I wish all laptops were uniform in design so that I could go out and build my own and choose the parts I want in one. It'll probably never happen, though.

TMPletz said:

.....the beauty of a MAC.

sallysassalot said:

first of all the question is why an Apple vs another Manufacturer (not OSX vs Windows) right?

SO the question is: what is the best Value For Money???
> which machine will run longer w/out a re-boot? mac
> have fewer problems from viruses? mac
> Which OS/machine comes with most everything you need for school (email, iChat/AOL IM, Videoconferencing, calendar, contacts, firewall, virus protection, bluetooth, 802.11G wireless, podcasting s/w, etc, etc) included in the price of the machine? MAC
> which one allows you to run BOTH OSes AT THE SAME TIME? MAC**

so then you can have less downtime, less costly virus problems, less money spent on third party software, greater security... or a Windows ONLY machine.


LASTLY - IF YOU ARE A STUDENT and BUY A MAC NOW you get a free Nano
http://www.apple.com/back...0530-Y97V2

was there a question here?


** with parallels desktop you DO NOT have to run one at a time - you can run XP (or ANY Windows all the way back to 98, Linux, OS2, etc) on the desktop and drag n drop files back and forth on screen
or run them under different user names and fast-switch that way
www.parallels.com/en/prod...ation/mac/
[Edited 7/11/06 15:44pm]

Steve Jobs is tearing friendships on the org apart.

rhomea said:

WRONG! OS X can run on a PC - look up the OSX86 project.

Graycap23 said:

Yeah, I may be a bit biased, but I would def. recommend SONY. CynthiaSocks is a SONY guy too!

jerseykrs said:

Well, that's two things I know you have in common.













The first being that you're nice people.

Imago said:

Oh don't you shortchange YOURSELF mister, you're one of the nicest guys I know buddy!!

Graycap23 said:

That's not what I mean.

If I want to upgrade the motherboard without having to buy everything else over again, a Mac laptop will not do that for me. Neither will a PC laptop right now.

TMPletz said:

It would be cool if laptops were like that - but they'd get a hell of a lot bigger if they were; can you imagine standard batteries and things like that? all plug-in-able; it just couldn't work if you wanted a small laptop. A real shame.

Zogmuffin said:

That's another thing that pisses me off. Why does every stinking model of every laptop have it's own battery that only it can use? Way to keep the prices of batteries jacked up.

TMPletz said:

I hear ya!

Zogmuffin said:

hey Zog,
1. I am aware of the OSX86 project

2. my understanding is that currently you can run OSX86 on an Intel-based PC but not at the same time as your are running Win XP (dual-boot)
-- whereas on your Intel-Mac you can drag and drop btwn the two programs running concurrently on the same desktop (Virtualized - like Virtual PC for Mac but MUCH faster!!).
If that has been solved by OSX86 - I haven't seen it, so please let me know.

3. we are talking about a LAW STUDENT - not a programmer who will care, or have the time & knowledge, to GEEK-TWEEK their computers and maintain a fairly exotic hybrid -- known as a "HACKINTOSH" for a reason. When something cracks up the wifi card or the USB port, can she call you???

Hence my answer was restricted to readily-available and standard installed, shrinkwrapped s/w and its functionality appropriate to the person who asked.

My programmers can make Linux run on your car stereo - that does not make it appropriate for your mother to use to play Prince.

Zogmuffin said:

I'd be happy if all the damn EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLIES were just put into one, easy to adjust unit so you don't ahve to carry ten of em when you travel!!!

and OH YEAH how about standardizing the damn PLUG TIPS!!!

superspaceboy said:

LOL I'm not getting 'in a bunch'. ...and you surely can't count viruses for OS 9 (a dead OS that Steve Jobs displayed in a coffin on stage years ago) in the figure as those have no effect on modern Macs.



OS X is more secure by nature, given it's clean record over the last 5 years, so even when we do finally see a real virus or two for the platform it's going to be a far cry from the rampant amount of new viruses and variants that are unleashed on the public for Windows every week. Windows is just far too insecure in that area. Vista *may* be an improvement but that remains to be seen.

Ironically, Linux has more viruses than OS X and it has even less of a desktop presence.

Graycap23 said:

Sallsassalot has the right idea... Sony or Lenova are really the best you can hope for on the PC side.

Compaq is just a bastard step child of HP at this point, nothing to see there.

Dell just sells crap. I used to have a Dell corner graveyard in my storage room piled high with black Dimension towers from working on so many of them. I'd keep them around thinking I might eventually have enough components to build one working system but ended up just tossing them in the trash.

jerseykrs said:

I'm always tempted to get a VAIO as a secondary system. I've never met a Sony I didn't like in some form or another.

jtfolden said:

Actually Dell's are generally rated quite high among other PC brands. In fact their UltraSharp monitor got a higher review than Mac's comparable monitor in Computer Arts magazine. I've bought 4 systems from them over the past 6 years, and we replaced all of our HP's with Dells at work.

Of course, no matter what brand you buy, if you get those basic $500 systems, they're all crap and break pretty quickly. You can't even get replacement parts for many of those systems, especially like the ones they sell at Sams Club.

jtfolden said:

What track record? The Mac OS has never been put to the test because there's hardly anyone writing viruses for it, and a small percentage of people using it worldwide. The question is, if that day ever came where there was such a high user base as there is with Windows, I'd be willing to bet there would be just as many security holes discovered in Macs as well.

There so many people using Windows, and so many people picking away at the operating system and how it works, it was inevitable that they would find vulnerabilities and weaknesses in it.

sallysassalot said:

Congratulations on your purchase.

Before the introduction of the Intel-powered Macs and Boot Camp, I would have grudgingly recommended a PC only because of the exam software issue you mentioned. Also, when it comes time for you to take the bar exam, you'll likely have the option of typing out your answers on a laptop. Here in Washington state, the bar admission folks require the use of ExamSoft's SofTest, which is Windows-only, and SofTest won't run under emulation software.

But since you can run Windows natively on your MacBook, you should be fine. It would probably be a good idea, though, to test running the exam software ahead of time. And if you can't do a test in advance, be ready to write your answer by hand if necessary.

Enjoy your Mac, and good luck in your studies and career.

Matt
J.D., cum laude, Indiana University School of Law -- Indianapolis (2002)
Attorney at Law

jtfolden said:

I've known two people who bought VAIO's, and both machines developed significant problems. On one of them, a screen hinge broke, and the power cord has trouble maintaining its connection with the computer, even though it plugs in and stays there just fine. On the other, there was some sort of hardware issue that took a long time to resolve, and the keyboard letters quickly wore off.

Universaluv said:

The difference between a Ferrari and a Mac is that most people can't afford a Ferrari, whereas a Mac is affordable for most people in the market for a new computer.

Sure, both a PC and a Mac will get the job done. But IMHO you'll have a better computing experience with a Mac, and it's worth the extra money. It's like the difference between driving, say, a Chevy Impala and a 3-Series BMW.

Tom said:

I try to tell this to people all the time but they never listen. If the larger percentage of people were using the Mac OS, there would be a shitload of vulnerabilities that hackers would find, and the roles would be reversed. If I was a hacker and wanted to put out a good virus, what operating system am I going to attack? The one that causes the most damage to more people (Windows).

Tom said:

Dell's ratings among businesses seems to be improving while their reputation among home users has dropped quite a bit. and the majority of home users who buy from Dell do so precisely because of those crappy little sub-$500 systems and super cheap(ly made) notebooks.

I agree that some of Dell's monitors have been rather surprisingly good. I know several people with them and have no complaints.

Tom said:

They key thing that people who put forth this type of conjecture and theory miss is that it's just that - conjecture and theory. It is no basis for concern nor does it effect the reality of the situation for people who choose a Mac today. Whether OS X's increased security is due to better programming, entirely due to obscurity, a mix of the above, etc... the reality is that people using it have 70,605+ less issues to worry about in the area of viruses.

I think it's safe to say that situation is not going to change much over the next 5 years or so...pick whatever reason you like but Macs are a safer choice, particularly for novices or those that don't wish to maintain a barrage of defenses.

Ironically, the new Mactels are even safer because they no longer have the "classic" support to run OS 9 apps (or OS 9 viruses ).

matt said:

Screen hinge breakage effects every laptop model at some point. Apple Titanium PowerBooks and Pismos were notorious for bad hinges in some models. In some other cases, people just don't close the laptop properly (and there is a proper way to do it, especially on these thinner notebooks).

I've got two Dell laptops in my shop right now, one is like the issue you described above - power cord plugs in but doesn't maintain connection/charge. I see this quite a lot and a majority of the time it's because the owner or their family keeps tripping over the cord, eventually loosening up a connection inside the notebook. Dell would like $200-375 to fix that issue if you send it to them. lol

I put an ibook in at the end of this short film which I composited on a mac...

http://sxswclick.com/watch/snail/

matt said:

I think it depends on an individual's situation. In my law school days where adding cheese to my whopper would cause a noticeable hit on my budget, better computing experience or not, macs and ferrari's were in the same category.

At the time, my extremely affordable (ok cheap) pc did everything I needed and was sufficently reliable. Same went for my cheap, but reliable, car. Getting a mac or a BMW for the better experience just wasn't worth it at the time. Granted now I drive a 3-series BMW and a macbook is probably in my future, so things change as conditions change.

For this particular thread, if the lenovo that she was considering is in a similar price range as the macbook, I'd agree with you that she should absolutely get the macbook.


.
[Edited 7/13/06 9:51am]

Universaluv said:

That is true. When my IBM Aptiva desktop (purchased in 1996 for $2,500, not including the monitor) started acting up after my first semester of law school, I walked over to Office Depot and bought a $600 HP Pavilion. My then-fiancée was in her last year of college, and money was tight... we were living in a $440/month apartment.

However, the HP did what I needed, and the only upgrade I ever made was installing more RAM when Windows XP came out. The HP also lasted longer than the IBM... the HP was still running fine when I sold it 4 1/2 years after I bought it.



Yeah, the Lenovo was $300 more. And while one can buy a PC laptop for less, the MacBooks start at $1,099, not including any educational discount. (My alma mater has worked out special deals with Apple and Dell for students, faculty, and staff... unfortunately, without a university network ID, I can't see what those prices are.) $1,099 is a pretty good price an Apple laptop, especially one that can run Windows if need be.