<p>Hey there! I will be attending UCI this fall as a freshman and like all the freshmen out there, I'm out hunting for a computer.</p>
<p>I'm not a huge computer person so a lot of people have been suggesting that I get a netbook instead of a laptop/notebook. This is what I'm planning to do but if it is a huge mistake, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!</p>
<p>But my main concern is which windows program I should get. I have a Windows Vista desktop at home and everyone says that I should switch to Windows 7. The people that have been using Windows 7 have been telling me to just stick with Windows XP. To be honest, I don't know the difference between these programs other than the fact that one looks "prettier" than the other. </p>
<p>As of now, looks don't matter. I just need a computer that I can depend on with my college work. Let me know what you think I should do and please leave any other pieces of advice to help me not make a stupid mistake.</p>
<p>Well, step one is to identify what you plan on doing with your computer. </p>
<p>If you want to play games other than flash, then a netbook isn’t going to do it. You might be able to pull it off with old games but not any new ones. FYI, flash games are games that you can load over the internet, games you’d find on newgrounds.com</p>
<p>However, if you just plan on surfing the web, instant messaging, sending emails, taking notes, stuff of this variety, a netbook will do fine.</p>
<p>But in general, IF you think you’d like to play games that you require a CD to install/load, you should get a laptop.</p>
<p>To address your OS problem, if you’re going to buy any computers nowadays, unless you’re building it yourself and you only build desktops, you’re pretty much stuck with the OS they give you. Unless, that is, you plan on purchasing a license for another OS or you pirate one.</p>
<p>I’d go with Windows 7. Better OS IMO, and a lot of technical features/requirements (networking, drivers) are simplified so there’s less of a techy know-how required to install and run the OS. Unlike Vista, Windows 7 is very light (uses less resources), so you’d have no issue running it on a netbook.</p>
<p>So between those three, I’d choose Windows 7</p>
<p>XP was a good operating system, but it’s approaching 10 years old. This is a ludicrous amount of time to be supporting an operating system. It has issues supporting newer hardware and should be retired. If you have a system already on XP, there’s no reason to switch, but you’re just asking for trouble by installing XP on a new system.</p>
<p>The same argument applies to Vista, except it’s 4yr instead of 10yr. Yet, unlike XP, Vista was a rushed product with quite a few issues.</p>
<p>I personally recommend that you use Linux, but if you’re not that adventurous, you can stick with Windows. Whatever you do, just don’t insist on old, legacy software!</p>
<p>Oh, wow. I had to look up some computer terms to understand some of the posts, hahaa! Clearly I’m not a computer person…
I don’t play those downloadable games like maple story or games that need a CD. I occasionally go on omgpop.com but I can live without it </p>
<p>Thank you so much for your advice guys!!
If you want to add anything, please feel free to do so~</p>
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