Shopping (WME)

[Nana]

Hi everyone!

Todays's a <font color=red>red</font color=red> letter day in beautiful downtown Ontario, Canada. I went to the electronic store to buy hubbie some batteries and, while I was there, I finally did it! <font color=red>I BOUGHT XP!</font color=red>

And, that's not all! I figured in for a penny, what the heck, I may as well be in for the whole darn pound. So. . . I bought an <font color=red>addditional 128MB of RAM!</font color=red> That will increase my total RAM to 256MB. The RAM is made by ZenRAM. Do they make a decent product, or should I look for a different brand? If so, what is a good brand? It's PC133 - 128MB. My computer is an IBM NetVista.

As an uninteresting aside, here's what they cost in the great white north. Canadian Dollars, naturally. Neither product was on sale, although, the RAM has a $20. mail in rebate. Again, in CDN$.

XP Home (Upgrade from WinMe.) was $149.99 + $22.50 taxes = $172.49
128MB RAM was $49.99 + $7.50 taxes = $57.49
On, yeah - I almost forgot. Hubbie's four C size Duracell batteries set me back $9.99 + $1.50 taxes = $11.49.

FWIW, Ontario has an 8% Provincial Sales Tax. In addition, we pay a 7% Federal Good & Services Tax. The GST is very similar to the VAT in the UK. Let me tell you, those taxes really hurt when you're buying a (new or used) car or a new house. Resale houses are not taxed. Hubbie & I just bought a new car and the taxes were just shy of $10K.

I'm so proud of myself, it's disgusting. I guess it's too early for that, though, isn't it? I still have to install both of them, don't I. Oh, well - that's just a minor detail. Right? Right? Somebody please tell me I'm right. It's only a minor detail, isn't it?

Later,
Nana /images/forums/icons/smile.gif /images/forums/icons/smile.gif /images/forums/icons/smile.gif

[Nana]

NEWS FLASH. . .

My son installed my 128MB RAM just now. Also, in my last post I mistakenly said the brand name is ZenRAM. It's actually AzenRAM.

<font color=red>WOW!</font color=red> What a difference!

Nana /images/forums/icons/cool.gif

[Pkatace]

Nana,
As a native Torontonian now living in Houston TX, I was reminded fondly by your post of what I am NOT missing most about Canada! I used to hate that dang GST....and the Provincial tax too. Not that there's no taxes here...but all I know is I get to keep LOTS more of what I earn.
I'm interested in your upgrade experiences, so keep us posted. I'm running WinME here....but I'm tired of it's little quirks.Gonna take the plunge to XP myself soon.
regards,

<font color=blue> Bill Harvey </font color=blue>

[Nana]

Bill,

I envy you the warmth! I live outside Toronto, but close enough to share their weather. It's still pretty summery here, but there's a nip in the morning air these days. No frost, yet, thank goodness!

Regarding our taxes.
There's been some loose lips around Ottawa with eager NEWS people's ears to their doors. (What else is new?) Jean's denying, denying, denying. (Again, what else is new?)
Anyway, the talk is about increasing the GST from 7% to 10% - no stop overs in between. This is, supposedly, to fix our sagging health care system. Apparently it will raise an additional $9 Billion(CDN, natch)/annum, which, coincedentally, is exactly what our health care system needs.

Ain't life grand?
Nana /images/forums/icons/shocked.gif

[Pkatace]

Nana, I used to live in Orangeville....know it?
As for the tax situation, GOOD GRIEF!!! A 10% GST?? You know, I was always an advocate of Universal Health Care....until I got out from under the system and it's inherent burden on tax-payers. Now I say, you want health care? Get a job and pay for it!!
Anyhow, wrong place to discuss that, I'm sure LOL
Do that upgrade yet?

<font color=blue> Bill Harvey </font color=blue>

[Hally]

Hi Nana I'm pleased to hear you've bumped your ram up to 256mb now, thats getting pretty serious. From everything I've heard & read about XP it is resource hungry so the ram update was definately needed. Wow you pay lots of tax in Canada, I'm way down in Australia we have the GST (I think its 8%) but its all rolled into the price. . . In other words when we buy something they give you the price in one, they don't say that'll be $$$ plus tax. Let us all know if you like your new WinXP Nana

Good Luck


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[Nana]

Bill,

Unfortunately, no. I haven't done my upgrade yet. I have to partition my HDD first. I'm going out on Monday to buy Partition Magic, and then I'll get started with everything.

Yes, I'm familiar with Orangeville. It's a lovely town, growing like a weed just as every area around Toronto is doing at the moment. I've been there a few times.

Take care,
Nana /images/forums/icons/smile.gif

[Nana]

Hally,

Actually, I'm so impressed with my extra 128RAM that I'm buying more on Monday. I'm not sure if I'll get another 128MB or if I'll go for broke & buy an additional 256MB. I'm leaning towards 256MB at the moment. (It's $79.99 - $20. rebate.)

Regarding our never ending taxes, as Bill mentioned, we have universal access to health care in Canada. It has to be paid for somehow, so I'm not really complaining - just grumbling a little.

Take care,
Nana /images/forums/icons/smile.gif