Re: Off Topic: Computers and Music

[Ari Davidow <ari...>]

As an alleged computer professional, and as list moderator,
the main reason why I'd rather this discuss take place elsewhere is
that there is no good long-distance answer. The computer equipment and
software that are appropriate for you, and what you need to do, are 
very much determined by who you can go to for support--whether that
be a local vendor, your sister-in-law, or whomever.

Get advice from people near enough to you (personally, or physically) 
such that when you have problems, they can back up that advice with help. 
Anything else is just theoretical musings.

ari

At 01:18 PM 1/28/01 -0500, you wrote:
>I hope that Ari permits this off topic technical question from a
>novice on matters of computers and music.  Please send responses
>privately,   unless Ari believes that answers to these questions are
>of general interest.
>
>I'd like to use my computer more for music purposes, for example, to
>listen to music from the internet.  (Last Sunday the lead New York
>Times Arts & Leisure section article cited napster.com as the source
>for listening to specifically identified, otherwise hard-to-find,
>recordings.)  But I have only 220 MB of free space on my 6(?) year old
>IBM Aptiva A40's 2GB Drive C.  What are my best short/long term
>alternatives for getting more space, with cost a significant
>consideration?
>
>1. Software: Might I be able to free up space by
>compacting/compressing files  (something I already do that with my
>e-mails) with software that I already have loaded (without knowing it,
>as part of my initial package) or should I buy software?  For example,
>I've been told that internet clutter can take up a significant amount
>of room.
>2. Added hard drive: I understand that I could get a 10GB hard drive
>for under $100.  But it seems that if I want to copy my current hard
>drive onto that new one, I would also need a ("ghost") software
>program that would cost nearly as much.
>3. Other alternatives?
>
>New computer: Does that make most sense?  And if I eventually decide
>to go that route, what attributes should I look for in a computer to
>pursue musical interests, including
>    a. CD "burning" capacity
>    b. cataloguing
>    c. other?
>
>Bob
>
>

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