Hardware/Software question
by Luc Jordan · in General Discussion · 04/30/2002 (3:15 pm) · 11 replies
I know this is irregular, but I have a question I really need answered and also an issue I need some opinions on.
The question is: if I have set up a Linksys DSL/Cable Router with my Win2k computer as the primary computer, and if I am buying a new computer, can I install the *same* copy of WIn2k on the new computer and still have it connected to the LAN? I mean, it shouldn't make a difference, should it?
THe one I need opinions on is: okay, for this new computer I am going to be getting a new gfx card. Obviously, it's going to be a GeForce card of some sort. But here's the deal:
I can't afford a GF4 4600. So I have to choose from the 4400 and below, down to a GF3. The thing is, I remember reading on Gamespy (curse you Gamespy! Why can't I locate that story???) that unless you get a 4600, you should get a GF3, for reasons unremembered (I remember the general thrust of the arguments, but no particulars; basically you'd be giving up a certain amount of power in pixel/vertex shaders? Or something like that?)
So, what's the deal? What is the difference with the different flavors of the GF3? There's Deluxe, Ti 200, Ti 500, and regular old GF3 . . . what are your reccomendations??
The reason for these questions is that I have essentially been offered a free PC, but I have got to hurry to get in my order! So if you guys can let me know, especially on that vid card thing, that would be an incredible help; I don't want to rush into this and get a substandard (or not very compatible) gfx card.
The question is: if I have set up a Linksys DSL/Cable Router with my Win2k computer as the primary computer, and if I am buying a new computer, can I install the *same* copy of WIn2k on the new computer and still have it connected to the LAN? I mean, it shouldn't make a difference, should it?
THe one I need opinions on is: okay, for this new computer I am going to be getting a new gfx card. Obviously, it's going to be a GeForce card of some sort. But here's the deal:
I can't afford a GF4 4600. So I have to choose from the 4400 and below, down to a GF3. The thing is, I remember reading on Gamespy (curse you Gamespy! Why can't I locate that story???) that unless you get a 4600, you should get a GF3, for reasons unremembered (I remember the general thrust of the arguments, but no particulars; basically you'd be giving up a certain amount of power in pixel/vertex shaders? Or something like that?)
So, what's the deal? What is the difference with the different flavors of the GF3? There's Deluxe, Ti 200, Ti 500, and regular old GF3 . . . what are your reccomendations??
The reason for these questions is that I have essentially been offered a free PC, but I have got to hurry to get in my order! So if you guys can let me know, especially on that vid card thing, that would be an incredible help; I don't want to rush into this and get a substandard (or not very compatible) gfx card.
About the author
#2
So I figure, hey, I'm already paying for an OS for my new machine. There's no reason to pay for *another* OS for the same machine. Instead, I'll just copy the OS I like and not use the one I'm buying. :)
04/30/2002 (3:23 pm)
Well, technically yes. But this deal comes with WinXP preloaded on the computer. I don't want XP, and there is no way for me to have them replace it with Win2k without adding $250 to the price tag.So I figure, hey, I'm already paying for an OS for my new machine. There's no reason to pay for *another* OS for the same machine. Instead, I'll just copy the OS I like and not use the one I'm buying. :)
#3
04/30/2002 (4:13 pm)
i just bought a brand new car , but they used a single stage paint when they painted it ,and i found out that a two stage with clear coat would be much better, so ill just park my new car in the garage and not use , and go back after the dealorship closes and take a car with the two stage paint ,,,,,it will be ok since i wont be using the car with the single stage paint, i will just use the one i want to. ;)
#4
GeForce4's come in two flavours - the MX and the Ti. A Ti is what you want if your loaded, it's a fast GeForce3, but with 2 pixel shading units (nFiniteFX units). Very nice. Stay well clear of the MX series though. It's just a souped up GeForce2, a GeForce3 has much better features. You may as well just buy a high end GeForce2 MX, it's cheaper.
There are 3 GeForce4 Ti's - 4600, 4400, 4200. The difference between them is the memory bandwidth, vertex processing speed, and operations per-second. To be honest, there isn't a huge gap between them, so if you can't afford a Ti 4600, go for a 4200. The features are identical. I don't know where you live, but in the UK, the price for a 4600 is
04/30/2002 (4:48 pm)
I won't comment about Windows licensing, but here's the nfo on the gfx cards:GeForce4's come in two flavours - the MX and the Ti. A Ti is what you want if your loaded, it's a fast GeForce3, but with 2 pixel shading units (nFiniteFX units). Very nice. Stay well clear of the MX series though. It's just a souped up GeForce2, a GeForce3 has much better features. You may as well just buy a high end GeForce2 MX, it's cheaper.
There are 3 GeForce4 Ti's - 4600, 4400, 4200. The difference between them is the memory bandwidth, vertex processing speed, and operations per-second. To be honest, there isn't a huge gap between them, so if you can't afford a Ti 4600, go for a 4200. The features are identical. I don't know where you live, but in the UK, the price for a 4600 is
#5
That's one thing that irks me about all this digital content theft. I was reading this article in the Toronto Star today saying how Canada was one of the countries the largest amount of software piracy (pretty bogus claim). Anyways, some Canadian Anti-piracy group was claiming over $350M of money lost due to pirating. This has always bothered me. These stats that they pull out of the air.
Even if you can figure out how many copies of which software were pirated, it still isn't a correct estimate of how much money was lost. Just because someone pirated a software doesn't mean they would have bought if there was no other way to get it. This is obvious for your more expensive software (like 3DS Max, which very few 13-17 year old could afford).
Software (and music and movies) isn't like a car, or a candy bar. You can't hold software physically. you can hold a disk with the software on it, but that disk still has the same value (the cost of a disk). When a software pirate pirates software, he/she isn't depriving any other customer of their copy. He is making their copy. When a car is stolen, a car is stolen. There isn't a new copy of the car which appears.
What's my point? I'm not completely sure. But people need to stop comparing digital content with physical object. And those loses figures need to be taken with a grain of salt. This is just something that's been rubbing me the wrong way for a while.
Note: I don't like software piracy (or any kind of theft for that matter). If you can't afford the software, music or movie, don't steal it, you have no rights to it.
Anywho, to the man who started this thread, my quick (and simplistic) solution is save yourself the cost of windows while staying legal: upgrade to Linux. =)
04/30/2002 (7:49 pm)
Yes, technically what you're doing is illegal. However, to equate it to stealing a car is silly.That's one thing that irks me about all this digital content theft. I was reading this article in the Toronto Star today saying how Canada was one of the countries the largest amount of software piracy (pretty bogus claim). Anyways, some Canadian Anti-piracy group was claiming over $350M of money lost due to pirating. This has always bothered me. These stats that they pull out of the air.
Even if you can figure out how many copies of which software were pirated, it still isn't a correct estimate of how much money was lost. Just because someone pirated a software doesn't mean they would have bought if there was no other way to get it. This is obvious for your more expensive software (like 3DS Max, which very few 13-17 year old could afford).
Software (and music and movies) isn't like a car, or a candy bar. You can't hold software physically. you can hold a disk with the software on it, but that disk still has the same value (the cost of a disk). When a software pirate pirates software, he/she isn't depriving any other customer of their copy. He is making their copy. When a car is stolen, a car is stolen. There isn't a new copy of the car which appears.
What's my point? I'm not completely sure. But people need to stop comparing digital content with physical object. And those loses figures need to be taken with a grain of salt. This is just something that's been rubbing me the wrong way for a while.
Note: I don't like software piracy (or any kind of theft for that matter). If you can't afford the software, music or movie, don't steal it, you have no rights to it.
Anywho, to the man who started this thread, my quick (and simplistic) solution is save yourself the cost of windows while staying legal: upgrade to Linux. =)
#6
No. That would be a good comparison if, in order to use another copy of Win2k, I had to break into the local EB and steal a CD, which involves LOST RESOURCES. Furthermore, WinXP Pro and Win2k are almost identical, and cost the same.
So, it's as if you bought 2 cars, one yellow, one red. You like red better.
So you just snap your fingers, and they're both yellow. I don't see the problem . . .
Now, on the subject of actual software piracy, all right, I see where people might have a valid argument. But, come on. This is just silly.
05/01/2002 (11:22 am)
"i just bought a brand new car , but they used a single stage paint when they painted it ,and i found out that a two stage with clear coat would be much better, so ill just park my new car in the garage and not use , and go back after the dealorship closes and take a car with the two stage paint ,,,,,it will be ok since i wont be using the car with the single stage paint, i will just use the one i want to. ;)"No. That would be a good comparison if, in order to use another copy of Win2k, I had to break into the local EB and steal a CD, which involves LOST RESOURCES. Furthermore, WinXP Pro and Win2k are almost identical, and cost the same.
So, it's as if you bought 2 cars, one yellow, one red. You like red better.
So you just snap your fingers, and they're both yellow. I don't see the problem . . .
Now, on the subject of actual software piracy, all right, I see where people might have a valid argument. But, come on. This is just silly.
#7
As for Win2K, should just work. Also, if you are getting WinXP Pro, I believe there are 'downgrade licensing rights', you just provide the downgrade yourself -- I'm not positive on the restrictions, and don't believe it is the same for WinXP Home. It's a new program MS established for XP so that manufacturers could install XP all over, and the license is such that a purchaser could decide to use a 'lower' OS if they so choose (and have media for it...).
d
05/02/2002 (6:49 am)
The 8500LE 128MB just did decently in a shootout, given it's $199 or lower price range.As for Win2K, should just work. Also, if you are getting WinXP Pro, I believe there are 'downgrade licensing rights', you just provide the downgrade yourself -- I'm not positive on the restrictions, and don't believe it is the same for WinXP Home. It's a new program MS established for XP so that manufacturers could install XP all over, and the license is such that a purchaser could decide to use a 'lower' OS if they so choose (and have media for it...).
d
#8
05/02/2002 (7:02 am)
Why not just leave XP on the one machine and set it in the "2000 mode". They work fine together and are based off the same operating system anyway. TGE works fine on XP. I'm setting up a similar mini network like you mentioned with 2 desktops and a laptop. 2 with XP and 1 with 2000.
#9
Anyways I allways say if you going to spend the money to get a crad get the best you can because no matter what the cards going to be allmost opsolete in about 6 months to a year anyways. (Year and Half if you buy the latest and greatest.) Thats just my thinking though. Another words buy whatever card you want to get. :)
05/03/2002 (1:08 am)
I recommened you go with the GeForce 4 if you can. I have a GeForce 4TI 4600 from visionTech (The one with the massive heat sink that wraps all the way around the card. Anyways I havent had any compatability problems as I have had with GeForce 3 cards. Dont ask me why since these use identical drivers and all but I have had some games not work on my G3 card and they do no on my G4 card.Anyways I allways say if you going to spend the money to get a crad get the best you can because no matter what the cards going to be allmost opsolete in about 6 months to a year anyways. (Year and Half if you buy the latest and greatest.) Thats just my thinking though. Another words buy whatever card you want to get. :)
#10
-Tim aka Spock
05/03/2002 (1:17 am)
Why not use winXP? IMO its better than win2k if you plan on playing games on this computer. Bashing Microsoft aside, winXP is their best OS. You may say that you don't like the fisher price theme that it comes with. Go into options and change it to classic and it will look like windows 2000. Just because extra functionality is there does not mean you have to (are forced to) use it. If you talking about stability, Ive never had windows crash. Sure explorer crashes but so does every other window manager. The windowmangers in linux crash all the time. WinXP just like linux does not crash when window managers crash, it will simply kill explorer and restart it, leaving the programs you had running still running. If you have good solid arguments against winXP that win2k fixes then I would like to hear them.-Tim aka Spock
#11
Simple things. Like deleting stuff. If I delete a folder, it seems -- don't ask me how! -- like it never does leave. I deleted the Tribes folder on a friend's computer, scripts and all -- empty directory, and I emptied the trash. (This because he messed up some .vol file and it was faster to just reinstall the whole thing and reinstall the 2 scripts he needed to play). However, I reinstall the game -- and it's all there, INCLUDING his custom scripts, which we expressly deleted.
Lots of stuff like that keeps popping up; folders and files that he delete keep popping up again with contents intact whenever a folder or file with the same name is created. It's just strange.
WinXP Pro, now -- I'm not very familiar with it. But Win2K is also very stable, and I know it better. Also, I had a bunch of weird problems with Red Faction on XP.
As I say, I am definitely not an expert on XP. I'm just wary of change, when this will be my new work computer. :)
05/03/2002 (7:30 pm)
I have had some really weird, perplexing problems with WinXP. Obviously, I'm no expert on WinXP; I only know enough to know that I don't like it.Simple things. Like deleting stuff. If I delete a folder, it seems -- don't ask me how! -- like it never does leave. I deleted the Tribes folder on a friend's computer, scripts and all -- empty directory, and I emptied the trash. (This because he messed up some .vol file and it was faster to just reinstall the whole thing and reinstall the 2 scripts he needed to play). However, I reinstall the game -- and it's all there, INCLUDING his custom scripts, which we expressly deleted.
Lots of stuff like that keeps popping up; folders and files that he delete keep popping up again with contents intact whenever a folder or file with the same name is created. It's just strange.
WinXP Pro, now -- I'm not very familiar with it. But Win2K is also very stable, and I know it better. Also, I had a bunch of weird problems with Red Faction on XP.
As I say, I am definitely not an expert on XP. I'm just wary of change, when this will be my new work computer. :)
Torque Owner Aaron Davenport
But, yes, it should technical work fine as long as you setup the network correctly.
Hope that helps
Aaron