My computer has been dragging a bit so I went to Frys and bought a few parts to upgrade it this past weekend. I ended up building an entirely new computer. I learned a few things about hardware and software this weekend:
1. Windows XP Pro is relatively painless and quick to install. The base install took far less time than installing all 38 Windows updates and SP 2. I just wish Windows would stop ramming Passport down my throat.
2. When installing a new motherboard, one of the harder things for me in the past has been figuring out how the power, reset, drive LED, and speaker switches should be set. This new Asus motherboard has them color coordinated so there’s no trial and error involved. The machine booted the first time I turned it on.
3. Serial ATA drives make for a cleaner case due to the smaller cables, but the cable connectors slide off too easily. More than once I pulled a cable out when organizing the cables in my case.
4. I’ve installed three motherboards into my Lian-Li case over the past few years and I’m reminded how nice it is to work with a quality case. A quality case and power supply are well worth the extra money in the long run.
5. Many software installs are still terrible. Try installing Apple’s QuickTime player without iTunes. How come I can’t install just QuickTime yet I can uninstall them separately?
6. Creative Lab software thinks I need “Install AOL” icons plastered all over my system. I installed software for my Creative Webcam and sound card and each time I was bombarded with AOL icons on my desktop and Start menu.
7. Any software that puts itself in the system tray without my consent gets uninstalled immediately. Same goes for adding icons to my Quick Launch menu. Between all the crap in Quick Launch and System Tray, there’s no room left to see actual programs that are open!
8. Why do Games like Dungeon Siege 2 and Fable ship on four to five CDs rather than DVD? Swapping out CDs half a dozen times for a single game is tedious.
9. I really like my new Logitech MX900 Bluetooth mouse and Microsoft Natural Keyboard 4000. Both are very comfortable.
10. Every piece of software should have a “No, I never want to register” option.
11. Finding updated drivers is still a lot harder than it should be. Both ATI and Nvidia make it easy to find new drivers. Canon (printer, camera) makes it much harder. I now just Google for “Product X driver” from the start and only go searching the product’s website as a last case.
12. I may never need another laser printer because my 10 year old HP LaserJet 4L refuses to die. It’s still chugging along at 4 PPM which is fine since I seldom print more than a couple of pages at a time.
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