posted
So, without starting a flame war, let me tell you where I'm at with this.
I have several computers in my life, some I spend more time with than others. They are all Window's computers of some sort or another and I'm frustrated with each of them for a variety of reasons.
They fall into two groups work and home. There's nothing I can really do about the work computers they are NT (don't ask), 2000 Pro and about to be XP. At home we have a desktop and a laptop, occasionally linked via USB and running 2000 non-pro aka junk. The primary user at home is the spousal unit who teaches University, I just use them to look at Flare, etc. and check e-mail.
Our hero the Professor doesn't care what operating system is used as long as one can make decent presentations w/ graphics (maps and stuff mostly), very simple web page creation, and general paperwork duties. She has been carrying the laptop to and from class and having frequent troubles with the OS crashing, etc. I'm thinking of moving the entire homefront to Mac OS X. I don't really need to transfer files from work - as that is not encouraged anyhow, and I have a work laptop to tote around as needed. She is working on course work from home as she works for the Univ of Maryland, Iceland Division which is no bigger than you might think.
I'm really thinking that if we sell the laptop, turn the desktop in our son's "game computer" (he's three) and buy a Mac laptop followed in some months by a desktop model we'll be happier.
Linux has also been considered. But I think I would end up spending to much time providing tech support. Prof is good at using programs but has very little patience for driver problems, etc.
Thoughts?
-------------------- Twee bieren tevreden, zullen mijn vriend betalen.
Registered: Oct 2000
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Cartman
just made by the Presbyterian Church
Member # 256
posted
If my car keeps breaking down, do I:
A). replace / fix the malfunctioning part(s) B). head to garage to have it serviced C). trash it and buy a new one
NT5 is a rock-stable OS. Works fine for most people I know, including some former Mac junkies. I'd avoid Linux unless you're planning to set up a (web)server / generally mess around / kill your free time.
Examine the cause, then make a decision.
[ June 14, 2002, 02:25: Message edited by: Cartman ]
Registered: Nov 1999
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For pretty much all everyday uses, the matter of a platform is not a problem any more. There are Mac versions of just about everything, from Microsoft Office to Adobe products to all your internet browsers.
If you're going to consider a laptop model first, I'd strongly recommend the iBook -- the kind that I currently own. It's not a top-of-the-line model (it still uses the G3 processor, while the more expensive TiBooks use the G4), but it's perfectly capable of running OS X in all its glory and capabilities, and doesn't cut short on any of the features or connection ports, like Ethernet, USB, and FireWire. It's a bit small (especially the screen), but I've never had a problem with that -- and it's light! (Only 4.9 pounds.) Also, it's relatively cheap for the kind of capabilities that you'd be getting. For general, home and school (everyday) usage, the iBook is definitely the way to go.
Good luck to you in your search!
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
I agree that NT5 is great, I have a near-final beta of it on an old Celeron that's been working great since I first installed it. I don't use it very often, but it works nonetheless. But for some reason, 2000 Pro wouldn't install on a nearly identical system, hrmph. I run XP Pro on this one with several servers open (dns etc.) and it runs without a hitch.
-------------------- Picard: Mr. Crusher, what's our maximum speed this week? Wesley: [checking manual] Uh, 9.4, sir. Picard: Very good. Take us to Warp 9.8 then. Wesley: Aye, sir. Warp 9.2 it is.
Registered: Mar 1999
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Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
Mac?
NOOOOOO!!!!
*dashes out*
-------------------- "And slowly, you come to realize, it's all as it should be, you can only do so much. If you're game enough, you could place your trust in me. For the love of life, there's a tradeoff, we could lose it all but we'll go down fighting...." - David Sylvian FreeSpace 2, the greatest space sim of all time, now remastered!
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
TK: I've been using both MacOS and Win9x-2K for some time now. As it happens, I am working on constructing my dream PC.
Now I'm a fairly technical person, and kind of enjoy getting my hands a little dirty, but I'm thinking Lady Professor Toadkiller may not be that way. Being a practical person, she probably expects that her machine work mostly all the time and if it doesn't, that it could at least calmly and politely explain why this is happening. For ease of use and friendly interface, you really can't beat the Mac. The only thing would be software. You're going to have to get all new software on top of whatever hardware you wind up getting.
As MinutiaeMan mentioned the iBooks are very nice, and the Titanium PowerBooks (TiBooks) are preposterously cool (even warranting an appearance from the omnipresent if enigmatic Frank.) On the desktop, these new iMacs may look kind of funny, but they are infused with crazy crazy processor oompf and are pretty damned awesome machines. The eMacs are sort of weird looking, but really cheap considering. The thing is if you compare prices straight across, it might seem that the WinTel market is quite a bit cheaper. However, this may be misleading. Knowing that MHz is not a completely accurate reflection of processing speed, there is also the matter of how much time you actually spend doing work on the system. I have found that I spend an awful lot of my time just trying to get my PCs functioning correctly. My Macs have had very few problem and do wonderful things like tell me what's wrong and never make me configure IRQs through the BIOS. Now I'm a geek, and such things facinate and bewilder me. But I also have a business to run, so almost all of my work work is done on my Macs. What I'm getting at is that while my Macs may have cost more initially, I've actually saved some money (and avoided a great deal of frustration) in terms of productivity and time management.
Now as for your kid's machine, if your PC is slightly old now, it's not going to be up to playing the big fast games by the time that's important to him. Just know that every two years or so any computer you spend $2000 on is going to be worth about $500. It sucks, but it's true.
-------------------- "Nah. The 9th chevron is for changing the ringtone from "grindy-grindy chonk-chonk" to the theme tune to dallas." -Reverend42
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
True, but if you have a Mac, there's a good chance the game he wants to play won't even be available.
quote:My Macs have had very few problem and do wonderful things like tell me what's wrong and never make me configure IRQs through the BIOS.
To be fair, most people who own a PC never go near the BIOS. I haven't had to for years.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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-------------------- Picard: Mr. Crusher, what's our maximum speed this week? Wesley: [checking manual] Uh, 9.4, sir. Picard: Very good. Take us to Warp 9.8 then. Wesley: Aye, sir. Warp 9.2 it is.
Registered: Mar 1999
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EdipisReks
Ex-Member
posted
i'm in my bios all the time. my bios and i are on a first name basis. and about macs being fast, all i've got to say is "yeah right". my [email protected] gHz Pentium IV with a 600 mHz fsb and 400 mHz DDR ram blows away a dual gHz G4 system in photoshop 7, on the same filters. believe me, i've tried it on both.
The G4 is a respectable processor compared to a pentium III, but it is rather behind the times compared to the Pentium IV, and even the long in the tooth Athlon. Once Hammer (AMD X86-64) and Prescott (Intel hyperthreaded pentium IV) come out, i doubt that Apple will even be able to sucessfully lie about performance anymore. Motoralo does not have the tech or the infrastructure to compete with the big dogs. they have too many other products to worry about. apple laptops are cute, though.
p.s. i haven't had to configure an IRQ manually since windows 3.1, and i could imagine anyone else having to unless there was some crazy problem.
posted
So, you call your BIOS "Basic"?
Registered: Mar 1999
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EdipisReks
Ex-Member
posted
well, considering that its an award bios on an EPoX motherboard, its anything but basic. in fact, the programmers at award probably did a better job on their bios than apple did on os 9.
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