I've got a new computer

INTERFACE

The last time I shopped for a computer was way back in 1999. For some strange reason, I didn't like the idea of assembled PCs then and ended up buying a Datamini set-up with an Intel Celeron processor. And guess what, Datamini gave me a 21-inch Sansui television free with it which is still working.

I was happy because I got a 'deal' and after a few initial hiccups (which included a motherboard change), the unit ran without many flaws. Life was good, I thought, till one fine day the monitor of my PC turned blind. It was time to buy a new PC.

I decided to ask those who are in the know. My only requirement? It should be a future-proof PC "� as in it should do the job for me and my family for five years minimum. And yes, my budget was Rs 30,000, about the same that I spent on my Datamini seven years back.

The resident expert in our office of course laughed at the thought and with a grim expression told me that all I can expect is three years from a PC. And when I showed him some advertisements from assorted newspapers he laughed even more.

Then I went to a friend who normally helps my software-challenged brain. He heard me out and made a comprehensive list of things I should have in my PC and I have to say it all looked good. Intel Core 2 Duo 2, 4GHz/2MB L2 cache/1066MHz FSB 975x chipset - Also, equivalent AMD alternative, XP professional 1 GB RAM (1x1GB) DDR2 fastest speed possible (667 Mhz) - 2 GB RAM (2x1 GB) DDR2 fastest speed possible.

At least two DIMM slots to be empty, 160 GB SATA II HDD 15" flat panel screen LCD or 17" flat panel screen, ah!. Also need a home use black/white printer, Mini-Tower chassis? (black colour, please).

I tried telling my friend that I had no intention of building a cryogenic engine for a privately-funded space programme. Then my brother-in-law came visiting. He is the quintessential IT guy to me "� knows his stuff, made his money and is all set to retire at the age of 37. He told me to go for a laptop and use the old keyboard to play games with it.

More research and more questions followed. But I stopped pondering when I realised that I can't get a Dual Core processor (by now I was obsessed with it) in a laptop even if I doubled my budget. And yes, the resident expert warned me about 'battery recalls' of some brands and why I don't need a laptop.

By now I received a quote from one of the 'very busy' assemblers and it was adding up to around Rs 80,000 and there was no way I was going to spend that much. Then came divine intervention.

Yet another friend, who in all probability, got sick of my buying process, asked me to check out the HP site where they had listed a model from the Pavilion series (A 1521) which had more or less what I was looking for.

Or what everyone else was looking for, for me. And its list price was a shade under Rs 50,000. And it featured a Dual Core processor. Sigh. Next day I took a friend who talked the jargon to an HP dealer. An upgrade to 1 GB RAM cost some additional money and then a printer that could also walk the dog was bought in.

I still rely on a dial-up connection, so my life hasn't dramatically changed. No bank sites and airplane tickets on-line till I subscribe to broadband service. I still need to spend money to get more computing power after dishing out almost double of what I intended to pay. But I have a monster at home that comes alive through those little yet very loud Creative speakers. What have I done?