My very first computer and it still serves me well
I purchased this computer almost 8 years ago, and it still works today and is my main music creation machine, and it hosts my pod cast library. It performs those tasks very well. My special purpose for it is to run Audacity, which is am audio creation application that allows me to create quality music. I use it to play my violins in separate parts and then put them together to simulate a group song. Ease of Use At first, it was not easy to use, but as a new computer user, I was unaware that what would have made it easier was a memory upgrade and a different operating system. It came with just 512 megabytes of RAM and was trying to run full Windows XP Home rather marginally. Even back then, before file sizes grew and before opening web sites required increasing speed and processing power, it became painfully slow. People sent me files that I simply could not open. It was frustrating. However, after I upgraded the memory to 2 gigs and installed a graphics card, it became much easier to use. And after I made it a Linux Ubuntu machine, not only was it faster yet, I found many applications allowing me to do the things I simply could not get done before. Now, the computer has been an active useful member of my home network and still has many important functions. Hardware Quality This seems to be pretty good because nothing has failed after almost 8 years of music making, web surfing and research, and even finding my job using it. I also think that the sound hardware is very good, outputting clear undistorted audio. Support & Service Dell has an innovative way to sell computers any other retailers are doing their business similarly. I was able to specify what I wanted from a list of choices, and they built it for me. I have not contacted them for other types of service except inquiries about product lines, and their live chat was very helpful, and it allowed me to make an educated choice when purchasing accessories. Durability This is quite good. This machine has had years of use and is now old, but it still runs fine. The monitor is a CRT, and it still gives me a good enough picture quality that it´s still being used. The keyboard and mouse are still in active service. Design It has a rather clever modular design allowing customization and easy upgrade. Parts snap in more easily that with homemade computers, because with the latter, I find that tools and screws are necessary. Performance At first, it was fairly good, but as the internet grew and Windows XP did as well, the system could not run the operating system faster than at a frustratingly slow speed. However, after I learned to be a better user and builder, and I installed a more suitable operating system, I made this computer into something valuable to me today.
MoiraWhitlock
USA