Russian computer for USA?

[Okiebollweevil 0]

My wife asked me if she should bring her laptop computer when she comes to the USA. All I know is it's a lower end Russian HP version computer. I think it's fairly new but not sure. She really does not know much about computers and relies on her son to help her with email, etc. In fact, she has a desktop computer that she has some knowledge about but little about the laptop.

And, of course, the manuals are in Russian so i won't be able to read up on it and I'm a Mac guy, so I know nothing about PCs anyway. I'm "Windows illiterate."

I have a Macintosh desktop computer, so having a laptop could be useful I suppose, like watching movies on a trip or whatever...but I wonder about it's value if it's set-up for Russians to use.

I tend to think it's not worth the trouble. What do you guys think? Is it worth her lugging the extra weight from Russia to get this laptop to the USA?

I sent my wife an old IBM thinkpad to Russia with a converter for the electrical connection. needless to say, the computer should have stayed there as I bought a much better one here. Also, you will need a power converter, and they are not very good for the electrical needs of a PC whether here or in Russia (not cheap either). Our home PC has both languages on it and my wife glued litle tabs on the keys to reflect which Russian character is beneath the English keys. Seems to be working fine. We acquired a dell laptop with state employee discount and with a wireless modem she can use the laptop anywhere in the house. Myself, I would advise not to lug the laptop over here and use the weight to carry something your wife believes she will need here or has some sentimental value.

[eekee 182]

I doubt you actually needed a power converter. I have used my computer in Russia without a power converter--just a 15 ruble thing from KEI to turn a european outlet into an american one. Most electronics like cell phones, cameras, and laptops are made to work all over the world. Only things like kitchen gadgets and hairdryers actually require a power converter.

Unless you ARE talking about an outlet switcher thing, in which case they are strangely expensive in the US and also hard to find and very cheap and easy to find in russia.

And to reiterate, if you put the laptop in your carryon it won't count as extra weight. I would never put something as important as a laptop in my checked baggage anyway. I always put electronic equipment and their respective chargers in my carryon so i'm not stranded if the airline loses my bag.

I sent my wife an old IBM thinkpad to Russia with a converter for the electrical connection. needless to say, the computer should have stayed there as I bought a much better one here. Also, you will need a power converter, and they are not very good for the electrical needs of a PC whether here or in Russia (not cheap either). Our home PC has both languages on it and my wife glued litle tabs on the keys to reflect which Russian character is beneath the English keys. Seems to be working fine. We acquired a dell laptop with state employee discount and with a wireless modem she can use the laptop anywhere in the house. Myself, I would advise not to lug the laptop over here and use the weight to carry something your wife believes she will need here or has some sentimental value.

Edited March 28, 2008 by eekee

[Bobalouie 0]

Ok mox, here ya go

This is straight from the Apple and HP websites, no extra software or printers, etc.:

Huh. I guess I stand corrected then. Either Apple have raised the prices of their laptops, or HP has dropped theirs...or hell, maybe I was just hallucinating the last time I priced computers.

I do want to point out that Macs come with more usable software (not the demo ####### you spend hours trying to remove from a PC) than PC's, but certainly not $1,500 worth.

Dunno what to say. The last time I looked, the differences were much closer. Given my experiences with both platforms though, I'll still take the Mac over the PC. Not having to reinstall every 3-6 months or going through some arcane machinations to get a peripheral to install is worth it to me.

Knock on wood, I dont have the reinstall problems. The only time I have had to reinstall was when I got a virus and had to format the hard drive to clean it out. The peripherals are a different story there....Know exactly what you mean.

[slim 1,533]

. I always put electronic equipment and their respective chargers in my carryon so i'm not stranded if the airline loses my bag.

A toothbrush is nice to have in a carry-on as well. Extra undies never hurts, either. Nothing like fresh socks after traveling for 42 hours and having no luggage because it's in Bangladesh and you're in Bangalore.

[shikarnov 7]

Ok mox, here ya go

This is straight from the Apple and HP websites, no extra software or printers, etc.:

Macbook Pro $3459.00

HP DV9700t $1899.00

For a grand total difference of $1560.

I'm a little late to this thread, but if you're strictly comparing hardware, then you're definitely getting the better bargain buying a PC. But, as Mox pointed out, the Mac comes with more usable software. And you also have to factor in the maintenance costs of running Windows like your annual virus subscription, calling in the repair techie (me!) to clean out all the spyware that accumulates, down time doing the periodic reformats and reinstalls, etc.

Of course, if you're "in the know," you'd use AVG, remove all your spyware yourself with free utilities, and the reformats and reinstalls would eat at your weekends, and not your work day... But wouldn't you rather spending those off hours with your new wife?

Since switching to the Mac seven months ago, I haven't had many problems. I'm not saying the Mac doesn't have problems -- it does -- but, they occur with far less frequency overall, and manifest themselves far less severely, than ever happened to me on Windows (and I rarely had Windows problems on my machines).

As for the topic at hand: I'd recommend getting your wife a Mac. Putting a novice user on a Windows machine is going to have you working all the time fixing things. And OSX can operate in Russian just fine, although you might to buy some Russian keyboard stickers or a Russian keyboard cover so she can have her Cyrillic letters. Some software may not translate -- but that's not uncommon on the Russian Windows side either (although it'll be more common on the Mac side, admittedly).

Just my 2 cents

Z

[slim 1,533]

. I always put electronic equipment and their respective chargers in my carryon so i'm not stranded if the airline loses my bag.

A toothbrush is nice to have in a carry-on as well. Extra undies never hurts, either. Nothing like fresh socks after traveling for 42 hours and having no luggage because it's in Bangladesh and you're in Bangalore.

Ridiculous. Exactly how are you going to play Minesweeper for 14 hours straight with a toothbrush and a pair of undies?

When you have a toothbrush and pair of undies, you don't need to play Minesweeper anymore because you're now fresh and invigorated enough to go out and conquer the terminal!

[russ 1]

As for the topic at hand: I'd recommend getting your wife a Mac. Putting a novice user on a Windows machine is going to have you working all the time fixing things. And OSX can operate in Russian just fine, although you might to buy some Russian keyboard stickers or a Russian keyboard cover so she can have her Cyrillic letters. Some software may not translate -- but that's not uncommon on the Russian Windows side either (although it'll be more common on the Mac side, admittedly).

I'm not a big fan of the Russian typewriter layout. With a mac, you can use use a transliterated QWERTY layout (A=A, S=С, D=Д, etc) No stickers, and it reinforces qwerty in your mind, which is kind of useful to know well in the US.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

The transliterated layout, to my knowledge, does not work well if you actually make and then send a file to someone. It almost always comes out as garbage on the other end. It would also totally confuse someone that already types using the Russian standard layout (like my fiancée). When you set your Mac to Russian with the international settings in your preferences the layout is the same as found on any other Russian computer. Fortunately, I memorized the Russian keyboard layout. So I no longer require the keyboard cover, thank goodness!

As for the topic at hand: I'd recommend getting your wife a Mac. Putting a novice user on a Windows machine is going to have you working all the time fixing things. And OSX can operate in Russian just fine, although you might to buy some Russian keyboard stickers or a Russian keyboard cover so she can have her Cyrillic letters. Some software may not translate -- but that's not uncommon on the Russian Windows side either (although it'll be more common on the Mac side, admittedly).

I'm not a big fan of the Russian typewriter layout. With a mac, you can use use a transliterated QWERTY layout (A=A, S=С, D=Д, etc) No stickers, and it reinforces qwerty in your mind, which is kind of useful to know well in the US.

[eekee 182]

I am very anti-phonetic keyboard. You're much better off just getting stickers and memorizing the layout.

The "garbage" is the encoding, which can be changed on the receiving side in the browser, so that's not really an issue. it's just better to type like a russian.

The transliterated layout, to my knowledge, does not work well if you actually make and then send a file to someone. It almost always comes out as garbage on the other end. It would also totally confuse someone that already types using the Russian standard layout (like my fiancée). When you set your Mac to Russian with the international settings in your preferences the layout is the same as found on any other Russian computer. Fortunately, I memorized the Russian keyboard layout. So I no longer require the keyboard cover, thank goodness!

[slim 1,533]

That's going to be harder for folks who can't even type like an American!

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

I concur. Sounds like something my Alla would say! "Type like a Russian!"

I am very anti-phonetic keyboard. You're much better off just getting stickers and memorizing the layout.

The "garbage" is the encoding, which can be changed on the receiving side in the browser, so that's not really an issue. it's just better to type like a russian.

The transliterated layout, to my knowledge, does not work well if you actually make and then send a file to someone. It almost always comes out as garbage on the other end. It would also totally confuse someone that already types using the Russian standard layout (like my fiancée). When you set your Mac to Russian with the international settings in your preferences the layout is the same as found on any other Russian computer. Fortunately, I memorized the Russian keyboard layout. So I no longer require the keyboard cover, thank goodness!

[russianflora 0]

My wife asked me if she should bring her laptop computer when she comes to the USA. All I know is it's a lower end Russian HP version computer. I think it's fairly new but not sure. She really does not know much about computers and relies on her son to help her with email, etc. In fact, she has a desktop computer that she has some knowledge about but little about the laptop.

And, of course, the manuals are in Russian so i won't be able to read up on it and I'm a Mac guy, so I know nothing about PCs anyway. I'm "Windows illiterate."

I have a Macintosh desktop computer, so having a laptop could be useful I suppose, like watching movies on a trip or whatever...but I wonder about it's value if it's set-up for Russians to use.

I tend to think it's not worth the trouble. What do you guys think? Is it worth her lugging the extra weight from Russia to get this laptop to the USA?

Apple is less intuitive for many windows users, there is learning curve to learn a different OS for her or her son: so for comfort she should probably bring it anyway.

Laptops do not weight that much: I would bring it.

Dmitriy

[shikarnov 7]

Apple is less intuitive for many windows users, there is learning curve to learn a different OS for her or her son: so for comfort she should probably bring it anyway.

Laptops do not weight that much: I would bring it.

Dmitriy

Speaking as somebody who recently switched form Windows to OSX, I will say there's a slight learning curve if you're doing more than checking email, surfing the net, etc. But I'd wager that the average user would probably would probably pick up OSX in a couple of minutes and be checking out the VJ forum and writing home to Mom. It's not rocket science by any means.

But, with that said, Dmitriy is right: even a heavy notebook computer is not that big a deal to bring along. And it never hurts to have an extra system laying around.

Z

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

I find it curious his banner is now displayed constanty where the Googe ads used to be on VJ. What's this all about?

Dmitriy isn't right, Dmitriy is a spammer. This is the second thread he's resurrected to push the link in his sig. A moderator has been contacted.

[eekee 182]

That is very strange. I've been browsing with images turned off, so I didn't see it.

I reported his first ad post, but now I am wondering if he is now the Russia forum sponsor.