If the whole idea of technology gives you the creeps, don’t back out now. I feel your pain. Every tech-oriented bit of knowledge that’s entered my pea-sized brain has penetrated only after a great deal of mental whining. I suffered the pain so that you wouldn’t have to. Better yet, you don’t need to know much technology (in the true sense of the word) to run a successful online business.
Starting with the Right Computer
You don’t have to know a lot of fancy computer mumbo-jumbo to do well on eBay, but you must have a computer. If you’re in the market for a computer, you can buy or lease a new, used, or refurbished system, depending on your computing needs.
You don’t have to know a lot of fancy computer mumbo-jumbo to do well on eBay, but you must have a computer. If you’re in the market for a computer, you can buy or lease a new, used, or refurbished system, depending on your computing needs.
The absolute necessities
Although the following list is geared mainly toward the purchase of new PCs (which you can get for considerably under a thousand bucks), you should read this info even if you’re thinking of buying a used computer:
Although the following list is geared mainly toward the purchase of new PCs (which you can get for considerably under a thousand bucks), you should read this info even if you’re thinking of buying a used computer:
Look for a computer with a good memory. Remember that 1950s horror movie The Blob? The more time you spend using your computer, the more stuff you want to save on your hard drive. The more stuffed your hard drive, the more Blob-like it becomes. A hard drive with at least 60 gigabytes (GB) of storage space should keep your computer happy, but you can get hard drives as big as 300GB and more. I recommend you buy the biggest hard drive you can afford because no matter how large your hard drive is, you’ll find a way to fill it up.
Make sure you have a top-quality modem if you have a dial-up connection. Your modem connects your computer to the Internet using your telephone line. Even if you have a broadband connection (see later in this chapter), you should have a modem (usually built in to most computers) that can connect you on the off-chance that your high-speed service is down. (A modem transfers data over phone lines at a rate called kilobytes per second, or just plain K). A 56K modem is standard equipment, especially if you plan on using a lot of digital images (photographs) to help sell your items.
✦ Get a big screen. An LCD monitor that has at least a 17-inch screen can make a huge difference after several hours of rabid bidding or proofreading your auction item descriptions. Anything smaller and you’ll have a hard time actually seeing the listings and images.
✦ Make sure the computer’s central processing unit (CPU) is fast. A CPU (also known as a “chip”) is your computer’s brain. It should be the fastest you can afford. You can always opt for the top-of-the-line, but even a slower 900 MHz (megahertz) processor could suffice. One of my computers is an antique slowpoke, but it’s still fast enough that it won’t choke when I ask it to do some minor multitasking. If you want lightningfast speed (imagine a Daytona 500 race car with jet assist), you have to move up to at least 3 GHz (gigahertz).
✦ Get a CD-R/DVD-R drive. A disc burner is standard equipment. You use the drive to load new software programs into your computer from compact discs. You can also use the CDs or DVDs for your backups. Most models play and record DVD movies on your computer, but I think you’ll be so entertained by eBay that you can skip the frills and save the bucks.
✦ You must have a keyboard. No keyboard, no typing. The basic keyboard is fine. They do make funky ergonomic models that are split in the middle. But if the good old standard keyboard feels comfortable to you, stick with it. Different keyboards have different feels. I like a keyboard with “clicky” keys because my fingers know that the letters I type actually appear. Test out several keyboards and see which one suits your typing style.
✦ You need a pointing device, usually a mouse. Some laptops come with touchpads or trackballs designed to do the same thing — give you a quick way to move the pointer around the screen so you can select options by clicking.
✦ Get a big screen. An LCD monitor that has at least a 17-inch screen can make a huge difference after several hours of rabid bidding or proofreading your auction item descriptions. Anything smaller and you’ll have a hard time actually seeing the listings and images.
✦ Make sure the computer’s central processing unit (CPU) is fast. A CPU (also known as a “chip”) is your computer’s brain. It should be the fastest you can afford. You can always opt for the top-of-the-line, but even a slower 900 MHz (megahertz) processor could suffice. One of my computers is an antique slowpoke, but it’s still fast enough that it won’t choke when I ask it to do some minor multitasking. If you want lightningfast speed (imagine a Daytona 500 race car with jet assist), you have to move up to at least 3 GHz (gigahertz).
✦ Get a CD-R/DVD-R drive. A disc burner is standard equipment. You use the drive to load new software programs into your computer from compact discs. You can also use the CDs or DVDs for your backups. Most models play and record DVD movies on your computer, but I think you’ll be so entertained by eBay that you can skip the frills and save the bucks.
✦ You must have a keyboard. No keyboard, no typing. The basic keyboard is fine. They do make funky ergonomic models that are split in the middle. But if the good old standard keyboard feels comfortable to you, stick with it. Different keyboards have different feels. I like a keyboard with “clicky” keys because my fingers know that the letters I type actually appear. Test out several keyboards and see which one suits your typing style.
✦ You need a pointing device, usually a mouse. Some laptops come with touchpads or trackballs designed to do the same thing — give you a quick way to move the pointer around the screen so you can select options by clicking.
