HJDS Computer Services Computer Systems Support and Installation.

Subscribe to Our Blog
Name:
Email:
Your information will never be shared CONFIDENTIALITY GUARANTEED
Powered by Optin Form Adder

There are a variety of different reasons someone might want to buy a good, cheap laptop. And there are a variety of cheap laptops available. However, not every computer is equal and it is easy to end up with a machine that is outdated or won’t meet your needs. Finding a real bargain means keeping your eyes peeled and your mind switched on.

Decide what you want before you start looking.

Don’t get roped into buying a laptop that is beyond your budget and comes with extras that you just don’t need. Write out a list of things you must have, and things you can get away without. One example of this is buying a laptop that doesn’t have wireless internet built into it, then buying a cheap USB connector for as little as $10.

If you’re going for a cheap laptop, you probably aren’t going to be doing anything too extravagant on it. 40GB of space should be plenty, and you can probably get away with buying a laptop with 256MB of RAM and upgrading to 1GB much cheaper than buying it already installed. Basic Intel processors are suitable for general use without buying anything too expensive.

Windows XP will probably suit your needs just as well, if not better than Vista. It works best with current programs and does not use as much RAM as Vista.

Battery life can have a big impact on the cost, but may not be an important factor for the user. Ask yourself how often you are actually going to use your laptop in places without access to power points. Outdoors you are likely to experience screen glare anyway, so you will probably be able to use your laptop charger most places you go.

Screen size will vary according to the price you pay. A cheap laptop will often have a big, bulky screen that doesn’t easily fit in laptop bags and is harder to transport. A mini laptop of similar price might be too small. It comes down to preference, and what you use your laptop for. Big screens suit movie watching, but may have a negative effect on text readability.

Buying a second hand laptop.

The general advice with regards to purchasing used laptops is: don’t. It’s to end up with a bad deal. However, a bit of patience and know-how can land you a fantastic bargain. In the end, it really comes down to finding a trusted buyer and asking the right questions.

1. If someone you know is selling a good, cheap laptop, then that’s likely to be your best offer. Otherwise it is advisable that you seek out a trusted computer resaler.

2. Find out why the laptop is being sold. You don’t want to find out too late that it was sold because the original owner was having problems with it. A good reason might be if they have just moved in with a partner who already has a laptop, or if they have upgraded to something better and just have no use for the old one any more.

3. Find out how old the laptop is. If it is older than about three or four years, it probably isn’t worth buying. Laptops have an average life of about five years before they start to become drastically outdated. If it is less than a year old, ask some questions, including why they are selling it, and whether it has any faults.

4. Compare the sale price of the laptop with its original price. If the seller doesn’t give you this information, you can look up the laptop model on the internet to find out how much it was originally worth. If a used computer is close to its original price, you may as well just pay the little bit extra to get a new one. If it’s dirt cheap, find out why. It’s probably too old to be very useful any more, or there’s something wrong with it. Your best bet is to find a laptop that is a couple of years old and selling at around half its original price.

5. Be wary of a machine that doesn’t come with warranty still in place, as you could be up for big bucks if it breaks down.

6. The original proof of purchase is a good thing to have, both in making sure that the item isn’t stolen, and in case it is required to validate the warranty.

7. Is the seller prepared to provide a full refund if you aren’t completely satisfied with your purchase? If not, don’t bother. You may end up paying for a lemon.

Andrew Johnson is an expert in electronic products. If you would like more information about varieties of cheap laptop or are looking for a trusted computer retailer please visit http://www.ebuyer.com

Like this blog post? Buy me a coffee or send me a tip!!!

Posted under Hardware

Most people find the internet to be a perfectly safe place to play and learn. However, there are dangers from looking at certain sites, and it’s not just in what the content of the site might be about. Many websites contain malicious programs that download instantly to a person’s computer. And that’s why it’s ever so important to learn how to stop popups with spyware adware cleaner.

Malicious programs such as spyware and adware can gain access to a computer without the user knowing. They are programmed so that they hide inside an operating system. One of the things they do is show popups, sometimes without the user even accessing the internet. Learning to stop popups with spyware adware cleaner is an important step to stop this activity.

Pop ups from a malicious program can show up without the internet itself being activated and even if there is no browser activity. They are a form of advertisement that is typically frowned upon and generally unwanted by the people experiencing them. Sometimes they show up during simple visits to safe sites on the internet, and attempt to present material that is related to what is in the browser window already. Either way, these pop-ups were not requested by the user of the computer, and this type of advertising should not be condoned. Some browsers will attempt to block pop ups but what about the ones that don’t need the internet? The best way to resolve these invasive ads is to stop pop-ups with spyware adware cleaner programs.

It’s possible to block internet popups fairly easily. However, the more invasive popup programs are not so easy, as they occur without use of the internet. A cleaner program is designed in most cases to take care of popups that are more internal and intrusive. Unfortunately some cleaner programs are actually adware or spyware in disguise so always check downloads of any program, especially free ones, for good reviews. Being able to stop popups with spyware adware cleaner programs becomes more and more essential.

Cleaner programs that are trustworthy will scan the entire operating system, much like an anti-virus program will. They find the malicious programs and report them to the user, then offer suggestions on what to do with the suspected program codes. This is the most successful way to stop popups with spyware adware cleaner programs. After a complete scan, most cleaner programs will provide a script to block future popups and will advise another scan if any suspect sites are visited in the future.

Many popups are innocent ads paid for by an advertiser who was confused and thought this was a valid form of marketing. Many other popups are actually detrimental to a computer, downloading viruses like trojans into the computer system. The operating system and even the user’s personal information becomes at risk. If at all possible, consider methods to stop popups with spyware adware cleaner programs that not only remove existing suspect programs but prevent them from being downloaded in the future.

Are you looking for the Best Software to Stop Spyware? See http://www.review-best.com/spyware-removal-software-download.htm for Top 5 Spyware & Virus Removal Software and get a FREE PC Scan!

Like this blog post? Buy me a coffee or send me a tip!!!

Posted under Software

The press have often expressed how much Plumbers can earn in the UK. 30-70k p.a. is often talked about because of the lack of Plumbers. The question now is – are we being lied to, or is this the truth? Without a doubt, a fully experienced Plumber can command salaries of such levels. Salaries of 70-100k p.a. are achievable, but these appear to be the area of the self-employed Plumbers rather than those who take the more familiar working methods.

However, working for regular employers often results in the typical hours of Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. Normal remuneration such as holiday pay and sickness allowance, along with wages of between 15k and 30K p.a., are usual from UK companies in this area. A self-employed person can earn more money than this traditional approach, but will often need to work outside of the Mon- Fri, 9am to 6pm example. This is more common in the domestic market where self employed plumbers often have to work evenings and weekends to suit those clients that work during the week.

There is also the issue of self-employment itself – which definitely suits some people more than it suits others. By using ‘good business sense’, including getting your own cost per hour correct, items such as advertising and marketing can also be worked out. Equally, most self-employed people will need to pay additional costs to cover their materials and transport, alongside legal and accountancy fees etc. These charges should always remain a small proportion of the overall income so that any profits created always outweigh them. Added to that, the positives virtually always outstrip the negatives!

Student Entrants are generally looking for regular employment with a particular employer who can cover most of their working needs and teach them from experience. The need to increase their certifications and accreditations regularly affect the Self Employed Entrant. That noted the main drive of self-employed workers is towards the ‘domestic’ market and not that of the commercial sector. (Well the majority do at least)

In terms of plumbing education, there appears to be some similarity between the certification modules required by each path into the industry. It is when the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) is considered that a considerable discrepancy becomes clear.

To begin with the NVQ structure appears to be much more important to the Student Entrant than to the Self Employed Entrant. Therefore many Self Employed Entrants will meet their clients’ needs through the use of a wider range of certifications. The self employed person needs to consider the wishes of their household clients and use the relative domestic-centred qualifications to satisfy them. It is within the workplace – where the NVQ element can be appraised that many Student Entrants carry on with their apprenticeship after having covered the key fundamentals through a college scheme. The Student Entrant can also make financial savings at the start, as it is a cheaper form of study overall. But the Self Employed Entrant will gain certifications faster (motivated by a more commercial viewpoint) and will therefore be achieving considerable financial reward long before the Student Entrant.

Clearly this illustrates the need for a careers discussion that covers certifications and study alongside those of financial returns. It is often the issue of spending time at college and then having to go back to an apprenticeship for up to 3 years that proves difficult to many adults especially those that have a family to look after. It should also be remembered that many younger Student Entrants are entering an apprenticeship and thereby have their courses paid for them whereas the mature self-employed students do not. These costs (for self-employed status) can often end up around 3k-10k+, dependent upon the course structure and the level of certification sought.

The study process is often split with Student Entrants studying at recognised further-education colleges whereas the mature Self Employed Entrants going for a wider range of private run technical schools. It is the lead into familiar skill-sets and qualifications that commercially fixed plumbing course companies offer as part of their training paths. The situation whereby Self Employed Entrants can continue with their current job and maintain their financial position remains one of the core advantages of training in evening, part-time or self study classes. Using the range of sources, it makes sense to gather as much detail as possible and through this be able to work out the training college that suits you best. To review your options why not book mark this page (CTRL-D) and you can come back and review the links and adverts we have provided for you.

To increase their ‘marketability’ many plumbing students will go on to utilise extra courses. Courses in areas such as Gas, Electrical and Green Energy can provide added certifications. A popular route for Plumbers involves that of the normal domestic and commercial heating system training program of Gas Training.

Gas Training, with subjects followed by a focus on NVQ’s is recognised as an accurate and exact training program. The opportunity for on-going training is for those who trained first as a plumber and are now seeking to add some extra skills to their repertoire. It is from this position that many believe the mix of Plumbing/Gas Training is more apt to the mature student. Indeed, for the Mature Student, the path appears to be centred on adopting the core subjects and completely dropping the NVQ elements.

It is this distinct training hybrid that appears to suit the self-employed professional. There is a great empathy for earning money whilst learning a wider range of work skill sets. This adds to their overall package rather than having to rely on sub-contraction of key skills to third parties. Sub-contraction needs to be handled carefully as the erosion of customer satisfaction by having to wait for key work to be completed by third parties can result in a serious reduction in potential earnings. The higher the skill level of a Plumber the more that they can offer their client base.

Whilst the Student Entrant has the chance to develop through an established employer a Self Employed Entrant can utilise their skill levels through business skills and develop a broader range of certifications to achieve a higher income stream. Note: This information reflects the needs and requirements for the industry and policies of the UK market alone.

(C) S. Edwards 2009. Visit Intensive Plumbing Courses or CareerChangeOptions.co.uk/fcco.html.

Like this blog post? Buy me a coffee or send me a tip!!!

Posted under Software