# One computer, two simultaneous users?



## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

I've been wondering about something. Neither my wife or myself are happy with our computers. They're basically just cheap laptops and both are getting quite long in the tooth. Hers is displaying the BSOD more often than either of us like and takes forever just to boot up. I've threatened for quite some time to either buy or build a computer and haven't gotten it done.

Here's the thing, we generally are sitting in an office setting, both of us occasionally with multiple monitors, doing our individual thing on our individual computers.

So the question that came to my mind was, why not one computer but two separate and independent sets of monitors/keyboards/mice? She can do her thing and I can do mine. 

We're not generally doing intense video stuff although we might occasionally be playing a YouTube video or something similar on each of our monitors, nothing particularly demanding, usually, and no "gaming" in the sense most would use the word. (She could be playing something like Words With Friends and I could be doing a Solitaire or Sudoku, those kinds of games. But that's not anything like playing World of Warcraft or whatever the kids are playing these days.)

Or, we could do separate computers again. It was just something I thought about. I thought, hey, if I'm going to build a nice desktop box, it might even be worth it to upgrade it a bit while building to make sure the hardware is up to the task of computing for two people as opposed to building and/or buying two computers.

I haven't seen a whole lot of people talk about this but I suspect I can't be the first one to come up with the idea. Commercial office setups do something similar all the time. Don't need a mainframe. Don't need a mini computer. Maybe a mini-mini? (LOL!)

Curious what you think?!

Thanks


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## frogmammy (Dec 8, 2004)

Simplest to me seems buy two cheap computers that do what you want. Like you already did. LOL! Cheap as they are any more, you could buy two a year.

Seriously, with two computers you have a backup if one dies or goes into the shop. Or,if one of you goes off to the hospital, or on a trip, and takes a computer with you. Check out MicroCenter...they have a LOT of different computer choices at decent prices.

I can do without my cell phone with no problem. Without a computer, no way!

Mon


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Windows a multi-user environment, in that different users have a unique desktop, unique browser bookmarks, and more when they're logged-in to their respective accounts. But only one user can use the system at a time, which is not what you have in mind.

You could setup a server that would allow multiple users at the same time, but you would still need computer workstations to access the system. It would be a lot cheaper and easier to just use the workstations without a server.

But computers don't have to be expensive. I just bought a new (well, new to me anyway) laptop as my primary computer. It's an HP 8560p business laptop with a 2nd generation i7 processor. They are generally available for about $120 (delivered price) without hard drive. I installed the SSD from my old laptop, so that was my total cost. I also sold my old laptop for $75, so I really only paid $45 to upgrade from a Core 2 Duo processor to an i7. Not bad at all.

I think the answer to your problem is to find affordable computers. You can get lots of help on that here in this forum.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Thanks, Nevada, I kinda thought maybe that's what you'd suggest but appreciate your input. Thought I might have been missing something... guess not. No worries.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Nevada said:


> Windows a multi-user environment, in that different users have a unique desktop, unique browser bookmarks, and more when they're logged-in to their respective accounts. But only one user can use the system at a time, which is not what you have in mind.
> 
> You could setup a server that would allow multiple users at the same time, but you would still need computer workstations to access the system. It would be a lot cheaper and easier to just use the workstations without a server.
> 
> ...


I am curious about where you are finding these computers. It might be that I'd want to do something similar. The prices would seem hard to beat. I'm suspecting an i7 would be a bit of overkill but it would be way above and beyond the hardware either my wife or I are using. (FWIW, I was looking at an i3 4490 (I think) for about $100 and thinking that might be a pretty good processor for a computer build if I decided to do that, just yesterday.)


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

We have a reseller in my area. They go out and buy computers from schools, business etc. when those places upgrade their systems and get new computers. They then go through them, strip everything out except Windows OS, check everything out and resell them at around 275 bucks,,,, Ready to go~!
My friend is on his 2nd computer now from them and is doing great with those used computers. 
So you may look around in your area for a place like that as well.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Bellyman said:


> I am curious about where you are finding these computers. It might be that I'd want to do something similar. The prices would seem hard to beat. I'm suspecting an i7 would be a bit of overkill but it would be way above and beyond the hardware either my wife or I are using. (FWIW, I was looking at an i3 4490 (I think) for about $100 and thinking that might be a pretty good processor for a computer build if I decided to do that, just yesterday.)


The HP 8560p is a 15.6" business laptop that came with either an i7 or i5 processor, both second generation. I usually wait for an i7 before I bid, but there are lots of opportunities to pick those up. You can view them at this link.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Laptops-Netbooks/175672/i.html?LH_BIN=1&_nkw=hp+8560p&_sop=15

The important thing is that the computer posts to bios. If it does that then you know you're good. Don't worry about hard drives because you'll want to replace it with a SSD anyway.


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