26 +0000 http://www.hairyfish.org/2008/04/13/dell-laptop-for-249/#comment-206 Vostro’s are decent alright. Lot of love for them on boards.ie. Have been referring a few folk to them over the past few months

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