New Imacs... tonight

[Vapor 0]

In theory, most computer users should be macers. They are easy to use, they have a great software for the average user (itunes is one of the best music programs, safiri is a great browser, iphoto and imovie are great for beginers.) It is simple to use, and setup.

[LegoDoom 0]

They're too expensive. Most people don't like to spend $2k on a computer.

[Chadd 916]

They're too expensive.  Most people don't like to spend $2k on a computer.

Like most people, I find macs to be far less intuitive as well as more expensive. I found I had to do far more user training with new mac users than new PC users. For hardcore users, either system is fine.

[Vapor 0]

900 bucks for a computer that is better than any 500-1000 dell

[LegoDoom 0]

They're too expensive.  Most people don't like to spend $2k on a computer.

Like most people, I find macs to be far less intuitive as well as more expensive. I found I had to do far more user training with new mac users than new PC users. For hardcore users, either system is fine.

I also notice that novice users with mac's have tons of trouble with the filesystem and file conversion from other PC's. You're right, not very intuitive.

[Vapor 0]

the only reason people need training to use a mac is because everybody has been using pcs since the early to mid ninties. I remember 10-12 years ago I use to (in school) use macs, but obviously nothing to compare to OS X. Everybody has been told to use PCs are everybody does. I would rather most people use PC's, that means no viruses for us :)

[GekigangarIII 0]

Oh yeah, and a very good AntiVirus program since Windows OS is so open to viruses.

ALL OS are vulnerable to viruses.. It's a matter of creating a virus for the largest effect. Why waste your time creating a virus for an OS that has 5% of the marketshare and is used by nobody in the corporate industry?

as far as PC users being happy with OE, Office and IE... that's what most mac users seem to be content with. lol. Most PC users are perfectly aware of "what a mac does"... they're not willing to pay extra for limitations, especially in the entertainment industry. Think about it, if we just used computers for email, web browsing and your occaisional mac friendly app we'd never need to update. People use their comps for games, it's not a multi-billion dollar industry by chance...

Actually, if you think about it, Macs are typically used in the educational system (high school and universities) it's when people have to spend their own money that they buy a PC.

[bdj 0]

For lower than the price of a mac, I can get a top end computer that will do everything I need and nothing else. Even though you claim that a program will run just as well emulated on a mac, it wont. I am planning to buy an ibook, but i'm not going to be using it for gaming or anything demanding, probally just a media pc for when i'm away from my house. Don't get me wrong, I think the mac is very useful and slick looking, but at the moment I dont need to do anything special that a mac would be key for.

[jay 1]

Teaching my father to use a mac was almost impossible. Teaching my father to use a PC has been completely impossible. He now wants a mac again. I also find macs FAR more intuitive to access and manage applications and browse the file system. For example, wtf is the registry and wtf is it there for other then to make my computing life exceptionally difficult? I also found that it was much easier to teach the file/folder concept with the mac when I worked in the computer lab at UWF. Granted that was 8 years and many opertaing systems ago...

[Vapor 0]

geki... less than 5% of computer users are gamers, so dont make it like everybody is a gamer, and thats why they dont use macs. They dont use macs because everybody uses pcs. If everything were switched (and make owned 90+% owned macs), OS X would have viruses, but it wouldnt be as bad as it is on XP.

And if you havent used virtual pc 7, dont say anything, it is actualy a great piece of software from M$. With apple you pay for the deisgn, you pay for the quality, you pay for the fee of belonging to the mac cult, its not for everybody... but In my opinion they create superior quality products, they do come at a premium, but I am willing to pay that price.

[bdj 0]

geki... less than 5% of computer users are gamers

I'm sorry, but that cant be true. I'd like to see where you heard that.

[Vapor 0]

"While nearly 27 percent played their games mostly on a PC or Mac computer, over 50 percent of the people who are asked to name all of the games they have played named games such as poker or solitare. When poled, just about 5 percent of the people asked, played graphic intensive video games, in the united states"

Remember, millions upon milliosn of people use computers, not everybody plays games.

[GekigangarIII 0]

Dang, you mac cultists are annoying.. I was making a generalized statement. The fact remains, nobody writes viruses for macs because nobody uses them.

"OS X would have viruses, but it wouldnt be as bad as it is on XP." I'd LOVE to see your basis for this statement. If people concentrated their efforts on ANY piece of software it will be shot full of holes so fast your head would spin. Heck the network architecture on a mac is practically swiss cheese right out of the box.

Vapor, it takes a little more than 5% of computer users to fuel a 1.2 billion dollar a year industry (and that's pc games not console games). http://www.theesa.com/pressroom.html

Actually I overstated... Macs are only about ~2.3% of computer sales as of the last report by the IDC

http://www.macobserver.com/article/2004/01/15.15.shtml

but I know, these numbers are just going to irritate your apple labeled pampers so I'll just go along with you guys. Macs rule, they have about 50% of the PC market cornered, businesses and artists alike are flocking to the mac for their needs, they're ruling the entertainment software industry, pioneering 3D engineering and are the building block for todays programmers. Macs are the future and the OS is so rock solid that NOBODY can write a single piece of malicious code against it. It's so stable that Apple was thinking of guaranteeing that you won't see a crash on any version of OSX for a 10 year period. Their support is top notch evidenced by their creedo "customers first, profit later".

[bdj 0]

The way I look at it, the day developers stop making windows based games is the day mac will start to take the market. But for now ms controls the game and will continue to control for a long time to come.

[Vapor 0]

Im not saying that os x wouldnt have a lot of viruses. I am saying that the way windows is structured, and all of the bloated unneeded code to make up for the code that dosent work with this code because this handler needs a patch because it cant tlak to that one, puts a lot more options for the virus writters to write for. OS X is unix based, which is much more stable than the win kernel, and is more secure, because it leaves open less holes. I know apple owns a sub 5% of the market, and I want it to stay that way.

[LegoDoom 0]

Then stop talking them up!

[GekigangarIII 0]

I am saying that the way windows is structured, and all of the bloated unneeded code to make up for the code that dosent work with this code because this handler needs a patch because it cant tlak to that one, puts a lot more options for the virus writters to write for.

Come on man... why do you think they have to patch the vulnerabilities? It's because someone wants to or has taken the effort to find them! How about you just say you like your macs and leave the jr. tech stuff at home. Leave the tech talk to the big kids.

[Vapor 0]

LOL, what are you talking about?! I was talking in general sir. I wasnt talking about a security patch. Come on, look at the sentence. A patch dosent always have to do with security. It can be to get something to work with a nother piece of software or hardware, come on, your not that dumb.

[mack 44]

Since I can't really compare an Apple to a PC, how is this for a 17" G5 for $1200?

It doesn't come off as powerful but I like its design.

17-inch widescreen LCD

1.6GHz PowerPC G5

512K L2 cache

533MHz frontside bus

256MB DDR400 SDRAM

NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra

64MB DDR video memory

80GB Serial ATA hard drive

Slot-load Combo Drive

[Vapor 0]

I am actualy running a slower system, 1.33 g4, 60 gig hd (be it im running a powerbook), I would DEF. suggest upgrading to atleast 512 mb of ram, if not a gig. I would spend more money upgrading your ram than anything else

[mack 44]

I'm just going off the ones they list that are available for my discount, so I'll see. I know they have a different 17" and a 20" so I'll check.

[kosydar 0]

I've pretty much decided I want to get an Apple laptop for school next year. However, I can't decide if I should get a Powerbook or an iBook. Obviously the Powerbook costs a hell of a lot more than the iBook. I have the money for a Powerbook, but I have no problem getting an iBook. If I do get a Powerbook, does it make sense to upgrade to the SuperDrive? I don't need anything too complex, all I use my computer for is the internet, music, school stuff, and poker, kinda makes me think that the Powerbook is too much computer for me. I'm not 100% set on Apple, so any other suggestions are welcomed.

[seanmccann 3]

I've pretty much decided I want to get an Apple laptop for school next year. However, I can't decide if I should get a Powerbook or an iBook. Obviously the Powerbook costs a hell of a lot more than the iBook. I have the money for a Powerbook, but I have no problem getting an iBook. If I do get a Powerbook, does it make sense to upgrade to the SuperDrive? I don't need anything too complex, all I use my computer for is the internet, music, school stuff, and poker, kinda makes me think that the Powerbook is too much computer for me. I'm not 100% set on Apple, so any other suggestions are welcomed.

An IBook would be great for your needs. Wait for Tiger, of course.

It would cost $1,503.00 to have a 14" Ibook with:

• 512MB DDR266 (256MB built-in & 256MB SO-DIMM)

• 80GB Ultra ATA drive

• Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)

• AirPort Extreme Card

• iWork '05 preinstalled

• Keyboard & Mac OS X - U.S. English

• 14-inch TFT XGA display

• 1.33GHz PowerPC G4

• ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 w/ 32MB DDR video memory

or

It could cost $1,999.00 to have a 15" Powerbook

• 1.5GHz PowerPC G4 w/ 64MB VRAM

• 512MB DDR333 SDRAM - 1 SO-DIMM

• 80GB Ultra ATA drive @ 5400 rpm

• Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)

• AirPort Extreme Card

• Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English

• ATI Mobility Radeon 9700

• 15.2-inch TFT Display

Both seem similar but it would depend if you want to spend 1500 or 2000. I suggest the cheaper on for you, unless you plan to get into graphics and videos.

[kosydar 0]

Stupid question- What is iWork, and is it worth the $300?

[seanmccann 3]

Stupid question- What is iWork, and is it worth the $300?

http://www.apple.com/iwork/

I meant to add ILIFE which is the best combination of software ever. http://www.apple.com/ilife/