Should I get an Apple Computer?Dell? - Page 4

ReeferMac · #76 05/06/2005, 05:35 AM

Regardless of the brand laptop you buy.... I recommend getting the extended protection package. If you break a key on a laptop keyboard, it's like 300 bucks to replace. EVERYTHING on laptops is expensive. The extended warranty packages are usually well worth the money (try to get one that cover's the battery, too).

- Mac

beerguy · #77 05/06/2005, 08:46 AM

Noob - that's the PB I use. It's the perfect size. I bought mine he day they came out with the aluminum line so I wish it was faster now, but otherwise no complaints. The new ones look great.

beerguy · #78 05/06/2005, 08:47 AM

Oh and ditto on what Mac says. If you get the PB, get Apple Care. The cost of a screen replacement on a laptop makes it worth the money.

AnnArborBuck · #79 05/06/2005, 09:31 AM

Windows is what has driven the computer market and usage to where we are today. Without windows there might not be a Reefcentral. Since apple controls their hardware and software, in the early days they were way to expensive for users to buy. Once the 386 came out the windows market exploded and hasn't looked back untill just recently (OSX).

Does Windows have some flaws, of course it does, but it is relatively new, at least compared to unix. when unix first came out some 30 odd years ago it was a piece of junk. It had to be rebooted at least once a day, crashed all the time (daily), etc, etc. But time heals all wounds, and after 30 some years of development unix is finally a stable platform that is easy to use.

OSX might be the greatest thing right now, but Microsoft is currently working on building a new OS, from the ground up. They haven't built and OS from the ground up in years. OSX might have a leg up on windows right now, but in a year or two I would look for Windows to leap frog apple again. China is also working on their own platform that should be comming out in a couple of years. Competition breeds quality. Windows hasn't had any real competition for 10 years. If you were Gates would have you invested everything you had into building a better OS (read ground up, strap-ons never work very well) when you already had the market cornered. I doubt it and I would hope not from a business standpoint.

FYI, as far as a development platform goes, nothing out there even comes close to .NET, therefore Windows will rule the development world for awhile. J2E isn't even in the same league as .NET.

beerguy · #80 05/06/2005, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AnnArborBuck
FYI, as far as a development platform goes, nothing out there even comes close to .NET, therefore Windows will rule the development world for awhile. J2E isn't even in the same league as .NET.

Real world numbers don't reflect that perception. The biggest reason for slow adoption of .net is that it's not open. As soon as you decide on .net you lock yourself into a proprietary framework and hardware platform.

As someone who's been making a living on unix systems for the last 15 years, I can tell you that it didn't take until 'yesterday' for them to become stable. Take a look at Microsoft technology's web presence via any of the 3rd party research companies, i.e. Netcraft and the like, and you'll see that Microsoft has been loosing Internet server market share steadily for the last 10 years. The ROI doesn't fly and the folks who write the checks are voicing that by where they are making their investments.

/rant

beerguy · #81 05/06/2005, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AnnArborBuck
They haven't built and OS from the ground up in years.

Actually they never have, they've always "acquired" new technologies. Bill Gates didn't write DOS when he got the IBM contract in the 80s. He's an amazing businessman, but he's not the father of technology. Market share doesn't equal technical superiority.

/rant #2

revance · #82 05/06/2005, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AnnArborBuck
FYI, as far as a development platform goes, nothing out there even comes close to .NET, therefore Windows will rule the development world for awhile. J2E isn't even in the same league as .NET.

HAHAHAHA!!! that is the FUNNIEST thing I have ever heard!!!! HAHAHA!!! FYI .NET sucks!!! Windows does not, has never, and never will rule the development world.

As for them building an OS from the ground up, you must know about some secret plan because Microsoft has NEVER done that. That is why they have so many problems is because they refuse to get rid of old junk.

pepsiDX20 · #83 05/06/2005, 04:34 PM

I purchashed my first mac about four months ago, a 17" powerbook. Im taking alot of video classes in school so I wanted the bigger screen. It is kind of awkward at first, but learning the new os took very little time. OSX is very quick, it boots up in a couple of seconds, and shuts down just as fast. No problems, freeze ups, it's very nice.

AnnArborBuck · #84 05/06/2005, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by revance
HAHAHAHA!!! that is the FUNNIEST thing I have ever heard!!!! HAHAHA!!! FYI .NET sucks!!! Windows does not, has never, and never will rule the development world.

I work everyday with both J2E and .NET and I feel .NET is superior is just about every way. We will have to agree to disagree I guess.

Scuba_Dave · #85 05/06/2005, 09:07 PM

I priced out the MAC I want....$3500....

crna63 · #86 05/06/2005, 09:20 PM

My next mac will be high dollar because I will get the large display 30" and $2999.

revance · #87 05/06/2005, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AnnArborBuck
I work everyday with both J2E and .NET and I feel .NET is superior is just about every way. We will have to agree to disagree I guess.

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but what qualifications do you have to judge one from the other. Do you have knowledge of how various programming languages work (not just how to use them)? How the compilers or interpreters work? How well the compilers are optimized for various architectures? Your info says you are a chemical engineer... doesn't sound like you have much of a computer science background. You didn't even mention C, C++, or any other widely used technology. I'm sorry, but you will find Microsoft is NOT a leader in the development world.

galore · #88 05/07/2005, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AnnArborBuck
but Microsoft is currently working on building a new OS, from the ground up.

Longhorn is built from the ground up? Like 'from scratch'? Why would that be?

Is the Windows NT x platform so broken that MS has to do something that drastically? Sounds like a monumental task and doesn't put a good light on current MS OSs.

zoltetov · #89 05/09/2005, 12:50 PM

I was trapped in PC hell for years. I hated everyone of them, but especially HPs. I truly hate windows and I'm stucking using it at work. My powerbook G4 is amazing. I LOVE using it. Some things are a pain, like web pages looking weird, but man it's amazing.

Question, anyone know how I can get AppleCare in a state that outlawed those warranty protection plans? I hate FL. I really do.

BrianD · #90 05/09/2005, 01:17 PM

Let's keep the discussion civil, shall we? These Apple vs Microsoft discussions make me yearn for the days of tame political discussion.

beerguy · #91 05/09/2005, 01:17 PM

No

BrianD · #92 05/09/2005, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by beerguy
No

No cookies for you.

revance · #93 05/09/2005, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by zoltetov
Some things are a pain, like web pages looking weird, but man it's amazing.

Believe it or not... you can actually blame THAT on Microsoft too! Most pages that don't display properly in browsers other than IE because the person who created it used some silly Microsoft WYSIWYG program. Not always, but usually.

nicchick · #94 05/09/2005, 10:24 PM

good to see so many apple users. i too am able to give an unbiased opinion, having used windows through out all of college and high school. i decided to give apple a try since OS X came out, i will never go back.

Habib · #95 05/10/2005, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nicchick
good to see so many apple users. i too am able to give an unbiased opinion, having used windows through out all of college and high school. i decided to give apple a try since OS X came out, i will never go back.

I see there is no Caps key on the Apple.

Is that a costly option?

AnnArborBuck · #96 05/10/2005, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scuba_Dave
I priced out the MAC I want....$3500....

Herein lies the main issue with Macs (not discussing platforms here), $$$$. You can buy a simplier (display not as nice, not as powerfull) PC labtop for $1000 versus a MAC for lets say $3000 (average price for a MAC).

At first the MAC will blow the PC away in speed, display, etc. But the issue is in one or two years I can upgrade the labtop by just buying another el cheapo labtop for another 1k. Now I can use the old labtop for my tank, give it to a relative, donate it to the poor, sell it, or whatever. I can use that labtop for another 2 years and buy yet another labtop for 1k. I have now spent less then the original user did (inflation, lost revenue from investing the extra 2k, etc). Technology wise, this third PC labtop will probably be better then the original MAC labtop due to hardware and software updates.

It is going to take a major change in Apple's philosophy to ever see the market share that the PC has. Money talks in the business world and in most cases it makes no sense to spend 3k for a Mac when you can get a comprable (word, excel, IE, business apps) PC for 1k.

The MAC has always had top of the line hardware, i have never doubted that. A good friend of mine used to be a project manager for apple and he used to show me all of the cool new stuff MAC was coming out with. But again, for the average joe smoe user the MAC is just too much $$$$ comparable to a PC.

And yeah, HP are possible the worst home computers out there, as are compaqs (servers are getting better though).

beerguy · #97 05/10/2005, 08:48 AM

It's a myth that you have to spend $3500 on a Mac. The mini, which runs just fine out of the box, is $499. You can get to G5, with flat panel display, for the price of a decent PC.

What's a "labtop"?

AnnArborBuck · #98 05/10/2005, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by beerguy
It's a myth that you have to spend $3500 on a Mac. The mini, which runs just fine out of the box, is $499. You can get to G5, with flat panel display, for the price of a decent PC.

What's a "labtop"?

I was talking about "laptop" and their corresponding prices. Sorry for the spelling issues.

beerguy · #99 05/10/2005, 08:57 AM

Suit yourself.

i really don't care what computer folks prefer. But let's at least keep the facts straight. Can you buy a $3000 laptop? sure. Do you have to spend that to get one? Absolutely not.

FYI - When I bought my powerbook 18 months ago, I did a comparison on Dell.com. To get a system with the same features, speed, dimensions and weight - the Dell was $300 more.

gregt · #**100** 05/10/2005, 09:05 AM

I spent less than $2k on my kick-butt Compaq laptop with 1600x1024 pixels widescreen, 1 Gig RAM, and 3.0Ghz HT. I'm very content with my decision.

This, however is more than worth the money: