I have an all-in-one, an HP but I don’t know what model (and can’t be arsed to check); it’s several years old (I bought it just before Windows 11). I don’t like using laptops, never have. I don’t like trackpads and I need an ergonomic keyboard because I have an old broken wrist. I had a laptop with external monitor, keyboard and mouse before this, and I hated the amount of desk space that the laptop took, even standing vertically. I was not concerned with the price/value equation overmuch, as long as it did what I needed it to do, which was very basic anyway.
I realize these factors make me an outlier, but for all those who asked why, that’s my answer.
Are you “backing up” copies on the same device? That doesn’t seem like a real backup to me.
Even if your system is fault tolerant it doesn’t protect against things like damage in a fire or theft (and fer sure hope it is setup in a fault tolerant mode…some kind of RAID).
And putting that much data into some external storage is crazy to think about. Data center level connections needed.
And DVDs can have a lifespan as short as 10 years (can be a lot more too but they are not forever).
Thanks for your comments, WaM, but I have been working on this problem for 50 years, with no perfect and affordable solution.
Cloud storage is prohibitively expensive and clumsy, since sending large amounts of data by internet is slow (but getting faster all the time). Right now, all storage costs are trending up for several reasons.
No, I am not backing up to the same device always, although both Drobos and Synergy units have built-in redundancy using several layers of a RAID scheme, and have good hot-swap provisions. Unfortunately, Drobos are no longer made or supported.
Finances are tight, our local historical society is not rich, and our town government is not supportive. We do plan to apply for some grants to assist. So I do what I can, and hope to pass along as much as possible to the next generations. Good documentation is vital.
FYI, I think much of the conventional wisdom about the lack of longevity for DVDs and tape storage is exaggerated. I have 30 year old DVDs and CDs that are perfectly playable (burned, not stamped), and have some experience with audio tapes. Storage conditions are very important. I have some 1/4" tapes (acetate and polyester backing) from the 1950’s-80’s that play just fine if care is taken, and others that are unplayable, and I know the reason for the difference. I am trying to migrate as much as I can with limited resources.
I must apologize to the OP for getting a little off-topic.
I have a friend who used to leave a dvd with me every time he visited. I was part of his off-site storage solution. You have too much for “a dvd”, but you might try that with some of your more valuable data.
On the topic of all-in-one machines: if the goal is a smaller footprint on the desk, i can’t recommend a monitor arm highly enough. And i have some old metal “file holders” at the back of my desk, where i store pads of paper, notebooks, files, and the laptops I’m not using. (Counting the work laptop, i have 4 laptops that i have used in the past month, and use somewhat regularly.) If i wanted to use a stand-alone keyboard instead of the laptops built-in keyboard, i could easily leave the laptop “filed” while using it.
I’m going to go against the grain here and say that an all-in-one CAN be a good purchase IF:
Money / value is not really a big deal, you don’t mind paying more money for less performance, and you don’t mind having to replace the whole thing when something breaks
You prefer to think of “the computer” as one single thing anyway rather than a system of parts
You have no need for portability
That said, I would skip the HP, especially at that price, and just get an iMac instead. They are nicer machines and WAY more reliable than anything HP makes. The monitor is much higher quality, but smaller (24" vs 27). The cost is comparable: Buy iMac - Apple
The HP feels like a rip-off to me, TBH. It’s a weak machine with a low end monitor sold at an above average price. I don’t think you should get that even if you don’t want a Mac. It’s a whole lot of money for not much in return. Especially that 27" 1080p monitor… it could and should be much better than that if that’s your primary / only monitor.
Computers have gotten a lot more expensive this year due to the Aipocalypse eating all the RAM and SSD, sadly, so it’s not a great time to buy. But if ya need it, ya need it.
If you don’t really need an all in one, then as everyone else said, either a desktop or laptop plus external monitor is really the way to go. Economies of scale make them a better value. You get a nicer computer AND a nicer screen that way.
World Anvil looks like a web app, so it should run on any operating system.
Not sure what you use for writing, but Scrivener, Obsidian, Typora, etc. have Mac versions now.
The sharper screen of the iMac (or any decent PC monitor, not the bad one of the Omnistudio) will have much crisper text.
Speaking of monitors, one more thought… if you primarily write, getting an external monitor and a VESA mounting arm will you let you orient it portrait-wise, like a document instead. That’s nice for reading and writing long form. (If you want that though, look for an IPS display with wide viewing angles). Some monitors can detect their orientation and let you rotate them back and forth. Back when I was writing a lot more, I found this (the portrait orientation) to be a moderately useful setup, especially if you have 2+ monitors. But more / most important was just having a nice monitor to begin with, of any orientation. For day to day computing, IMHO, that makes the single biggest difference and makes or breaks the whole experience.