Tell Me Why Not to Buy This:

[Kenneth]

OK, so I currently do not own a computer. I haven't for a while. It really isn't that bad. I mean, it would be nice to have, but I just don't really need one.

I have a Rosetta Stone disc though, and I'd like to actually start using it to learn a language. I also want to have something to chart music on. I play piano and want to start transcribing things by ear. There is free software you can get to chart out music quickly and easily. That, e-mail, porn, and Office type stuff are the only things I really would use a laptop for.

Well, I have this $100 Best Buy gift card now, so I went there today thinking about using it to purchase either a new laptop or a television. They have an Acer there that is on sale for $399. Take off the gift card and it's $299. A sales rep there said if I get a Best Buy card and put it on that, I get $50 off. That's $250 for a brand new laptop, and I'd have it paid off within a month no problem.

It's here:

www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9101928&type=product&id=1218022587285

The only issue I see with it at all is that it doesn't come with Office. I am sure I can come up with a copy of Office 2003 or something and not pay anything for it. I think I actually have a legal copy of it laying around my house somewhere. I'd also rather have XP, but again, I have a legal copy of that too if I really want that.

Is there something about this laptop that should make me not buy it for $250 or $300? It's got a year parts & labor. Acer is a reasonably reputable brand from what I understand. For what I'm planning on using it for, I see no reason to not go buy it tomorrow. Will there be better deals after Christmas if I wait? Is there some legitimate reason that I should spend a few hundred more dollars to get something better fiven my actual needs?

Thanks.

[ratsafari]

you probably won't get much better deals after Christmas, although buying electronics at the end of the month is always a good idea as they are trying to clear inventory and you can haggle for pricing at the end of the months. As far as products for office, you can always use open office. I would say it is a good deal for the price, just prepare to be bombarded by Best Buy for extended service warranties as well as them trying to get the geek squad come out to your house to set it up for you.

[ratsafari]

www.businessweek.com/technology/content/dec2008/tc20081219_818641.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily

[HuffNfeffeR]

It does come standard with Adobe Reader...

Seems like you can't go wrong there.

[Kenneth]

I just bought this one:

www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9167652&type=product&id=1218041150023

[Energy Vampire]

i hate all that preinstalled shovelware they include in storebought computers.

[IMG Public Relations]

A little late now, but HP computers piss me off. They're decent machines, but like G/L said they are so full of crapware pre-installed.

We have three Acer laptops in the house of various age, and haven't had problems with any. The one I'm typing on now is going on it's fourth year and I've never had to rebuild it from a crash. It's battery life sucks, but so does any four year old battery. Most of my slowing issues are Windows based. Acer is not a household name in the US, but I'm willing to endorse them. Toshiba I've had terrible luck with.

[Kenneth]

I already knew about all the trial software crap they have on there and am prepared to deal with getting rid of all of it. They tried to actually sell me an "optimization package" when I bought it that would remove all of that stuff.

[Kenneth]

Well I got most of the crap off of it and everything seems to be running pretty smoothly right now. It's pretty sweet so far. I am also connected through an unsecured network right now, so as long as that thing sticks around, I don't have to pay my roommate for internet.

[Kenneth]

Porn seems to be working just fine.

[sdot]

They usually five you restore discs or something and you dont have to load all that crap software back on if you do a restore. You might have to redownload the porn though.

[HuffNfeffeR]

Hopefully you didnt remove the Adobe Reader.

[Kenneth]

I downloaded an SNES emulator last night and played Tecmo Super Bowl for about an hour and a half. It was awesome. I forgot to save though, so I have to start over.

[KingsoftheGridiron]

acer is owned by Jews

[wvudale]

Jan 15, 2009 10:37:26 GMT -5 Kenneth said:

I downloaded an SNES emulator last night and played Tecmo Super Bowl for about an hour and a half. It was awesome. I forgot to save though, so I have to start over.

Welcome to the internet.

[Kenneth]

It turned out that it saved for me automatically, so I didn't have to start over. Thurman Thomas has 23 touchdowns through 12 games! It was so worth $700 to Finau-ly be able to play Super Nintendo again!