I finally did it

And I didn't even go blind!!!
/crickets

No but seriously, I HAVE finally done something that I have been contemplating for the past couple years, but never had the courage/cash to really hunker down and do it.

Two weekends ago, on a semi-whim (more on this in a second), I went out to Micro Center and bought a computer.

Well, not exactly. More like I bought a collection of pieces that over the weekend I would cram together and teach to play nice with each other, only then to call it a computer. In the process I believe I also was award my geek diploma.

Overall, it was about what I had anticipated. It was largely "insert plug A into hole B then press the big on button." A lot of that fact could probably be attributed to having the Micro Center brain trust, and my preliminary research to fall back on. Don't get it twisted, I am not recommending walking in one day and laying down a lot of money on something like this with no googling/new-egging (for price comparisions) a priori. There are some tough questions you need to know answers to (i.e. video card amperage requirements, RAM support on your motherboard, your motherboard in general, Intel or AMD, etc.) to ensure the thing doesn't poop out in the first minute of life. I do recommend it to anyone who has ever had the slightest interest in Frankenstein-ing, well, anything. It's a hell of a lot cheaper than building a car, and anymore you will probably use it more.

On the semi-whim comment: I had two main reasons to start looking into a new computer:
1.) My desktop was starting to get pretty slow just from ~4 years of use and being the family's network hub while I have been at school.
2.) I visit digg regularly. In doing so, I have been hearing what I like to refer to as the iCrowd speak pretty highly of this new Windows 7.

Given that the Release Candidate (basically, barring a major FUBAR discovery, the version Microsoft will eventually burn to pretty DVDs and charge >$300 for) was released May 1 for a year long free trial, I figured now would be a good time to get a computer that would be ready for this slick new OS.

Granted, I figured I would be buying an HP or Dell, not parts. And in a year or so. Such is life though; I can't say I regret the decision at all.


I took pictures to show, but realized no card reader like before means needing to find a USB cable for my camera again.... consider it a slight delay...





On to the Windows 7 early impressions. Let me get it out of the way, for an operating system that isn't even "final" yet, 10/10

Pushing on 11/10.

It is functional and pushes Apple on aesthetics like Windows never has before. It is like a hybrid XP/Vista, minus the driver issues inherent with Vista.

Setting up a home network is almost too easy. The first time you start up '7, you are given a long "HomeGroup" number. All you do is type this number onto your other computers (with 7 also installed) and you are connected. However, since I am the only person with 7, I needed to connect with my other XP computers. No problem, just google search "Windows 7 on XP network" and you get millions of other people with the same problem, and easy fixes.

The new Windows Media Player convinced me to change my plans to switch over to iTunes. The album art actually loads this time around and, maybe just my imagination, but it handles my 30GB+ music collection a lot more smoothly.

The new taskbar takes a little getting used to but it really helps to keep your screen looking clean and uncluttered. Also, the start menu has the option of looking like the Vista or XP format. I went Vista, but its nice to know that Grandma has the option to go with what she's used to.

Oh, and it has a timer to switch desktop backgrounds hourly, daily, every 10 seconds, whatever.

And sticky notes. My monitor is saved from Post-It residue forever!!!

I could go on forever, but I'll just sum it up with two big thumbs up.