Computer newbies forum: new computer for treasurer job

Thanks for your response. I was told any type of computer is fine for this job. I have to retype all of the info because the old computer they used was never updated and cannot be transferred to any new computer. It's over 20 years old. She used Claris and Quicken. I was told to buy any type of computer I wanted, within reason of course, because I have to start over anyway. I am across country from the group and the old computer, so everything is being printed out and sent to me. It's a lot of work, but has to be done. Anyway...I was wondering if there is a brand of computer that is better for this type of work? Is it hard to figure out an Apple if I went that route? Is there a brand of pc that is reliable? Most or maybe all of the people in this group I will be working for are not very computer literate, and I'm not either. Thanks for your help.

...the old Claris group of programs for Mac is fairly defunct.. You might read about the basic changes to the program in the link below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claris

But as stated earlier, most any computer will work.. In addition, you haven't really told us whether it will be a desktop or laptop.. Do you need to take it back and forth from the office location? If so, then a laptop might fit the bill.. If it's going to be stationary, then a desktop is in order..

Either way, you'll get a lot of different brand preferences from various members. Everyone has a different opinion. Some will say the best way to go is get a custom-made model from a local shop. The quality parts will usually help the computer last longer, but it will probably be more expensive. Then others prefer to purchase a standard model available at local retail outlets. I've used HP, Dell, Compaq, Gateway, Lenovo/IBM, Toshiba, and a few others. Because I generally get business model machines, I can't say I've had horrible experiences with any of them.. Others have. And although I've tinkered a little, I'm not a Mac user..

So, at this point, you'll still need to determine whether it's going to be a Mac or Windows PC.. Once that's done, check out the local advertisements and find the best one for the money you're willing to spend.. But remember, since you're not going to be needing a high performance computer for "gaming" or graphics rendering, you can get a away with something on the lower end of the price spectrum.

Hope this helps.

Grif

Thank you, Grif. I need a laptop, so will check local shops, what there is of them. I am probably overthinking this and making more of a big deal out of it than I need to. And thanks for the link about Claris. I'll read it, but probably just go with a pc as that is what I'm used to. Thanks for your help.