5. Budget. "My philosophy is that if I spend a little more on a better quality item, it should last me longer," says Wirth. A good computer should stick around for four to seven years, he adds. You can buy a fairly standard PC for around $1,000; you may need to spend a little more if you prefer a Mac or want to run complex software.
6. New or used. Both Gookin and Wirth shy away from secondhand machines. "Used computers have no value," says Gookin, mostly because of the rapid changes in technology. Wirth essentially agrees, saying the time and effort to make them up-to-date is rarely justifiable. You're far better off investing money into a new computer, they say.
Hacking Through the Jargon
Here's what you need to know in the language of computers.
• RAM. The computer's power to open and run programs. The more programs you want to run at a time, the more RAM you'll need. Two gigabytes (GB) of RAM is reasonable.
• Gigahertz (GHz). The speed of a computer's central processing unit (CPU) is measured in GHz. Today's standard is around 1.8 GHz. The higher the GHz, the faster the computer will open and run programs.
• The hard disk and gigabytes (GB). The hard disk stores your files when the computer is turned off – like a filing cabinet – and is measured in GB. The more files you keep on the machine, the more hard disk space you'll need. Between 80 and 120 GB should be sufficient for the average family.
• USB ports. These are the slots on the computer where you plug in printers, scanners, memory devices, cameras, etc. You want to be sure the computer has enough of them to connect a few of those peripherals simultaneously.
Read more:
• Using kids' art: Dream pillows
• Easing nintendonitis
• Back up your files
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