Dell- "you need Dual core to use the internet and play mp3s at the same time!"

[peterb]

god for tasks like that we're talking quad core or more

Dual quad core processors surely...

They'll refer to the entire computer as 'the harddrive' and when they talk about their computer 'running out of memory' what they are actually talking about is harddisk space.

And how about this...

User "The Internet isn't working"
Response "Oh, can't you get e mails then"
User "E mails are OK, its the internet that doesn't work"

for some Internet := web

[nvening]

I completely agree with you on most aspects however i would disagree on what you say here:

Similar lunacy comes from the ever changing 'minimum spec' recommended for PCs in 'Computer Shopper', now above that of my 1.5 year old PC. The implication is always that a cheaper PC, or any PC towards the minimum spec end of the spectrum, will do you for 'email, word processing and the internet', but nothing much else. They suggest also that last years mid range PC is this years useless-crap that-can-only-do-email PC. I don't think they've changed the basic description of what a 'minimum spec' PC can do in several years. Even the lowest spec PC these days is capable of more than just email, word processing and the internet. And if that's all you want a PC for, you could get by with something much older and cheaper, like an Athlon XP processor or a Pentium 3 (not that I really recommend it).

I think you are slightly missing the point of this section of Computer Shopper. Yes, an 800MHz PI system could come with email/ internet etc however, would you recommend your friend who was after a new budget PC for email/ internet to buy such a pc?

I would think the answer is probably no. The Computer shopper minimum spec is a guide to non techy users as to what they should be looking for in a new modern PC and it also gives a price at which to expect the spec.

I can understand both sides of the argument but tbh imho i thing CS is correct.

What really gets me going though is when companys exagerate the capabilitys of a system of component, for example the Geforce 7300:

NVIDIA® GeForce® 7300 graphics processing units (GPUs) allow you to experience the latest gaming effects without compromising performance. Boasting the 3D graphics features of today’s most advanced GPUs—including full support for Microsoft® DirectX® 9.0 Shader Model 3.0 and true high dynamic-range (HDR) lighting—GeForce 7300 GPUs also bring stunning, high definition video and superb picture clarity with minimal CPU usage with NVIDIA® PureVideo™ technology. For the performance and features you need to play the latest games and enjoy home-theater quality video, make sure your PC is equipped with a GeForce 7300 GPU.

lol

[-N!CK-]

Dual quad core processors surely...

exaggeration my friend

[AdvWar]

That description for the Geforce 7300 is classic. PCW advertisements have just got immeasureably stupid over the past year or so, flaunting things which they claim to be brilliant, knowing that it will inthrall someone who doesn't know anything about computers, while it will completely put anyone off them all togther if they do know anything.

[iranu]

I think you are slightly missing the point of this section of Computer Shopper. Yes, an 800MHz PI system could come with email/ internet etc however, would you recommend your friend who was after a new budget PC for email/ internet to buy such a pc?

I'm not even sure you could find that kind of kit unless Clunk's dodgy 3 wheel van driving friend could get you one and throw in a free statellite dish!

The OP's post is great and it's the kind of rant I'd love to post cos it's all too true. Everytime PCW adds come on it makes me want to go around there and firebomb the b*****ds.

But we all know two things. 1. People are muppets. 2. Companies will exploit number 1.

It's the same for skin cream adverts. eg: Nivia Visage DNAge cell renewal night cream! WTF is that all about. Punter: ooh I'v erd ov vat dna fingy it's got spirols an' fings, it's wot u iz mayd ov, an az u get owlder ur dna dyes so u gotta renew it, innit.

A fool and his money are soon parted.

I even had a friend who has been through his own baptisms of fire numerous times with all kinds of F*** Ups who has learnt or rather not learnt the hard way even though he can count on 3 very tech/computer savvy friends and a brother who has a degree in computer science (and artificial intelligence) to help him out. The scrapes he gets into are just unbelievable to the point where I just can't be bothered helping anymore.

Last time I spoke to him he said he was going to get Vista 64 edition cos it would go well with his 64 bit chip (S939 -3xxx) and make it perform better.

Some people just will not listen, even to sound advice, and plough on regardless.

[Morgoth]

Hrm actually, I never actually pay attention to manufacturing blurb about a product because it is just a bunch of exaggerated, completely over the top buzzwords stuck together, but I can't say it bothers me that much because I've got used to it being that way, and the complete lack of content precludes any attempt to compare products according to said blurb. The real danger, I suppose, is for people who don't know anything about what's true or isn't true amongst the sea of positive, meaningless phrases. But according to manufacturers blurb, everything's perfect and does everything, so that might actually end up making it so that the PC ignorant actually end up buying something cheap, at least, rather than something vastly overpriced.

When buying a few things, I've discovered what it's like to be adrift in ignorance, unable to know what's bad and what's good in a product that's outside of what I know about, relying on unhelpful, stupid manufacturer's nonsense on the box. Especially if I've not had time to research the thing first. For example, when I was buying a digital multimeter to test the voltage of my camera flash, I had not the slightest clue what was actually required, as I know next to nothing about actual electronics. However I just bought the cheapest one, and it turned out fine.

You could say that the TV adverts are no different than meaningless manufacturer's blurb, but as I said, what irks me about them is how ignorant and exploitative they are in perpetuating obvious barefaced lies about what you actually need in a PC. Blurb generally is arranged so that everything looks good, but these adverts suggest you need a specific processor to do the most basic things, and that other things aren't as good. And unlike an online manufacturer's blurb, there is often no hard evidence about specifications available, and nothing to compare it to. These adverts rely on ignorance and hype, and it seems almost like they should get in some sort of trouble for how misleading they are.

The PC world advert is funny, and sort of honest, because it seems to blatantly valorise and encourage the sort of impulsive idiocy that buying a product in their store relies upon! Shiny Toshiba! Dual core! Totally worth £900! I did notice when I was looking at monitors in PC world (just to see which ones looked good to buy elsewhere) that, just like those adverts, they often concentrate the specifications on one thing, mostly processor speed, and leave the rest out, resulting in a hideously unbalanced machine. Like a gaming spec, high end processor.. with an ancient motherboard with AGP (this was in 2006), and integrated graphics, and a small hard drive, not enough ram, and a rather crappy monitor (although 19" and OMG 8ms! ) for ONLY £800. It may be different now.. er.. maybe.

It is of course good for companies, to benefit from and perpetuate this sort of ignorance. That said, I think I'm justified in criticising them for being so dishonest and for perpetuating stupid ideas about PC speed and specifications. And Norton and its ilk probably cause untold amounts of slowness and problems in the average PC, I agree. I think probably installing Norton is far more detrimental to the speed of your machine than a slower processor. But maybe I'm just biased because Norton wrecked the family Windows 98 machine all those years ago. It makes itself harder to remove than a genuine virus, as well, or at least it used to.

As a sidenote, I must look at the manufacturing blurb on some subconscious level, because here is an amusing and.. unusual.. piece of manufacturing blurb I noticed when looking for a motherboard. Evidently, Gigabyte don't pay their translators well. Description of a Gigabyte motherboard, from microdirect :

"This mother chart with the format signed Micro ATX Gigabyte will enable you to assemble in all simplicity an at the same time powerful and not very expensive configuration. Gigabyte GA-M61SME-S2 is based on the chipset NVIDIA GeForce 6100 which guarantees performances more than tempting to him as regards posting, offering results seizing in all the types of applications multi-media. Equipped with a port NCV-Express train 16x it will make watch of evolutionarity and it will be possible for you to associate to him a graphics board of last generation for performances in adequacy with your needs. It incarnates the optimal solution in terms of performances and evolutionarity."

Oooh.. a port NCV express train! 16x speed! For making watch of optimal solution of performances and evolutionarity, tempting to him as regards posting, for seizing applications multimedia! I complain, my previous motherchart did not contain an express train, 16 speed or not!

[-N!CK-]

. And Norton and its ilk probably cause untold amounts of slowness and problems in the average PC, I agree. I think probably installing Norton is far more detrimental to the speed of your machine than a slower processor. But maybe I'm just biased because Norton wrecked the family Windows 98 machine all those years ago. It makes itself harder to remove than a genuine virus, as well, or at least it used to.

oh it still is, my friends family computer has it and if he ever tried to game he had to disable stuff and if he wanted to then browse the net he needed to enable stuff and change settings.....what a hassel tbh