My father wants to buy my 13-year-old son a great laptop computer. He wants it to "get him through grad school." I know this is probably impossible. But what do you recommend that would be really good? What type of software etc. would you recommend? I am partial to Dell but will take your suggestion. My husband and I are computer illiterate. We'd like to get our son something that will last.
Well, that's a grandfather for you. He wants to spoil your son rotten!
Unfortunately, there are a couple reasons why this is a bad idea. Let's look at Internet dangers, first.
I don't know how many pedophiles are in cyberspace. But there are many, and they know where kids hang out. Many children are contacted by adults via computers. NBC's To Catch a Predator has shown how quickly that happens.
Of course, you can't keep your son off the Internet. He's using it at school, most likely. He probably uses it at friends' houses. And he knows where children hang out on the Web, too.
Kids pool their knowledge at school. Even if you knew computers, he would be ahead of you.
Giving a 13-year-old a laptop is asking for trouble. There is no way you'll be able to watch him. They're too portable.
I think a computer is a good idea. And there's no reason a computer shouldn't last several years. But I'd prefer a desktop, not a laptop. It should be placed in a family area, such as a den. That way, you can keep an eye on things.
The other problem is practical. Because laptops are portable, they can get banged around. With a 13-year-old, a laptop would probably be BANGED around. Forget grad school. I doubt it would make it to the 10th grade.
Grandpa probably thinks Junior needs a laptop to take to school. That's possibly a good idea. Some schools actually want kids to have laptops. You could check with your son's school. But, frankly, I think the potential problems are too great.
As I said, a good computer will last a long time. Most computers are used to surf the Web, cruise Facebook and operate office programs. That's light duty. So you really don't need a killer machine.
Since you know nothing, and Gramps is paying, look at iMacs. They cost more than Dells or other PCs. But they're much less likely to be attacked by malicious programs. A 20-inch monitor should be fine. Get at least 2 gigabytes of memory.
The clerks at Apple stores are pretty knowledgeable. They can give you guidance.
You'll find PCs are cheaper. They also offer more variety. And many more games are available for them. That's likely to be a big deal for your son.
If you go with a Dell, I'd buy a 19- or 20-inch monitor. Purchase a 64-bit machine, and get 4GB of memory. It's cheap. A mid-pack microprocessor should do the job.
Frankly, computer illiteracy is dangerous these days. You might find learning about computers, and protecting yours, interesting. You could learn with, and from, your son. But you need to learn enough to be in charge. You don't want a 13-year-old running things.