3 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

Hey gang... our accountant is old school and well frankly since she is retired she has that prerogative! So since she only charges me part-time pricing at 'old school pricing levels' for well more than part-time work I do just about anything to keep her happy!

In today's rapidly changing world, our online accounting/billing system just did a massive overhaul and NOTHING works like it used to So now that her old trusty reliable XP computer is failing fast..I must act now to help her find a new GENTLY USED if possible or refurbished if possible XP computer for her ASAP!

I can not ask her to add an add'l learning curve to the nasty one we are facing with our accounting/billing/payment system so the ONLY solution is to find her a decent previously owned XP computer through ebay or other venues.

That being said...I no longer recall what the final "Best of the Best" hardware options were that ran XP since we are now a number of product platforms removed.

I did an ebay searh HERE and found a lot of options...all of which are cheap...I just can't narrow it down much because the hardware seems so slow compared to products on the market today.

In reality this computer will be used with either older programs that are not hardware dependent OR it will be accessing online programs. So can anyone help me find the best hardware option that has XP on it and/or any input on the actual computers for sale that have XP on it?

[WreckWench]

Any feedback? I will be in Texas next week so would like to get this ordered asap.

[dive_sail_etc]

Any feedback? I will be in Texas next week so would like to get this ordered asap.

Here is the problem you are goinf to run into (I know because in my research over the last few days it is the problem I have been running into.) There are plenty of good fast machines (Dell Optiplex is a personal desktop favorite, not the mini box geometry but the full size tower with plenty of ventilation) that offer Windows XP, even Service Pack 3. But there are LOTS of post SP3 updates that are necessary to ensure forward compatibility (assuming your accountant is also familiar using, and therefore not willing to part with, MS Internet Explorer). Those post SP3 updates were only available off the MS support site. After January 20134 MS Support closed that portal entirely. Unless you can find a machine offered with Xp SP3 that expressly includes all post SP3 updates as well, which is worded cleverly in some offers to make it sound like they will be included but they won't be, then I would be skeptical of a seamless and bug free (as in operability, not online virus) transfer.

If you are up against it then at least XP SP3 will function adequately if newer layered apps i.e. Opera or Firefox browsers, latest Adobe, Shockwave and Java versions for XP are installed.

Hope This Helps

[WreckWench]

Thanks Brad...it does help some. She mostly uses the computer to help with our accounting stuff. She uses firefox and not IE.

I need to find something fast as her machine id dying fast. I was hoping to have something for next week while I'm in Texas for Larry Elsevier's Memorial/funeral.

I am not sure how bug free it has to be...at this point I would buy her anything that allowed her to keep using XP with or without SP3. But I understand the limitations.