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An Introduction to Tape Backup
If you run a small business, chances are you're saving important files to a server. But what happens when disaster strikes? How are you ensuring that your files won't be lost? Many people fail to realize that the loss of files could cripple their...
Antivirus Software
Nowadays more and more people are using a computer. A lot of them use it at their work place, but an increasing number of computer users have also discovered the need to have a computer at home. At the same time the number of Internet surfers...
Copying your DVDs
DVD copying is useful for many reasons. Music DVD sales doubled last year and should continue to grow. When you buy a DVD you should think about buying DVD copying software and equipment so you can have an extra copy available. It is not legal to...
Microsoft Great Plains Data Conversion – overview for developers
Looks like Microsoft Great Plains becomes more and more popular, partly because of Microsoft muscles behind it. Now it is targeted to the whole spectrum of horizontal and vertical market clientele. Small companies use Small Business Manager (which...
Sins of The Internet: Domain Sniper
The internet sure makes it possible to do things quickly, sometimes so quickly it will make your head spin. One day your site is selling lots of product or is very popular, and the next no one is visiting. Perhaps your site got kicked out of a major...
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HOW TO GET THE COMPUTER YOU WANT WITHOUT SPENDING A FORTUNE
HOW TO GET THE COMPUTER YOU WANT WITHOUT SPENDING A FORTUNE
By M. Nasser Bey
I have been using computers for years now and have never owned a new one. Like many people I had little money when I started looking for a machine. Back in the early 90's when I got my first machine most new ones were way out of my league in terms of cost, it was then i decided to try to get a used machine.
Early on; many used machines that I could find were from colleges and companies that were upgrading. These organization may have had contracts to buy new machines every year or two and so they just gave the machines away or tossed then in the trash in some case.
I started my search for a good used machine at the libray in the magazine stacks looking for computer magazines that listed used resellers. I found several and sent for infomation which usually meant a catalog. After saving money from my business I got my first used Macintosh in 1995, it was an old Mac SE. As time went on I found I needed software and internet access.
Using the software on the machine I began reading "readme" files on somthing called Gopher Space which was and still is a precursor to the web for file searches. Using a program called gopher I began locating free software all over the world. Other sites like JUMBO.com and DOWNLOAD.com provide unregisterd copies of software I still use, if you can stand the message asking you to register everytime the program comes up it can be a pretty good deal.
As I began to build my small business I found it was useful to conduct trades of services for the things I needed instead of buying. One program I traded for was a Desktop Publishing program,that led to me offering ad space in the publications I created. I was able to trade services with several internet service provides for free internet access long before free access was being given away by the big guys. I have found that some Non-profit organizations give free internet access to people who provide information on the net, check the organizations in your area, if you find one that provides this service, tell them that you are an INFORMATION PROVIDER and fill out their forms. They will send you the software you need to go online. Just don't abuse their service by spamming anyone or you will get yanked!
I was able to locate much of the software I have been using in used bookstores since many such store have used computer how-to books and in the back of these books there are CD's or packs of disks. some of it is out of date and unsupported but still very usable to go online or perform other tasks like writing or web browsing.
Over the years I began
trading advertising space for more used computers, getting an entire system, a Mac IICx and 21 inch monitor for advertising space! Later I needed better systems and began looking around for where to get them , then I discovered Ebay (http://www.ebay.com), after a conversation with a business contact. I began searching for what i needed and found that timing my bids in a certain manner often assured my winning the bid on the need equiptment.
I was able to bid on software and hardware that would have cost me hundreds more at retail. To date I have about $5000 worth of equiptment and software that cost me less than $1500 to buy! You might say why bother looking for used stuff when new cost so little?
My answer is that you may not always need new stuff if some of the older stuff will do. Take computers. I am now using a five year old Mac Power pc with 34 megs of ram and system 8.1, I use it mostly to web browse and desktop publish. I use a 56k modem too.
The processor on this machine is 90mhz, properly configured the machine brings my web pages up rather quickly, my mail downloads are quick aswell, both the machine and the 21 inch color monitor I use are used and work very well and have cost far less than new! For alittle effort and some sound research you too can save money and have a good system, If however you are one of those people who has to have everything new than God bless you and go right out and get what you need. I have never paid retail for a computer related item and never will. Bartersites and trade sites of every kind are turning up on the net, just go to any browser search engine and type in BARTER or EXCHANGE OF SERVICES or AUCTION and COMPUTER , you are bound to find what you want for much less than full price. Once you start getting what you want in a computer for less you will wonder why you did not do this sooner.
Never pay for anything you can barter for.
Today ofcourse you can get a free computer from a big online provider or other company if you are willing to sign up for internet service for a year or more in some case and endure a mountain of advertising on your browser. Just go to any search engine and type in FREE COMPUTER. My own site at http://mnbey.freeyellow.com has links to bartersites and message boards to post your needs to. Good Hunting.
M.Nasser Bey Email: africalink1@mailcity.com visit our site at : http://mnbey.freeyellow.com
About the Author
Formerly Publisher of the Africalink Trade Newsletter and Currently the Publisher of the AAA credit Guide, the Middle East Banking List, the Guide to Trade in Africa and Reports on how to make money in just about any field.
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Tucows Downloads - Download Freeware and Shareware Software |
Download freeware, shareware, and demos. Maintains over 45000 software titles that are tested, rated, reviewed and ready to download. |
www.tucows.com |
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Free Software Downloads and Software Reviews - Download.com |
Download shareware, freeware and Demo software for PC, Mac, Linux, and Handhelds categorized into categories, plus software reviews. |
www.download.com |
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Computer software - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
This includes application software such as a word processor, which enables a ... Application software is often purchased separately from computer hardware. ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
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Shareware.com - Search for shareware programs and free software ... |
Search for shareware programs from more than a dozen downloadable software directories. |
www.shareware.com |
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Jumbo: Free & Shareware MP3 files, Games, Screen Savers & Computer ... |
Source of free and shareware computer programs and utilities for PC and Mac. Evaluate software and read product reviews. Download games and screen savers. |
www.jumbo.com |
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Computer Software in the Yahoo! Directory |
Browse categories featuring sites devoted to computer software, including shareware and freeware download sites, operating systems, desktop customization, ... |
dir.yahoo.com |
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IEEE Software |
IEEE Computer Society's magazine covering all aspects of software, including software engineering. |
www.computer.org |
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Free Downloads on ZDNet | Shareware, Trialware, Evaluation Software |
ZDNet's Software Directory is the Web's largest library of software downloads. Covering software for Windows, Mac, and Mobile systems, ZDNet's Software ... |
downloads.zdnet.com |
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FSF - The Free Software Foundation |
Free software is a matter of liberty not price. Think of "free" as in "free speech". |
www.fsf.org |
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Apple - Software |
Software products for your digital life. ... The perfect addition for professional review. QuickTime Broadcaster. Encoding software for live events. ... |
www.apple.com |
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Open Directory - Computers: Software |
In Partnership with AOL Search. about dmoz | report abuse/spam | help. the entire directory, only in Computers/Software. Top: Computers: Software (38471) ... |
dmoz.org |
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freshmeat.net: Welcome to freshmeat.net |
About: The Web browser is probably the most frequently used software today, ... Web professionals can use the software for functional testing and regression ... |
freshmeat.net |
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Software - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF) |
Listing of the GNU software packages. |
www.gnu.org |
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Sun Software |
Get enterprise-class software--Solaris 10 OS, the Java Enterprise System, ... Sun Java StorageTek Software reduces cost and complexity with a single, ... |
www.sun.com |
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Internet Real Estate.com -- owns and operates a portfolio of the ... |
SOFTWARE.COM · SWEEPSTAKES.COM · PHONE.COM PODCAST.COM ... Software.com | Sweepstakes.com | Phone.com | Podcast.com | Shop.com | Safety.com ... |
www.internetrealestate.com |
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Joel on Software |
A weblog by Joel Spolsky, a programmer working in New York City, about software and software companies. |
www.joelonsoftware.com |
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Amazon.com Software: Computer & video games, business, accounting ... |
Online shopping for computer & video games, business & office productivity software, software from Microsoft, Apple, Adobe & more; accounting, antivirus, ... |
www.amazon.com |
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IBM Software - Home Page |
IBM home page for all of its software products, including Lotus and Tivoli, with keyword search, category browse and AZ product names. |
www.ibm.com |
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Opera web browser: Homepage |
Copyright © 2006 Opera Software ASA. All rights reserved. Skip navigation. Opera Software ... Copyright Opera Software ASA . All rights reserved. ... |
www.opera.com |
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Google Directory - Computers > Software |
Search only in Software Search the Web ... Software Categorized by Letter: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ... |
www.google.com |
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