The very old computer got trashed the other day at the Texas Recycles Day trash heap. (See Heaving that old computer - updated, below.) And as soon as I buy a new computer, the computer in current use will become the backup computer.
Buying a new computer has gotten so much easier over the years, or I should rephrase that and say that getting information about new computers has gotten much easier. I recall the first one I bought back in 1984. It was off the shelf of a retail computer store, and I'll never forget the response of the sales woman when I asked if the computer would do some such thing. "I don't know why not," she said. What a great answer! Beats the heck out of "I don't know."
So fast forward to the present, and the buying options are overwhelming. I thought I wanted a Dell, swayed perhaps by the tv ads or possibly by some positive exposure at the subconscious level. At any rate, their website makes it very easy to find out what's available, and links help explain most of the options. Best of all is the online chat with live Dell rep.
But here's the problem. I've got a five year old HP three-in-one printer that hooks up through a Parallel Port. Well, five years old must qualify it as an antique, because Dell computers don't have Parallel Ports. You can't even buy one as an option. Maybe this tells you how backward I am, but I was stunned at that.
The Dell rep recommended a Parallel to UBS cable converter, but all the available information on those say they don't work on multi-function printers. Not to worry. The Dell rep has another solution -- buy an $80 Mini Port Replicator from Dell.
Fortunately, HP has a pretty good help desk, too. But, HP recommends against replicators. Instead, the HP rep suggested buying a parallel port I/O card directly from another vendor and installing it myself.
What a mess! I may yet do that, but only after looking at other computer makers besides Dell. An HP computer is looking awfully tempting right about now. Surely HP computers will hook up with their own printers.
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