Mike, it's hard to be much of an expert on this sort of thing if you're not regularly setting up machines. These sorts of tasks are normally one-offs that get done as part of the initial setup that gets run the first time you turn a new machine on. You'll not typically need to change this sort of thing after that. A good amount of it gets done automatically by the OS these days. Typically, you'll plug your ethernet cable from the computer into your modem/router. If the router is new, I think there will usually be some sort of CD you run that steps you thru setting it up. Generally, I believe a network connect gets defined that tells the computer about the modem/router. IF you add wireless, you have to set the wireless router up as well - much like the modem/router. The wireless router needs to know about the modem/router (done in the wireless setup) and you'll end up with a separate network connection doc for your wireless. Video is pretty much all determined by your machines video card (part of the hardware). You may end up telling the OS in the setup which program (Windows Media Player for example) you want it to start by default when you tell it to play a video (often clicking on a link in the browser). Windows has a "Set Default Programs" that you can use post-setup to tell it which browser to start by default (like when you click on a URL in an email), what email program you want to use and such. Then there's also the option with most programs to have them automatically start when you boot your machine. You'll also normally have icons on your desktop to start your browser, mail and such. When you go into the store to get that Alienware machine, take advantage of the facetime and have them verbally walk you through setting your machine up. They should have you walking out feeling pretty good and knowing how to get help from them when you're in the middle of the actual setup.

Their basic starting machine I saw was like 8 cores, 16 threads, and only 1.8GHz. It would be like another 300 bucks for 2.4 GHz I believe.

Dr. Mike

Good Morning MOT

Congratulations Blueprint!

Everyone have a great day.

MyOnlineTeam Daily Statistics for 08/06 - Active Members

Active team members report
==========================

                                                     Current          Points
Active member name            Rank      Change       Points        This Period
=========================     =====     ======     ===========     ===========
RT                                1          0     205,963,341         288,858
GeraldRube                        2          0     121,553,137         185,111
judson Somerville MD              3          0     118,527,837         112,655
Coingames                         4          0      82,278,507          62,036
parmesian                         5          0      41,665,843          33,026
xroule                            6          0      41,085,244          85,436
David Autumns                     7          0      32,530,977          75,997
brown chris                       8          0      29,448,554          19,873
keithhenry                        9          0      23,369,397          18,465
finman                           10          0      21,830,373          29,419
Vuj                              11          0      19,571,407          12,988
dkt                              12          0      18,937,415          53,416
nl59056                          13          0      17,014,268               0
Blueprint                        14          0      16,549,297          29,164
Esteban69                        15          0      14,462,154           2,912
darth_vader                      16          0      13,875,177          21,475
Fanie                            17          0      13,471,394           1,611
PohSoon                          18          0      10,024,567           4,621
lawrencehardin                   19          0       9,691,460          14,594
pramodp                          20          0       6,116,053          17,234
smcclarigan                      21          0       6,090,210           8,359
Jonathon Wright                  22          0       4,905,404          10,879
Tomwp                            23          0       4,641,912           1,626
johng                            24          0       3,525,047               0
Bon Kuhlman                      25          0       3,404,840           6,122
dubhain                          26          0       2,976,711           8,703
YellowAV                         27          0       2,628,374               0
Mechanical                       28          0       2,583,284           6,422
elpe                             29          0       1,678,364               0
Lanscader                        30          0       1,451,447               0
newtod                           31          0       1,115,127               0
hne12359                         32          0       1,030,865           1,150
CCH                              33          0         963,529           1,362
Jean-Guy Germain                 34          0         383,319           2,776
imdioxin                         35          0         282,955               0
sz2000                           36          0         273,481               0
justinbagwell                    37          0         100,740           3,252
- dc                             38          0          65,336               0
stonechild                       39          0          64,694               0
sm217144                         40          0          48,859               0

Note: Active members are those who earned points in the prior 30 days.

Top Twenty active members returning points today:
01: RT - 288,858 points
02: GeraldRube - 185,111 points
03: judson Somerville MD - 112,655 points
04: xroule - 85,436 points
05: David Autumns - 75,997 points
06: Coingames - 62,036 points
07: dkt - 53,416 points
08: parmesian - 33,026 points
09: finman - 29,419 points
10: Blueprint - 29,164 points
11: darth_vader - 21,475 points
12: brown chris - 19,873 points
13: keithhenry - 18,465 points
14: pramodp - 17,234 points
15: lawrencehardin - 14,594 points
16: Vuj - 12,988 points
17: Jonathon Wright - 10,879 points
18: dubhain - 8,703 points
19: smcclarigan - 8,359 points
20: Mechanical - 6,422 points

Total points returned today: 1,119,542
Active members returning points today: 29
Average points per member active today: 38,604.8966

...........................CONGRATULATIONS justinbagwell ON REACHING 100,000 MOT POINTS !!!...........................