Political Crossfire Forums

Esin · Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 1172 Location: Florida

I am in the market for a laptop; I am seriously considering a Macintosh. For one thing, I dislike Microsoft's fairly Monopolistic Business practices, and another, generally think they're crap. But in the long run, is the extra expense of a Mac worth it? I haven't had the chance to really toy around with any Macs, and truthfully I am not a very serious computer user. My laptop will be used mostly for document editing, and browsing, with a sprinkling of gaming involved. Any advice?

Patriot911 · Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 6937 Location: Denver, CO

Well, up until you said gaming I didn't see anything wrong with you buying a mac.....

Esin · Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 1172 Location: Florida

As likely as not most of the games I will be involved with will have Mac equivalents. Most of my future serious gaming will probably be done on consoles. On another note, I am not the most computer suave person. I am without a doubt more knowledgeable then your average joe shmoe, but I am not terribly advanced either. At this point, I cannot write my own script, or anything like that.

DavidXV · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 9828

If you are considering one of new ones they just came out with I would wait for revision B or C to see if they find the problem and correct it. They have been having some heat issues and even a few reports of burnt or melted power adapter cords. The powerbooks are safe though they just get slightly warm not hot, it is the new powerbook pro or whatever the newest intel based one is called that is having the heat issues.

I have a 12" 1.5Ghz powerbook and I love it, you will like OS X too, but I'm not into games much and I think the people that are heavily into gaming are requiring windows for some of their stuff, but not that familiar with that subject.

endersshadow · Joined: 01 Feb 2004 Posts: 10130 Location: Dallas

If you're worried about cost and don't like Windows, check out a Linux distribution. Very easy ones for beginners. I'm of the opinion that it's a better OS, but that's for me. For games, there's Cedega.

Check out the distros at http://www.distrowatch.com for good info on them.

John Galt · Joined: 04 May 2004 Posts: 21589 Location: Minnesota

If you want a run a server, linux is for you. If not... go with a PC.

Sid · Joined: 26 Oct 2004 Posts: 4612 Location: Kansas

Can't certain distros of linux use Mac hardware better than the onboard os?

endersshadow · Joined: 01 Feb 2004 Posts: 10130 Location: Dallas

Sid wrote: Can't certain distros of linux use Mac hardware better than the onboard os?

Yeah, Ubuntu works for PPC fine...but Mactel comps have only been cracked by Gentoo thus far...and it's still in development. So, give it some time to crack the Mactels :-|

poweRob · Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Posts: 22671

Do NOT buy a Mac.

Mac heads are a dying breed and its because of their incompatible crappy OS.

You think MicroSoft has monopolistic practices... Apple's attempts to be a monopoly is what killed it. They tried to control all hardware and software. When MS jumped in and pretty much outsourced or opened the field up by having other companies provide the hardware and they'd make their software compatible to it, MacIntosh has since gotten is ass kicked. That's what they get for trying to iron-fist the market.

Just this year did Apple decide to open up their computers to the Intel chip but even that is being strong-armed somewhat. MacIntosh's are the most closed off crew and it will keep them where they are and they will never get larger or better unless they open up.

XP is still the best OS out there for beginners and it is very stable. If you want a better OS than XP you'll have to go with linux but you will need to become slightly more computer saavy, (which isn't too difficult because when you have to be, you kind of become).

When I see someone open up an Apple laptop, I immediately think, "This person has more money than brains and fell for computer looks over usage."

Kt · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 3806

John Galt wrote: If you want a run a server, linux is for you. If not... go with a PC.
what the... wha??? wtf? you want me to slap you?

A PC is f***ing hardware ffsm, linux runs on PC's ::confused:: . n00b! (and no I don't love you :( )

Kt · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 3806

endersshadow wrote: Sid wrote: Can't certain distros of linux use Mac hardware better than the onboard os?

Yeah, Ubuntu works for PPC fine...but Mactel comps have only been cracked by Gentoo thus far...and it's still in development. So, give it some time to crack the Mactels :-|
I hear that PPC program support by linux is not wonderful, you certainly won't have as many options as far as programs go, as many come in only x86 x86-64 flavours...
If I had a mac I'd do myself a favour and install mac OSX for compatibility purposes...

Mactels aer f***ing scary, wtf d00d.....

endersshadow · Joined: 01 Feb 2004 Posts: 10130 Location: Dallas

Helena` wrote: I hear that PPC program support by linux is not wonderful, you certainly won't have as many options as far as programs go, as many come in only x86 x86-64 flavours...
If I had a mac I'd do myself a favour and install mac OSX for compatibility purposes...

Mactels aer f***ing scary, wtf d00d.....

The official repositories of Ubuntu actually have all the programs compiled for PPC. Third party options may be limited...but otherwise, I think it's quite all right for the majority of things.

Gus · Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 7609 Location: Tampa, FL

poweRob wrote: Do NOT buy a Mac.

Mac heads are a dying breed and its because of their incompatible crappy OS.

You think MicroSoft has monopolistic practices... Apple's attempts to be a monopoly is what killed it. They tried to control all hardware and software. When MS jumped in and pretty much outsourced or opened the field up by having other companies provide the hardware and they'd make their software compatible to it, MacIntosh has since gotten is ass kicked. That's what they get for trying to iron-fist the market.

Just this year did Apple decide to open up their computers to the Intel chip but even that is being strong-armed somewhat. MacIntosh's are the most closed off crew and it will keep them where they are and they will never get larger or better unless they open up.

XP is still the best OS out there for beginners and it is very stable. If you want a better OS than XP you'll have to go with linux but you will need to become slightly more computer saavy, (which isn't too difficult because when you have to be, you kind of become).

When I see someone open up an Apple laptop, I immediately think, "This person has more money than brains and fell for computer looks over usage."
While the GUI of Mac OS X is closed source, the actual OS it runs on, Darwin, is open source (see http://www.opensource.apple.com).

Anyway, I would take an Apple laptop over a Windows/Linux laptop any day. I find OS X to be a lot more usable than Windows or especially Linux.

John Galt · Joined: 04 May 2004 Posts: 21589 Location: Minnesota

Helena` wrote: John Galt wrote: If you want a run a server, linux is for you. If not... go with a PC.
what the... wha??? wtf? you want me to slap you?

A PC is f***ing hardware ffsm, linux runs on PC's ::confused:: . n00b, I Love You! (and no I don't love you :( )

Oh quit it. A "PC" is different than a "Mac" for many people, and since we were talking about Macs, I thought I could just say PC instead of "a computer with a windows os." I know a "PC" really means a "personal computer" but who the hell cares? Oh, you. Well, no one really cares then, n00b. l2p.

DavidXV · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 9828

I don't mind if someone thinks i have more money than brains it was on sale for 1299 and a week after i bought it they had them for 1196.00 and since frys has a policy i was able to go back to the store with my reciept and get cash back, a little over a hundred bucks so for 1200 plus tax i have a very high quality and beautiful laptop while compaq and hp and dell still suck bigtime, it came with OSX, OS9 and I can partition and add linux if i decide to. That was many months ago you maybe can get them cheaper now that they have the new ones coming out... if there are any left. Only one program was keeping me in widows, moviemagic screenwriter and it works great on OSX but would not work on linux, and as a bonus I now have garage band which it came with and it is an awesome program.

Apple does overcharge for some things and I would like to get logicpro, but I priced all the stuff I would have to get to go with Sibelius which is also expensive and it would cost as much or more to have the same abilities on a windows computer.

And besides that, Windows is creepy. Mac for some stuf and Linux for some stuff, if I never have to use Windows I'm a happy man.

DavidXV · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 9828

When I write on it is like writing on a very nice writing desk, sure I could just as easily go out into the shop and use a 55 gallon drum as writing desk but it may effect my writing and I may have to swat flies.

Protostar · Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:03 pm Post subject:

Gus wrote: poweRob wrote: Do NOT buy a Mac.

Mac heads are a dying breed and its because of their incompatible crappy OS.

You think MicroSoft has monopolistic practices... Apple's attempts to be a monopoly is what killed it. They tried to control all hardware and software. When MS jumped in and pretty much outsourced or opened the field up by having other companies provide the hardware and they'd make their software compatible to it, MacIntosh has since gotten is ass kicked. That's what they get for trying to iron-fist the market.

Just this year did Apple decide to open up their computers to the Intel chip but even that is being strong-armed somewhat. MacIntosh's are the most closed off crew and it will keep them where they are and they will never get larger or better unless they open up.

XP is still the best OS out there for beginners and it is very stable. If you want a better OS than XP you'll have to go with linux but you will need to become slightly more computer saavy, (which isn't too difficult because when you have to be, you kind of become).

When I see someone open up an Apple laptop, I immediately think, "This person has more money than brains and fell for computer looks over usage."
While the GUI of Mac OS X is closed source, the actual OS it runs on, Darwin, is open source (see http://www.opensource.apple.com).

Anyway, I would take an Apple laptop over a Windows/Linux laptop any day. I find OS X to be a lot more usable than Windows or especially Linux.

FUD. The dock is ugly and you have to install a separate program to install themes, AFAIK. You can't move the top menu bar or anything. Hell, at least in Windows you can move the taskbar around. Can you move it to the top in OS X? NO. Not to mention in Linux, you can play FAR more games than you can in OS X. Not to mention PC hardware is cheaper and open, as opposed to the "special" overpriced hardware you have to buy for the Mac. PC >> Mac in all respects.

Gus · Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 7609 Location: Tampa, FL

Protostar wrote: Gus wrote: poweRob wrote: Do NOT buy a Mac.

Mac heads are a dying breed and its because of their incompatible crappy OS.

You think MicroSoft has monopolistic practices... Apple's attempts to be a monopoly is what killed it. They tried to control all hardware and software. When MS jumped in and pretty much outsourced or opened the field up by having other companies provide the hardware and they'd make their software compatible to it, MacIntosh has since gotten is ass kicked. That's what they get for trying to iron-fist the market.

Just this year did Apple decide to open up their computers to the Intel chip but even that is being strong-armed somewhat. MacIntosh's are the most closed off crew and it will keep them where they are and they will never get larger or better unless they open up.

XP is still the best OS out there for beginners and it is very stable. If you want a better OS than XP you'll have to go with linux but you will need to become slightly more computer saavy, (which isn't too difficult because when you have to be, you kind of become).

When I see someone open up an Apple laptop, I immediately think, "This person has more money than brains and fell for computer looks over usage."
While the GUI of Mac OS X is closed source, the actual OS it runs on, Darwin, is open source (see http://www.opensource.apple.com).

Anyway, I would take an Apple laptop over a Windows/Linux laptop any day. I find OS X to be a lot more usable than Windows or especially Linux.

FUD. The dock is ugly and you have to install a separate program to install themes, AFAIK. You can't move the top menu bar or anything. Hell, at least in Windows you can move the taskbar around. Can you move it to the top in OS X? NO. Not to mention in Linux, you can play FAR more games than you can in OS X. Not to mention PC hardware is cheaper and open, as opposed to the "special" overpriced hardware you have to buy for the Mac. PC >> Mac in all respects.
I love the Dock. I even used to install a Dock-type program for Windows before the project was abandoned. Second, the menu bar is NOT the taskbar--the taskbar in OS X would be the Dock, which is movable. Now that OS X is on x86 procs, I expect to see a good Wine port soon and maybe Cedega will even start developing for Mac. As for the hardware thing--it has long been known that Apple has superior hardware in all respects. The design and engineering is amazing, the quality is excellent, the support is good, and the controlled range of hardware increases the OS stability.

But I hate these damn OS wars. To each his own.

DavidXV · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 9828

Window is to OSs what La Choy is to Chinese food.

Nicholas · Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 321 Location: Rural backwater

poweRob wrote: When I see someone open up an Apple laptop, I immediately think, "This person has more money than brains and fell for computer looks over usage."

Clearly, you are a biased Bill Gates's apologist. The statement above is quite honestly full of drivel and is nothing but poppycock.

YOU think that if someone owns an Apple, this individual fell for its looks or has more money than sense? Frankly, when I see someone with a Windows laptop, I immediately think ''Just like every other laptop on the market with its cheap plastic looks, mediocre designed platform (plenty of room for improvement), vulnerable to viruses and so on'' I can think of many negative comments against to Windows, but ultimately, this individual has chosen something that best suits his or her needs and CHOICE.

More importantly, I do a lot of graphics designing, photographical work and media enhancing which is what an Apple computer is primarily for. Without doubt, better than windows, easier and offers a wider range of options in the professional end of the market. I am not made of money, nor am I fussy about its looks.

I don't play games which had me thinking ''Do I need a windows computer for that specific area?'' Or is an Apple best suited? Needless to say, I went for an Apple according to my needs.

This doesn't mean, I loathe Windows or Linux, as I use them frequently in employment and at home, but I also respect each individual's choice and the machine he/she has chosen.

Finally, I hate BMW's, so my suggestion is ''DON'T buy a BMW!''. True, it's my opinion. Hang on, isn't that what you typically expect a redneck to say?