Is this a good buy?

LaLucy

Hi, I want to buy my boyfriend a computer as he's starting a computer course in September. Money is extremely tight so thought best to get second hand. Could someone take a look at the link and tell me is it a good buy as Im thinking of picking it up on Wednesday


rollercoaster.ie/Classifieds/ViewClassified/tabid/116/ClassifiedAdvert/49312/Default.aspx

cusackd

Whats he doing a course on?

GarIT

Its an average deal for the price really. I cant say its a brilliant deal but your not going to get much better unless you put 100-200 extra towards it. The course he is doing decides a lot. If its something like a FAS course like ecdl or how to use a computer or something like that it should be perfect. If hes doing anything like a college course in computer seicnce it wont nearly be good enough. With a college course youd probably need a laptop too for notes and stuff, a desktop wouldnt really be any good. Its old tech too really, its nearly as good as a laptop I bought 4 years ago.

LaLucy

GarIT wrote: »

Its an average deal for the price really. I cant say its a brilliant deal but your not going to get much better unless you put 100-200 extra towards it. The course he is doing decides a lot. If its something like a FAS course like ecdl or how to use a computer or something like that it should be perfect. If hes doing anything like a college course in computer seicnce it wont nearly be good enough. With a college course youd probably need a laptop too for notes and stuff, a desktop wouldnt really be any good. Its old tech too really, its nearly as good as a laptop I bought 4 years ago.

He's doing pc maintenance and repair in Senior College Dun L.
Would you say it's possible to get a good second hand one or better to save and buy a new laptop/ computer?

GarIT

LaLucy wrote: »

He's doing pc maintenance and repair in Senior College Dun L.
Would you say it's possible to get a good second hand one or better to save and buy a new laptop/ computer?

If hes doing a course in maintainence and reapir dont get one at all and he should try to build him computer himself a few weeks after he starts, he'd learn that way and save money. If he has access to a computer that just works that should do at first. The can hardly ask them to recreate a problem and troubleshoot it in the first few weeks, id say it would only be online research at most. You don't really need a good pc for pc maintainence though as your not really running any software. If he is really trying to go somewhere in computer repair he should nearly be able to build a oc already, you need a keen interest to be good at it. I work in pc repair and got the job off the back of my interest and knowledge, I don't think there are many qualifications that could have helped me. Maybe thats just me though. But for me a course would just be a way to show how much I already know. There are a million and one 16 year olds that can reapir pc's and there all willing to work for €5.96 an hour you need a passion for it to get work in these times.

LaLucy

GarIT wrote: »

LaLucy wrote: »

He's doing pc maintenance and repair in Senior College Dun L.
Would you say it's possible to get a good second hand one or better to save and buy a new laptop/ computer?

If hes doing a course in maintainence and reapir dont get one at all and he should try to build him computer himself a few weeks after he starts, he'd learn that way and save money. If he has access to a computer that just works that should do at first. The can hardly ask them to recreate a problem and troubleshoot it in the first few weeks, id say it would only be online research at most. You don't really need a good pc for pc maintainence though as your not really running any software. If he is really trying to go somewhere in computer repair he should nearly be able to build a oc already, you need a keen interest to be good at it. I work in pc repair and got the job off the back of my interest and knowledge, I don't think there are many qualifications that could have helped me. Maybe thats just me though. But for me a course would just be a way to show how much I already know. There are a million and one 16 year olds that can reapir pc's and there all willing to work for €5.96 an hour you need a passion for it to get work in these times.

I think it's 2 qualifications he'll get after a year then there are other courses to add on to it. We're hoping he'll get trained and maybe he could find a job overseas as we'd like to raise our family in Oz so maybe there are more opportunities there would you say.
He said there's a guy repeating the course after 4 years and there's others with lots of experience doing it so I wonder why would they bother going back to it, am hoping its because it's a good course! Please God!ce doing it so I wonder why would they bother going back to it, am hoping its because it's a good course! Please God!

LaLucy

LaLucy wrote: »

GarIT wrote: »

LaLucy wrote: »

He's doing pc maintenance and repair in Senior College Dun L.
Would you say it's possible to get a good second hand one or better to save and buy a new laptop/ computer?

If hes doing a course in maintainence and reapir dont get one at all and he should try to build him computer himself a few weeks after he starts, he'd learn that way and save money. If he has access to a computer that just works that should do at first. The can hardly ask them to recreate a problem and troubleshoot it in the first few weeks, id say it would only be online research at most. You don't really need a good pc for pc maintainence though as your not really running any software. If he is really trying to go somewhere in computer repair he should nearly be able to build a oc already, you need a keen interest to be good at it. I work in pc repair and got the job off the back of my interest and knowledge, I don't think there are many qualifications that could have helped me. Maybe thats just me though. But for me a course would just be a way to show how much I already know. There are a million and one 16 year olds that can reapir pc's and there all willing to work for €5.96 an hour you need a passion for it to get work in these times.

I think it's 2 qualifications he'll get after a year then there are other courses to add on to it. We're hoping he'll get trained and maybe he could find a job overseas as we'd like to raise our family in Oz so maybe there are more opportunities there would you say.
He said there's a guy repeating the course after 4 years and there's others with lots of experience doing it so I wonder why would they bother going back to it, am hoping its because it's a good course! Please God!ce doing it so I wonder why would they bother going back to it, am hoping its because it's a good course! Please God!

I think its compTIA and a fetac level 5 he's doinge though as your not really running any software. If he is really trying to go somewhere in computer repair he should nearly be able to build a oc already, you need a keen interest to be good at it. I work in pc repair and got the job off the back of my interest and knowledge, I don't think there are many qualifications that could have helped me. Maybe thats just me though. But for me a course would just be a way to show how much I already know. There are a million and one 16 year olds that can reapir pc's and there all willing to work for €5.96 an hour you need a passion for it to get work in these times.[/Quote]


I think it's 2 qualifications he'll get after a year then there are other courses to add on to it. We're hoping he'll get trained and maybe he could find a job overseas as we'd like to raise our family in Oz so maybe there are more opportunities there would you say.
He said there's a guy repeating the course after 4 years and there's others with lots of experience doing it so I wonder why would they bother going back to it, am hoping its because it's a good course! Please God!ce doing it so I wonder why would they bother going back to it, am hoping its because it's a good course! Please God![/Quote]



I think its compTIA and a fetac level 5 he's doing

GarIT

LaLucy wrote: »

I think it's 2 qualifications he'll get after a year then there are other courses to add on to it. We're hoping he'll get trained and maybe he could find a job overseas as we'd like to raise our family in Oz so maybe there are more opportunities there would you say.
He said there's a guy repeating the course after 4 years and there's others with lots of experience doing it so I wonder why would they bother going back to it, am hoping its because it's a good course! Please God!ce doing it so I wonder why would they bother going back to it, am hoping its because it's a good course! Please God!

If you watch the news you know theres more jobs in any other country than there is in Ireland. I find the IT industry funny, you seem to learn things first then go back and do a course to prove you know it later. I've worked in IT two years and I can catch some of the staff out that had done 10-20 courses. Its all about what you learn yourself really. The guy that trained me was one of the highest people in the IT devision of UPS and he doesnt have a single qualification. He eventually left to start his own company and hes always saying I should go and do some courses but hes never bothered and doesn't really need to.

cusackd

I assume he gets a Comptia A+ or something along those lines. If he is thinking about computer repair and taking it up as a business for himself i find more people coming to me with problems with laptops and phones i would say the best thing you could get him from my experience is a couple of broken laptops a soldering kit, some good screw drivers an anti static mat and let him go wild, just my 2 cents but i found breaking things helped me understand what is what on a practical level.

LaLucy

GarIT wrote: »

LaLucy wrote: »

I think it's 2 qualifications he'll get after a year then there are other courses to add on to it. We're hoping he'll get trained and maybe he could find a job overseas as we'd like to raise our family in Oz so maybe there are more opportunities there would you say.
He said there's a guy repeating the course after 4 years and there's others with lots of experience doing it so I wonder why would they bother going back to it, am hoping its because it's a good course! Please God!ce doing it so I wonder why would they bother going back to it, am hoping its because it's a good course! Please God!

If you watch the news you know theres more jobs in any other country than there is in Ireland. I find the IT industry funny, you seem to learn things first then go back and do a course to prove you know it later. I've worked in IT two years and I can catch some of the staff out that had done 10-20 courses. Its all about what you learn yourself really.

Dunno why that repeated at the end there, am on new phone.
So did you find your job after a course? I really hope something comes of this

GarIT

cusackd wrote: »

I assume he gets a Comptia A+ or something along those lines. If he is thinking about computer repair and taking it up as a business for himself i find more people coming to me with problems with laptops and phones i would say the best thing you could get him from my experience is a couple of broken laptops a soldering kit, some good screw drivers an anti static mat and let him go wild, just my 2 cents but i found breaking things helped me understand what is what on a practical level.

Have to agree here, no course can give you the same experience as just finding out yourself.

LaLucy wrote: »

Dunno why that repeated at the end there, am on new phone.
So did you find your job after a course? I really hope something comes of this

No, I've never done a course. I went into a shop had a chat with the owner showed off what I know and was offered a job, now 2 years later, I'm 17 and head of security & research in a small company, I've recently been asked to write an IT colum a magazine and if I can find the time I might take it up. From what everyone tells me there's no course that could really help me at the minute. Very few people have any qualifications in computers in the company, one guy has qualifications in engineering and circuitry and that sort of thing and the main store manager has a masters in business managment, there one or 2 qualifications from microsoft floatin around but nothing major, its all passion and self teaching and learning from each other that works really. Next year I'm planning on starting a 7 year course to become a Docton in Computer Security so hopefully then I can move on and go somewhere further.

LaLucy

GarIT wrote: »

cusackd wrote: »

I assume he gets a Comptia A+ or something along those lines. If he is thinking about computer repair and taking it up as a business for himself i find more people coming to me with problems with laptops and phones i would say the best thing you could get him from my experience is a couple of broken laptops a soldering kit, some good screw drivers an anti static mat and let him go wild, just my 2 cents but i found breaking things helped me understand what is what on a practical level.

Have to agree here, no course can give you the same experience as just finding out yourself.

LaLucy wrote: »

Dunno why that repeated at the end there, am on new phone.
So did you find your job after a course? I really hope something comes of this

No, I've never done a course. I went into a shop had a chat with the owner showed off what I know and was offered a job, now 2 years later, I'm 17 and head of security & research in a small company, I've recently been asked to write an IT colum a magazine and if I can find the time I might take it up. From what everyone tells me there's no course that could really help me at the minute. Very few people have any qualifications in computers in the company, one guy has qualifications in engineering and circuitry and that sort of thing and the main store manager has a masters in business managment, there one or 2 qualifications from microsoft floatin around but nothing major, its all passion and self teaching and learning from each other that works really. Next year I'm planning on starting a 7 year course to become a Docton in Computer Security so hopefully then I can move on and go somewhere further.

I think you should get a qualification even just to have the paper, if you went travelling or anything you'd always have that on your cv as well as your experience which sounds very impressive! And you're only 17 wow! Take it easy kid, you'll have Bill Gates having an epi!

saa

Why not buy him a refurbished laptop, hows he going to bring a desktop for college so its not use to him really, after a year most pc's slow down so best to get one thats been tuned up!

Just please don't get a desktop and I would honestly go to a shop that sells refurbished ones as you have some come back if it messes up on you


ALSO if you think your son is dyslexic the college will pay for his screening and provide him with a laptop (because they have to supply the student with the software for spell check, reading etc.) just an option

saa

LaLucy wrote: »

Would you say it's possible to get a good second hand one or better to save and buy a new laptop/ computer?

Just in reply to that I would say you are taking a risk with second hand thats why its best to go to a store. But I spent 800 on a sony laptop in 09... its slowly dying on me theyre made for a 3-5 year life span imo
so spent 250-300 on a second hand or save for a 400-500 laptop new
the second hand one might be a better make but have problems shorter life span


Its up to you, and your funds and well a bit of luck really

GarIT

LaLucy wrote: »

I think you should get a qualification even just to have the paper, if you went travelling or anything you'd always have that on your cv as well as your experience which sounds very impressive! And you're only 17 wow! Take it easy kid, you'll have Bill Gates having an epi!

At the moment its no use to me. I've been planning on sitting a few tests without actually doing the course, me nd the boss were gonna do them together but we never bother, anything I do now will be made irrelavant by college. All I'm saying is anyone I know hasn't use any qualification, I've spent hours reading about computers every night for years and its that knownlege that helped me. Back to the whole laptop/computer thing there's a fairly good laptop goin for the price in pc world at the moment, its on a tv ad, i think it has an i3 processor 3gb of ram and a 500GB Hard Drive for something like €347

EDIT: The one I was talking about was actually €479 sorry

403 Forbidden

Hi,

I have done that course is SCD, there is no need for anything fancy as you build your own pc there The only thing you need is access to the internet at home and a word processor (WORD) :P Assignments are uploaded via there Moodle Site,

Laters :P

403 Forbidden

GarIT wrote: »

At the moment its no use to me. I've been planning on sitting a few tests without actually doing the course, me nd the boss were gonna do them together but we never bother, anything I do now will be made irrelavant by college. All I'm saying is anyone I know hasn't use any qualification, I've spent hours reading about computers every night for years and its that knownlege that helped me. Back to the whole laptop/computer thing there's a fairly good laptop goin for the price in pc world at the moment, its on a tv ad, i think it has an i3 processor 3gb of ram and a 500GB Hard Drive for something like €347

EDIT: The one I was talking about was actually €479 sorry

I have to Agree with Gar, I did the Course SCD but left as I got offered a Job as an IT Support Specialist in a Big Retail Company. I now look after 80+ shops in Ireland for an IT Side I was offered the job after working hard at shop level, put the CV in and then got offered the job. Once your interested in PC and keep up the hard work he will find work.
Sure Im 20 on a Salary working great hours.

Over and out

Fluffy88

There isn't really any substitute for an interest and your own personal work. But qualifications mean the world to some people especially big companies so doing the course will be of great benefit to him as well as the fact it's easier to learn from someone.

I started programming myself for fun 2.5 years ago and this past year I done a 1 year course in IT. I now have a job which I will be starting soon. Having the paper is important too! Even in Ireland there is lots of jobs in computers so it's a good area for your son to get into.

GarIT

Fluffy88 wrote: »

I started programming myself for fun 2.5 years ago

Thats one thing I completely forgot, I started working with computers by breaking things and fixing them for fun. Out of my year in school of 100 students I know 6 that have a real passion for computers. Qualifications are nice but nothing compares to a real enjoyment and will to do it. After I finish work I come home and do all the stuff I did in work again for fun because I enjoy it and that's what makes me good at what I do.

As someone said above you build a computer in the course, so once you can get internet access dont but anything really, because youll just be building yourself a new pc during the course.