For Computer wizzes

[fkj2]

What brand computer system and accessories would you recommend for someone contemplating beginning their own small business? (I'm sure one with Excel) And, would you recommend a desktop or the flexibility of a laptop? Any other thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Steve H.]

Desktop vs. Laptop will depend on the business they're thinking of starting. If it's one that won't require them to be on the road much, then go desktop -- you'll be able to get a lot more power for less $$$.

The brand name isn't a big deal -- I would recommend sticking to a major brand name like Dell or HP, for the support they offer. That is, unless they're computer savvy -- in which case, I would have them shop around and even configure one themselves. They might even want to look into leasing instead of buying -- it would be a monthly business expense, and they wouldn't have to worry about it going obsolete in two years.

 

[ListenToCKY]

Unless you absolutly need a laptop when out of town, go for a desktop. Upgrading laptops can also be a big pain. I don't recommend buying any brand PC. Have someone build you one. You can build a custom one yourself that's top of the line for what a mediocre Dell would cost. NewEgg.com is a great place to buy the computer parts from. I recommend this because it's such an excellent deal. Microsoft Office should be just fine.

 

[fkj2]

I wondered about configuring one at home but I'm too much of a novice. I'll bookmark that Newegg.com site, because this person I'm researching for is a novice too. I thought laptop because he's a vet and on the road quite often and the wireless factor may be beneficial. Any other suggestions would be appreciated. I also know of someone who could probably put a package together. Any idea of what an initial cost would be and how much memory would he possibly need for a "starter" system? Thanks so much again.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

I work for a company that does IT for a lot of small companies. We get this question quite often and the advice we usually give is to not think about what type of computer first. The first step is to decide what applications you might use in your business. For example, if you are going into landscaping would a computer aided design program help? Do you need to use quicken to keep the books? Do you need to do graphics design? Some things may not be immediately obvious. For example a start up resteraunt may want to do some graphics design to do a daily menu or specials.
Once you decide on the applications and the software only then should you even start to think about what kind of computer. No matter where you order from you can then customize the computer to efficiently run the applications you need without unneccesary frills you will never use.
DON'T FORGET SOME WAY TO BACK IT UP!!!!!!!!!

 

[fkj2]

I have thought about some of the applications he'd need; Excel came to mind and Office. I didn't think about Quicken. Do you have recommendations. He probably wouldn't need many graphics for design. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I don't know how much memory he'd need for an initial starter system but having enough would be beneficial if he'd continue to use it for several years. He's definitely on a budget at this point.

Where might I find info on configuring a laptop? Should I just go to a search engine and type that in?

I don't know if zip drives are possible in laptops but otherwise, I'm assuming a cdwriter would be more appropriate since I've read floppy disks are going the way of the dinosaur.

Can you recommend any readable printed resources that could help in this endeavor. Thanks so much!

These responses are just the perfect example of what makes the disboards so great!!!! I can't imagine where else I'd get this kind of help.

 

[ListenToCKY]

CD Writers are the way to go. CD-Rs hold way more data than Zip drives do.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

It's pretty hard to make many specific recomendations without knowing what kind of business.

 

[Steve H.]

For small business accounting software, I would recommend QuickBooks -- it's the same company (Intuit) that makes Quicken and TurboTax, but it's tailored for small to medium sized companies. It's really fairly easy to set up and configure and it will help tremendously with a new business in order to keep everything organized. Plus, combined with TurboTax Small Business, it'll make filing business income tax much easier.

 

[Steve H.]

Here's a couple sites to look over:

http://www.startupjournal.com/ (an online guide to startup companies put together by the Wall St. Journal)

http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/index.html (Basics to starting a business from the Small Business Admin.)

http://homebiztools.com/

 

[fkj2]

Webmaster Alex, have sent you a PM.

Steve, thanks, I'll check out those links!