Why should I switch to a Mac?

[ozimax]

PC user for last 15 years, started with XT around 1989, have always had pc's, presently running a Sony Vaio, but am seriously considering switching to a G4 iBook. I use mainly pagemaker 6.5, photoshop elements, Finale (music software) and web browsing.

Considering the cost of changing software to Max OS, why should I make the switch?

Max
Brisbane, Australia

[jigglyjon]

PC user for last 15 years, started with XT around 1989, have always had pc's, presently running a Sony Vaio, but am seriously considering switching to a G4 iBook. I use mainly pagemaker 6.5, photoshop elements, Finale (music software) and web browsing.

Considering the cost of changing software to Max OS, why should I make the switch?

Max
Brisbane, Australia
1. everything moves quicker and there are hardly any wierd tweak outs or crashes.
2. style is everything these days and the macs are where its at... i mean nothing on the pc side even comes close
3. very user friendly and they are easly customizable to fit anyone's needs.

Questions for you:
1. 12 or 14?
2. intesive computer work or casual hobby work?
3. are you willing to learn?
i think that anything can be done reasonably well on the ibooks, however if you want serious performance, i would suggest a powerbook, or if portability is not a reason just get a dual g4 for about the same price as a powerbook and it would run smooth as butter! write back for any more q's

[ozimax]

Answers:

1. 12inch
2. Bit of both but I do not need huge number crunching capability. Price is #1 constraint at present, these things are expensive in Australia. Plus, I'm always travelling, in Australia and overseas.
3. Always. I can only assume that pagemaker and photoshop which I use constantly is pretty similar to PC platform.

Questions for you:
1. 12 or 14?
2. intesive computer work or casual hobby work?
3. are you willing to learn?
i think that anything can be done reasonably well on the ibooks, however if you want serious performance, i would suggest a powerbook, or if portability is not a reason just get a dual g4 for about the same price as a powerbook and it would run smooth as butter! write back for any more q's[/QUOTE]

[oingoboingo]

PC user for last 15 years, started with XT around 1989, have always had pc's, presently running a Sony Vaio, but am seriously considering switching to a G4 iBook. I use mainly pagemaker 6.5, photoshop elements, Finale (music software) and web browsing.

Considering the cost of changing software to Max OS, why should I make the switch?

Max
Brisbane, Australia

Max, if it is at all possible, the best thing you could do if you are considering switching is to get yourself to an Apple dealer, and set aside an hour or so to play around with an iBook in the flesh. You can ask questions on forums until the cows come home, but nothing will beat actual hands-on usage of the hardware you are thinking of buying. Many systems in Apple dealers also have a lot of other software installed apart from OS X and iLife (such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, and often a game or two) that they use for demo purposes. Write down a list of the programs you think you will use most often, and ask the dealer if they can let you use those pieces of software on the machine you are thinking of buying. Again...nothing can beat actually using PageMaker, Photoshop Elements or GarageBand on the actual hardware you are thinking of purchasing and seeing how they perform, versus reading benchmarks and opinions on forums.

The reason I am harping on this is that as a long-time PC user, you may have some different performance expectations of what a new Apple notebook should be like, based on what you've probably seen in the PC world. Others can argue all they like with me on this point, but the 800MHz Motorola G4 CPU in the 12" iBook is not a lightning fast chip...in fact, for a CPU in 2004, it's downright slow. The smallish standard 30GB hard drive, maximum RAM ceiling of 640MB, and the fact that you have to pay extra for 802.11g and Bluetooth also take away from the gloss of the iBook a little. But, as I'm sure others here will be quick to point out, if these things don't bother you and you can get your work done efficiently, they aren't important. And they're right. Check out the machine in the flesh. See if it can perform the tasks you need it to, and can do it at an acceptable speed. But bear in mind that the iBook lineup (and for that matter, the eMac, iMac and decent size chunks of the PowerBook lineups too) are based on old technology, which continues to survive in the Apple family more for reasons of politics and continual let-downs from Motorola, than for any specifically chosen technical reason.

[ozimax]

Thanks for the advice, as early as I can this week I shall indeed pop into downtown Brisbane Apple store and have a muck around with a few machines.

I suppose it all boils down to the fact of my frustration with XP. Being based on Win 2000 prof it certainly beats win98 rubbish, but for multi tasking it regularly crashes or least has temporary lockups. Most of these fix themelves after about 5 minutes but it is very counter productive. And all these on new and almost new Sony machines. (That's another topic altogether - USA made Sony products are very disappointing IMHO, I'm onto my third power supply in 18 months for my Sony Vaio desktop, and as for the Vaio laptop, it just doesn't work. DVD has stopped working after 2 months, trackpad never has worked, overheats, I just thought that buying "quality" instaed of Dell / HP etc was the way to go but I am seriously disillusioned with Wintel products...)

Many thanks,

Max

[blackfox]

PC user for last 15 years, started with XT around 1989, have always had pc's, presently running a Sony Vaio, but am seriously considering switching to a G4 iBook. I use mainly pagemaker 6.5, photoshop elements, Finale (music software) and web browsing.

Considering the cost of changing software to Max OS, why should I make the switch?

Max
Brisbane, Australia
I agree with oingoboingo in that you should really check out the machines you might buy and play with them for a while, although online resources (like this forum) can help, you need to experience for yourself....
I also agree w/ oingoboingo that the mac portable line is not really "fast" by 2004 standards...but unless you are doing intensive tasks, you will probably not notice...also the GUI will seem a little slower than you are used to also, but that is a matter of opinion...in both cases as much RAM as you can will help considerably w/ these issues.
As for programs, I do not think Pagemaker is made for the Mac (I don't really like it anyway), in fact I thought it wasn't made anymore period. Adobe InDesign (which is what pagemaker evolved into) newest version, CS, has a set of plug-ins for die-hard Pagemaker fans...there is also Quark. Both InDesign and QuarkXpress are great programs...Photoshop elements you will have to get a mac version...as far as music software, I do not know of Finale, but you will receive Garageband for free w/ your mac, and it is decent (I have heard).
Web-browsing will be alot better (as in no pop-ups for example) and worse (as in sites that need IE and streaming media in windows formats) but there are work-arounds...
Good Luck, I love using Macs, and hopefully you will too...it is a shame about the expense outside the US though...

[blue&whiteman]

PC user for last 15 years, started with XT around 1989, have always had pc's, presently running a Sony Vaio, but am seriously considering switching to a G4 iBook. I use mainly pagemaker 6.5, photoshop elements, Finale (music software) and web browsing.

Considering the cost of changing software to Max OS, why should I make the switch?

Max
Brisbane, Australia


based on what you do I would say use a mac for sure. they just seem to render graphics better and faster. when it comes to color matching the mac wins 10000 times over and then some.

[iJed]

There is simply only one reason to buy a Mac. People here may tell you the hardware is much better or much faster but this is really not why Macs are better. In fact your average Mac is generally slower than than your average PC. The iBook is a lot slower than most cheep PC notebooks and a Centrino (Pentium-M) will kick the **** out of its lowly 800-1000MHz G4.

The reason Macs are better is simply this: the OS! Mac OS X is just so much nicer, more consistent, better designed, more stable and more capable than Windows XP. What you can do with a Mac out of the box will simply astound most Windows users.

By all means go for that iBook. Believe me you won't regret it.

[absolut_mac]

I suppose it all boils down to the fact of my frustration with XP. Being based on Win 2000 prof it certainly beats win98 rubbish, but for multi tasking it regularly crashes or least has temporary lockups.

My daughter has had her G4 12" iBook three months now. While it's no speed demon, it certainly is fast enough for your requirements. Keeping in mind that ALL laptops take a hit in the speed department compared to their desk top cousins.

While the iBook might be a little slower than your current Sony, it will certainly be considerably more competent and stable if you do a lot of multi-tasking. The iBook also has to be a champ in both battery life and efficient cooling. The bottom of her laptop barely even feels warm to the touch after hours of continuous use.

Check it out in the Apple store, it really shouldn't take you too long to see if the iBook is right for you :)

[Squire]

The reason Macs are better is simply this: the OS! Mac OS X is just so much nicer, more consistent, better designed, more stable and more capable than Windows XP. What you can do with a Mac out of the box will simply astound most Windows users.

I couldn't agree more. I switched (or, I guess, added) about a year and a half ago. I like to sum it up this way: My Mac never does things that I don't want it to do. Using the machine is not only stress-free but a pleasure. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the computer on the other side of my desk.

Squire

[Danrose1977]

Because like Pepsi, its the choice of a new generation

...sorry too much Waynes World


Seriously though, I swithed recently and have slipped into the "mac" way of doing things real quickly. There is some intangible pleasure that I get from using my iBook that I just don't get with my Windows machine.

The ease of use is great, everything I have plugged into my mac sofar has just worked (Camera, creative mp3 player and printer), and I havent even had to plug in my bluetooth devices and they just work!!! Lol :->

[ozimax]

Thanks for the comments, I will nip into the city store this week and try one (or three) out and see how she goes....

Is the Powerbook range worth the (considerable) extra cost?


Max

[Savage Henry]

Give the Powerbook the consideration when it hits G5 status (in 6-9 months). Then I am sure it will be one of the finest pieces of machine to ever be graced by your fingertips.


And in general to the overall question: I have never known anybody who 'switched' to have regretted it.

Never.

[Steven1621]

There is simply only one reason to buy a Mac. People here may tell you the hardware is much better or much faster but this is really not why Macs are better. In fact your average Mac is generally slower than than your average PC. The iBook is a lot slower than most cheep PC notebooks and a Centrino (Pentium-M) will kick the **** out of its lowly 800-1000MHz G4.

The reason Macs are better is simply this: the OS! Mac OS X is just so much nicer, more consistent, better designed, more stable and more capable than Windows XP. What you can do with a Mac out of the box will simply astound most Windows users.

By all means go for that iBook. Believe me you won't regret it.

he got it exactly right. enough said.

[masterjedi73]

I use mainly pagemaker 6.5, photoshop elements, Finale (music software) and web browsing.

If you make the switch, switch from Finale to Sibelius, too....It's so much better than Finale. It's simpler to use, more powerful, and has an easier interface. At least check it out and download the demo version.

[kaylee]

hi ozimax,

i also live in brisbane. which apple store are you going to? i recommendNext Byte (http://www.nextbyte.com.au) (260 Adelaide St), as in my experience i have found their staff to be really helpful and polite. i cant say the same for all of the staff at infinite systems (Charlotte St).
also, do you qualify for education discount, or do you know someone who does that you can get to purchase for you? cos it will save you at between $100 and $300 depending on what laptop you decide on. apple does have a deal currently until the end of march for education only, where you can get some extra ram, and ipod (20 gb) and AE card, and get a couple of hundred off the normal edu cost. alternatively, there is a buy a powerbook, get an ipod (20gb) for $99, which is available through next byte, but you cant use edu discount with that deal. hope this helps you a little.

[ozimax]

Thanks Kaylee, I will drop into NextByte this arvo or tomorrow and check it out.

As for FInale vs Sibelius, I havn't tried Sibelius but Finale has a great education special in Oz at present ($230 US or $300 AUS) for FInale 2004, which is normally $1300. I don't know if Sibelius can come close to that pricing. If so, it may be worth a look, thanks, Max

[masterjedi73]

Thanks Kaylee, I will drop into NextByte this arvo or tomorrow and check it out.

As for FInale vs Sibelius, I havn't tried Sibelius but Finale has a great education special in Oz at present ($230 US or $300 AUS) for FInale 2004, which is normally $1300. I don't know if Sibelius can come close to that pricing. If so, it may be worth a look, thanks, Max

Sibelius does have educational pricing...very close to Finale's here in the states.

[kaylee]

Thanks Kaylee, I will drop into NextByte this arvo or tomorrow and check it out.

As for FInale vs Sibelius, I havn't tried Sibelius but Finale has a great education special in Oz at present ($230 US or $300 AUS) for FInale 2004, which is normally $1300. I don't know if Sibelius can come close to that pricing. If so, it may be worth a look, thanks, Max


I have used both Finale (2001), and Sibelius through music at school, and I found Sibelius to be better - though i did use both of these on windows computers, and not sure if mac versions are the same. http://www.sibelius.com/education/ has information regarding education packages/pricing and you can get a demo from http://www.sibelius.com/cgi-bin/download/get.pl?prod=sibdemo&com=sh.

[tekno_geek911]

I think the iBook will be fine for your use...But you might also want to pick up a refurbished 12" PowerBook on Apple.com for around the same price.

[live4ever]

The thing that has most impressed me with Macs is OS X. The multi-tasking is absolutely superb!

Just last night I was burning a DVD - while encoding other video files - while encoding audio files (with another program) - while listening to iTunes while working on some photos in Photoshop- while checking email and browsing the web.

[Applexilef]

the question you should ask yourself is: "Why shouldn't I switch to a mac?"

that's the question I asked myself two months ago when I bought my first apple computer (A G4 ibook).

[ozimax]

For all the nice people who have replied to my original question, here is an update (can't say anything on Finale vs Sibelius yet)

I called in mucked around with a few (less expensive desktop models) Macs in Brisbane, no iBooks in stock (11 on backorder). They managed to find me a 12" Powerbook nearby for $3000 (with a 20GB iPod for $99 special deal). I was planning on buying this package, selling the new shrinkwrapped iPod on ebay etc to help defray the costs on myblown out budget. I ordered the thing.

Driving home I noticed another Mac/PC store. Stopping in and enquiring, I was told that they had 1 iBook they could source for me, cost being $2100 including an extra 512MB of ram. I cancelled the first order and scheduled to pick this one up tomorrow morning.

So there you have it. I need a few extra pieces of software and I'll be up and running. BTW, Powerbooks don't ship with Appleworks. You have to buy that separately. iBooks come with Appleworks preloaded and will suit me fine.

Max

[tekno_geek911]

Congrats on your purchase,you wont be dissapointed!

[oingoboingo]

Driving home I noticed another Mac/PC store. Stopping in and enquiring, I was told that they had 1 iBook they could source for me, cost being $2100 including an extra 512MB of ram. I cancelled the first order and scheduled to pick this one up tomorrow morning.


So did you actually get to use either an iBook or PowerBook in your travels?

[oingoboingo]

I think the iBook will be fine for your use...But you might also want to pick up a refurbished 12" PowerBook on Apple.com for around the same price.

Apple Australia doesn't have a refurb store like they do in the US. And Apple US won't ship to Australia (believe me, I've tried. Australians get shafted on the pricing of Apple equipment, even taking exchange rates into account).

[ozimax]

So did you actually get to use either an iBook or PowerBook in your travels?

Yes, did get to play around with PB 12", and yes, you were right, it is noticeably slower than my Vaio (that is a generalisation I realise)and most probably a heap slower than my P4 Vaio desktop at home (which I will keep BTW). However, they didn't have a heap of loaded applications to muck around on, but the OS X does seem nice.

They didn't have a 12" ibook to test anywhere, every unit is sold from Bne to Perth it seems.

I suppose in buying a mac I'm taking a punt but it seems the way to go. I think the iBook with 640mb ram will do what I need it to do. Also, I know you can't believe hype (PC or Mac), but if the battery life of the ibook is half what is claimed it will still be much better than the 45mins-1hr of the Vaio

We'll see how we go.

I have also ordered PS Elements 2.0 for mac, a programme which I find great to use. I don't want to mortgage the kids for PS 7 which for me is a bit of overkill.

Max

[ozimax]

Sorry, I was wrong. The mucking around was done on an eMac ($1300 AUD) It did seem a little slow, maybe this is partly because it only has 128mb ram? I pressed a few buttons on the 12"PB for a while but the salesman wasn't real helpful when it came to applications/perceived speed etc.

Max

[oingoboingo]

Sorry, I was wrong. The mucking around was done on an eMac ($1300 AUD) It did seem a little slow, maybe this is partly because it only has 128mb ram? I pressed a few buttons on the 12"PB for a while but the salesman wasn't real helpful when it came to applications/perceived speed etc.

Max
Max,

An 1GHz eMac will probably appear a little slower than a 1GHz 12" PowerBook for a few reasons:

- eMac has a G4 CPU with 256KB L2 cache; PowerBook has 512KB L2 cache
- eMac has SDR RAM; PowerBook has DDR SDRAM
- Standard RAM on eMac is 128MB (a total joke, IMHO); PowerBook has 256MB standard
- eMac has Radeon 7500 graphics chip; PowerBook has GeForce FX5200

The eMac however has a faster hard drive, and may well have a faster optical drive (but you may not have performed any operations that required the optical drive, so the point is probably moot). I'd be surprised if the store left the eMac at its standard 128MB configuration though, because apart from loading OS X up, there's not much else you can do with that specification (unless you enjoy hearing the sound of the hard drive swap chunks of memory in and out).

As you can tell from my signature, I have a 1GHz 12" PowerBook. I got it last November, and I've been quite happy with it. The portability (which is very similar to the 12" iBook form factor) is excellent; it is absolutely no hassle to throw the PowerBook into my backpack and take it anywhere, and it is small and unobstrusive enough to be used comfortably in just about any situation (sitting on a plane, in front of TV, lying in bed, sitting at someone else's desk crammed with paper and other junk). As I mentioned in an earlier post, the speed of the 800MHz G4 of the iBook and 1GHz G4 of the PowerBook isn't anything to get excited about...but I knew that when I made the purchase, and for my usage pattern (it's basically an 'at work' laptop, where 'at work' means e-mail, web, Microsoft Office, standard UNIX command-line apps, some Perl/MySQL development and a little PhotoShop) it's fine. In my travels, 3D gaming is the only area where I have found the 12" PowerBook (and presumably the 12" iBook too) really suffers badly.

From all accounts, the battery life on the iBook is actually quite good. I can get around 3 hours from my 12" PowerBook with AirPort turned on (but with screen brightness down to about 50% and the various energy saving options turned on), and from reading Mac forums for a while, it seems iBook owners have no trouble matching or beating that figure by about an hour. So it definitely should leave your Vaio behind on battery life.

Anyway, congratulations on your purchase, and I hope you discover that you enjoy getting things done more with OS X. There's plenty to explore, even on a bare install (the iLife '04 apps of course, but then there's also the little niceties like Safari, iCal, iChat, the fully system-wide integrated Address Book, and the Mail program, which is a really solid e-mail app...a really understated gem in OS X if you ask me).

Let us all know if you need any help getting started up. By the way, did you get the AirPort Extreme card, or is that for later?

PS: As a total aside (I was just re-reading your original post above), I have also found the sales staff at many Apple re-sellers to be lacking in helpfulness. A recent episode at an Apple dealer in Sydney (which shall remain nameless) really disheartened me.

Me: Hi, can I get a mini DVI to TV-out adapter for a 1GHz 12" PowerBook
Dealer: 12" PowerBooks don't have mini DVI ports
Me: Yes they do. The 867MHz 12" didn't, but the 1GHz one does.
Dealer: <puzzled look>Riiiight. Let me check the stock on the wall <checks stock on wall display which I had already done>. No we don't have it. It's probably because it's for an obsolete line. I can order it for you if you want.
Me: It's *not* for an obsolete line <walks across to 1GHz 12" PowerBook 2 metres away on display, points at mini-DVI port>. See...mini-DVI port.
Dealer: Uhhhh...OK. I'll check the price <click type click type> OK it'll be about a week to get in, and it will be $45.
Me: Don't worry, thanks for your time, I'll order it straight from Apple.

The best part is that the part from Apple is only $35, not $45. I went to another dealer in another part of Sydney the next day and bought the adapter for $35. With dealers like this, who needs Microsoft? Sorry...had to vent. :-)

[ozimax]

Thanks Oingo,

In the end, the extra $1100 bucks for the PB 12" settled the matter, I'll have to stic with the iBook.

Incidentally the Mac staff member(MAtthew) at Core Computers Albany Creek (a hybrid pc mac dealer) was very helpful and friendly, I'll post tomorrow night and see how everything gets on with pickup and purchase.

This forum is very helpful, I'm sure I will be asking some questions over the coming days, many thanks, Max

Another good uncomplicated forum for anyone interested in digital photography is ephotozine.com

[ozimax]

Also, do you think I will use the AirPort Extreme card? I don't have broadband or cable or whatever and no plans to get wireless network in my home as yet. What ae the advantages of AirPort Extreme card?

Max

[oingoboingo]

Also, do you think I will use the AirPort Extreme card? I don't have broadband or cable or whatever and no plans to get wireless network in my home as yet. What ae the advantages of AirPort Extreme card?

Max

Max,
If you don't have a wireless LAN in your home then there really isn't much point in getting an Airport Extreme card yet. I added the AirPort Extreme card to my 12" PowerBook when I bought it because I already had a wireless access point at my apartment (sharing a 512K ADSL connection), and I wanted to be able to use my notebook from anywhere in the house. There is also an 802.11g access point where I work, and being able to pick up the notebook and take it anywhere within the building and have wireless access to the company LAN is extremely handy.

Just wait until you decide you'd like wireless LAN or net access at home, or until you feel ready to join the cappucino-sipping "look at me look at me" iBook-at-Starbucks crowd :-)

[ozimax]

Just wait until you decide you'd like wireless LAN or net access at home, or until you feel ready to join the cappucino-sipping "look at me look at me" iBook-at-Starbucks crowd :-)

Flat white or machiato, not cappuccino or latte, and definitely not Star-bugs, preferably little Italian deli's or at least a "Grinder's" coffee shop with authentic Italian coffee.

Forget the computer stuff for a while, Italian coffee is the real deal....the more the better...

Bean Head Max

[oingoboingo]

Flat white or machiato, not cappuccino or latte, and definitely not Star-bugs, preferably little Italian deli's or at least a "Grinder's" coffee shop with authentic Italian coffee.

Forget the computer stuff for a while, Italian coffee is the real deal....the more the better...

Bean Head Max

Definitely. Gotta start the day with a cup of good strong black espresso from the stove-top espresso maker. Sure makes avoiding doing any work on my PhD project plan and posting stuff on Macrumors all day that much easier :-)

[encro]

Hmmm, I didn't realise the Starbucks franchise was in Australia?

P.S. I say "Don't switch, just have both :)" Because we are so close to Asia we get really good prices on PC hardware. I much prefer OS X 10.3 to 2000/XP though in terms of Usability.

[oingoboingo]

Hmmm, I didn't realise the Starbucks franchise was in Australia?

P.S. I say "Don't switch, just have both :)" Because we are so close to Asia we get really good prices on PC hardware. I much prefer OS X 10.3 to 2000/XP though in terms of Usability.

Starbucks outlets now infest Sydney streets like cockroaches. Just off the top of my head, I can think of outlets at Wynyard Station, Park Street (the first one in Australia, I think), Central Station, Darling Street (Balmain), and Macquarie Centre. And I'm sure there's another 15 on top of that too...at least. Glad to say the only time I visit a Starbucks is while I'm waiting in a U.S. airport lounge, and there often isn't any other place to get coffee.

Do you actually think we have good hardware prices here? Australia definitely gets shafted by Apple on its hardware. The impression I got was that x86/PC hardware was still cheaper in the US (even taking currency exchange into account) than it was in Australia. Maybe I just need to find a new supplier.

[flyfish29]

PC user for last 15 years, started with XT around 1989, have always had pc's, presently running a Sony Vaio, but am seriously considering switching to a G4 iBook. I use mainly pagemaker 6.5, photoshop elements, Finale (music software) and web browsing.

Considering the cost of changing software to Max OS, why should I make the switch?

Max
Brisbane, Australia

Depending on which elements you have it may be mac compatible without buying another version. There is a package out there that they sell with both PC and mac versions in the same package...walmart among others sell this one. You might look into it and see if your copy was distributed this way.

[Silencio]

Flat white or machiato, not cappuccino or latte, and definitely not Star-bugs, preferably little Italian deli's or at least a "Grinder's" coffee shop with authentic Italian coffee.

Forget the computer stuff for a while, Italian coffee is the real deal....the more the better...

All the completely different coffee lingo throws me for a huge loop whenever I travel to Oz or NZ. Takes me a week or two to start ordering properly again, which is a big problem for a major caffeine addict like myself.

[Silencio]

All the completely different coffee lingo throws me for a huge loop whenever I travel to Oz or NZ. Takes me a week or two to start ordering properly again, which is a big problem for a major caffeine addict like myself.

Ugh - duplicated post! Obviously I have not had enough coffee yet.

[hulugu]

PC user for last 15 years, started with XT around 1989, have always had pc's, presently running a Sony Vaio, but am seriously considering switching to a G4 iBook. I use mainly pagemaker 6.5, photoshop elements, Finale (music software) and web browsing.

Considering the cost of changing software to Max OS, why should I make the switch?

Max
Brisbane, Australia

Stability: XP doesn't crash or so they claim, but OSX crashes even less. Personally I have had only a few programs, Mail and MS Word crash on me, and I've had a kernal panic exactly twice since I got my Powerbook running OSX in 2001.
Quality: The Apple machine, for all the faults you may have heard of, still has the best marks in Consumer Report for both technical faults and customer service.
Customer Service: I can't say it enough, with Apple the OS and the hardware are tied together, but their customer service is great and very helpful, they have a better resource for troubleshooting, AppleCare is great.
Intutiveness: The OS is very easy for new users, and once a Windows user gets used to the paradigm, most like OSX much better. The consistency of the interface is amazing especially considering the grab-bag that is Windows.
Security: OSX has had security issues, however they are rare and there is as of yet 0 viruses that affect the Macintosh OS. Also, several independent reports have noted that OSX and other BSD deriviatives are the most secure OSs out there.
iLife: Yeah, Windows can do some of the same tricks, but iLife does it better, faster and cheaper. With iLife, you get iTunes and iTMS, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD (if you get a machine with a Superdrive) and GarageBand. You also get iCal (a nice calender program) and iSync (like Palm's Hotsync, but more universal with regard to different devices). You can run Microsoft Office, including Word and Entourage and if you really need to you can run Virtual PC for former Windows software. All the advantages, none of the disadvantages. Although one caveat, VPC is like having a very slow Windows machine around, so for something like Elements, you'll want the Mac version.

Lastly, I would ask if you can exchange the PC versions for Mac versions, or you can consider selling the PC versions to someone. Also, in many cases, the files you've already worked on can be moved from one to the other, so except for software and the machine, there shouldn't be much of a penalty switching. I know this forum is lit up with people convincing you to get a Mac, but I would suggest—as I always do—to go try out a Mac, play with it for an hour or so, ask questions. And, when you buy one, shove a bunch of RAM in it, OSX loves RAM.

[hulugu]

Just wait until you decide you'd like wireless LAN or net access at home, or until you feel ready to join the cappucino-sipping "look at me look at me" iBook-at-Starbucks crowd :-)

Hey, switch out an iBook for a Powerbook and you've just described me. :D

Actually, Starbucks' coffee sucks, I go to a place on the corner that also has WiFi. Go CoffeeXchange!

[ozimax]

Hey, switch out an iBook for a Powerbook and you've just described me. :D

Actually, Starbucks' coffee sucks, I go to a place on the corner that also has WiFi. Go CoffeeXchange!

Apologies to my multitude of American friends, but after living in Riverside CA for 8 months in 2002 and visiting Star-bugs all over USA looking for an authentic coffee, I have yet to find one that rates above about 3-4 on the CQ (caffeine quality) scale. Several times I have leapt the counter to demonstrate to a "trained" Star-bugs employee how to make a proper cup of coffee, rule #1 being DON'T EVER PUT THE ESPRESSO INTO A STEEL JUG AND TRANSFER IT TO A CUP - YOU LOSE THE CREMA, BUFFHEAD!

Gloria Jean, now open in Australia (alongside Krispy Kreme) have taken bottom place in coffee standards, just dreadful.

Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide have wonderful Italian etc coffee shops everywhere. Brisbane is the only place worse than USA for coffee (oh, I forgot Japan). The Queenslanders specialise in pineapple milkshakes and not much else.

Man I'm rambling, incoherent, disoriented, I havn't had a decent coffee for 15 hours....BTW, this forum is really good and a lot of fun

Ozimax
iBook soon to be
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

[oingoboingo]

All the completely different coffee lingo throws me for a huge loop whenever I travel to Oz or NZ. Takes me a week or two to start ordering properly again, which is a big problem for a major caffeine addict like myself.

I think we use all the Italian names for things here. There are sizable Italian migrant populations in both Sydney and Melbourne (between those two cities they make up about 35-37% of Australia's total population), so there's a big European influence in things like cafes.

One thing you don't see here are drip filter coffee machines, which seem to be very common in the US. Practically every place which serves coffee from the little deli around the corner to the most up-market cafe or restaurant will have an espresso machine (excepting places like 7-11 and petrol stations).

Espresso == standard small volume black coffee. Usually served in a small demitasse-type cup. Should have a rich crema on the top. Also known as a 'short black'. If you ask for a 'long black' you'll basically get the same thing, but with more water...is this also known as a Americana? Asking for a doppio will get you a double shot or something resembling that.

Ristretto == Turbo-espresso. Smaller amount of water is used than for an espresso, so the flavour and aroma is more concentrated.

Macchiato == Espresso with a small dollop of frothed milk on top. Served in a small cup or often a small tumbler.

Cappuccino == Australia's favourite beverage. Shot or two of espresso coffee with frothed milk in and on top, often with ridiculous amounts of cocoa or chocolate powder sprinkled on top.

Latte == Varies. Some places just give you a cappuccino in a taller mug/glass and leave off the chocolate dust. Others just stir in the frothed milk minus the froth. Particularly poseur if drunk with a small napkin tied around the glass to protect delicate fingers from being scorched. Somewhat related cousin of the 'flat white'.

Affogato == Espresso poured over scoop of icecream, or scoop of icecream dumped into cup of espresso. Sometimes with a liqueur like Frangelico added.

I'm sure there's others. Wow...that has absolutely nothing to do with buying an iBook. I'm glad we can all stay on topic here :) To bring it back on topic, Max, when you've had some coffee and picked up your iBook, let us all know how it goes!

[ozimax]

Will do, coffee first of course, a small macchiato with raisin toast plus large glass of water, then off to the Mac Shop....

(Remember, 1 glass of water for every shot of coffee)

Max

almost iBooked
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

[carbonmotion]

Stability: XP doesn't crash or so they claim, but OSX crashes even less. Personally I have had only a few programs, Mail and MS Word crash on me, and I've had a kernal panic exactly twice since I got my Powerbook running OSX in 2001.
Quality: The Apple machine, for all the faults you may have heard of, still has the best marks in Consumer Report for both technical faults and customer service.
Customer Service: I can't say it enough, with Apple the OS and the hardware are tied together, but their customer service is great and very helpful, they have a better resource for troubleshooting, AppleCare is great.
Intutiveness: The OS is very easy for new users, and once a Windows user gets used to the paradigm, most like OSX much better. The consistency of the interface is amazing especially considering the grab-bag that is Windows.
Security: OSX has had security issues, however they are rare and there is as of yet 0 viruses that affect the Macintosh OS. Also, several independent reports have noted that OSX and other BSD deriviatives are the most secure OSs out there.
iLife: Yeah, Windows can do some of the same tricks, but iLife does it better, faster and cheaper. With iLife, you get iTunes and iTMS, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD (if you get a machine with a Superdrive) and GarageBand. You also get iCal (a nice calender program) and iSync (like Palm's Hotsync, but more universal with regard to different devices). You can run Microsoft Office, including Word and Entourage and if you really need to you can run Virtual PC for former Windows software. All the advantages, none of the disadvantages. Although one caveat, VPC is like having a very slow Windows machine around, so for something like Elements, you'll want the Mac version.

Lastly, I would ask if you can exchange the PC versions for Mac versions, or you can consider selling the PC versions to someone. Also, in many cases, the files you've already worked on can be moved from one to the other, so except for software and the machine, there shouldn't be much of a penalty switching. I know this forum is lit up with people convincing you to get a Mac, but I would suggest—as I always do—to go try out a Mac, play with it for an hour or so, ask questions. And, when you buy one, shove a bunch of RAM in it, OSX loves RAM.

osx is great to watch porn on.

[ozimax]

To bring it back on topic, Max, when you've had some coffee and picked up your iBook, let us all know how it goes!

Well today's the day, in fact I am typing this on a shiny new iBook, took me 20 mins to get up and running and connected to net, but that included 17 mins to read the intro book!

It's an absolute cinch to do anything, perceived speed of operation is on a par with Vaio, but the main thing is this - I T W O R K S !!!

(My xp vaio locked up again this morning when more than 3 applications were open - it always unlocks itself after about 5-7 mins, but that defeats the whole purpose of multitasking doesn't it?)

It's going to take me some time to work my way around this thing but it sure works flawlessly. Matthew at Core Computers in Albany Creek, QLD, delivered well before the promised time, and the service was outstanding.

Only one flaw - the very first button I pressed was the F1 (decrease scren brightness) key, and it stuck. It is completely unusable at present, Apple will have to fix that one.

Connecting to ISP, email settings etc is a no-brainer and takes seconds to do. I always thought that Sony had some of the best screens (they most probably do) but this one is up there.

I plugged in my Sony F707 camera and viola! - worked like a beauty. (I am going to need a USB reader because I use exclusively memory stick etc) The MS optical mouse was instantly workable via USB port.

I've only spent approx one hour so far on the thing, but I'm looking forward to the next few days to try this baby out, work permitting.

Max

[encro]

Macchiato == Espresso with a small dollop of frothed milk on top. Served in a small cup or often a small tumbler.

Cappuccino == Australia's favourite beverage. Shot or two of espresso coffee with frothed milk in and on top, often with ridiculous amounts of cocoa or chocolate powder sprinkled on top.

Latte == Varies. Some places just give you a cappuccino in a taller mug/glass and leave off the chocolate dust. Others just stir in the frothed milk minus the froth. Particularly poseur if drunk with a small napkin tied around the glass to protect delicate fingers from being scorched. Somewhat related cousin of the 'flat white'.


Hmmm, I'm not too sure I agree on these 3.

I believe it should be:

Cappuccino ==
1 Shot of Espresso; then the remainder is 50% Steamed Milk and 50% Froth.
(Cocoa dusting: Wierd Australian Tradition, leaning towards Mocha)

Macchiato ==
Long Espresso with unsteamed milk wave on the bottom created by pouring over a teaspoon. Perfect layer seperation, just like creating a cocktail.

Latté ==
1 Shot of Espresso with Frothed milk. Rich Brown crema with 1cm of froth at the top. (I prefer served Warm to help differentiate from a Flat White and it also seems to taste thicker when the milk hasn't achieved anywhere near boiling point.)

P.S. I'm not a Barrister so this is my interpretation only :)

[oingoboingo]

It's an absolute cinch to do anything, perceived speed of operation is on a par with Vaio, but the main thing is this - I T W O R K S !!!

Well apart from your F1 key sticking, sounds like it all went pretty well and that you are happy with your purchase. I think the iBook keyboard can be flipped out with a screwdriver (you could with the older iBook keyboards anyway, to get at the RAM slots) but you probably don't feel like attacking your 1-day old iBook with a screwdriver just yet. You sound happy with your local Apple dealer...if they are half-decent they should be able to fix the keyboard problem easily or (hopefully) swap your machine for another one straight away.

I'm assuming you got iLife '04 either pre-installed or on a DVD in the box? You'll have a great time messing around with the iLife apps and the other stuff included in OS X.

In case you don't already know, there are a few really good sites to check out for when you're in trouble or you need a hand. www.macosxhints.com is an excellent collection of tricky little hints and tips for getting stuff done in OS X...you'll always learn something new every time you visit. www.versiontracker.com is an excellent place to find and download Mac freeware, shareware, and demos. Apple's own discussion boards at discussions.info.apple.com are also good if you're trying to track down a problem. Finally, www.macrumors.com is good to keep up with community gossip and get advice...I also find the Mac specific forums on www.arstechnica.com to be quite good too...and Arstechnica does very high quality reviews of major Apple releases like new OS X versions.

Good luck!

[oingoboingo]

Hmmm, I'm not too sure I agree on these 3.

I believe it should be:

Cappuccino ==
1 Shot of Espresso; then the remainder is 50% Steamed Milk and 50% Froth.
(Cocoa dusting: Wierd Australian Tradition, leaning towards Mocha)

Macchiato ==
Long Espresso with unsteamed milk wave on the bottom created by pouring over a teaspoon. Perfect layer seperation, just like creating a cocktail.

Latté ==
1 Shot of Espresso with Frothed milk. Rich Brown crema with 1cm of froth at the top. (I prefer served Warm to help differentiate from a Flat White and it also seems to taste thicker when the milk hasn't achieved anywhere near boiling point.)

P.S. I'm not a Barrister so this is my interpretation only :)

Your definitions are probably much closer to the 'official truth' than mine are, but what I described are what I've commonly see in cafes (at least the ones I've been to anyway). Especially the macchiato...I've probably seen one macchiato in my entire life which was made the way you describe...everything else was just an espresso shot with a dollop of milk foam thrown on top or stirred in. Maybe I need to stop slumming it and go to a real cafe (the lament of the Macintosh owner...all your money goes on paying for this overpriced hardware and you don't have any left for properly sampling cafes).

I'm probably not the best judge of cafe coffee making skills anyway...I almost exclusively drink espressos (why mess up that wonderful coffee small and taste with milk?!?!), so if I get a rich smelling espresso with a nice thick crema on top, and a taste to match, then I'm happy. Let them do what they want with their milk! :)

[hulugu]

osx is great to watch porn on.


Thanks for taking my whole post and boiling it down to one succint sentance. :D

[ozimax]

Actually, "macchiato" means "to stain" (got that one from a chef), hence a short black or espresso is simply stained with a dollop of foam etc to form a macchiato.

Best ever coffee? Without a doubt, "First Lane" coffee shop in Blenheim, New Zealand. However, I've only visited a couple hundred coffee shops around the world, so there are just 194,498 to go before I depart this earth, so there may be a better one yet.

Max

[Reimei]

I am currently going to Indiana University in Bloomington. I had never been exposed to Macs until I came here. I haven't used them much (I bought an HP laptop before coming here), but my friend bought a 12" powerbook recently. Needless to say I was very impressed with OS X and the speed of the machine.

I use my PC mostly for internet, media (DVD and Music), word processing, e-mail, and instant messaging. I have been upset with how loud my PC is. The fan is ridiculous. It also has a tendency to get very hot. It is also very heavy for a 15" notebook.

I also like to mess around making websites and photo-editing, but I'm not really serious with it.

I have also had a lot of concerns about the security. Windows XP has had been serious flaws. I downloaded Zone Alarm firewall, but I'm not totally sure that is will help with a serious problem.

What do you think would be good for me? Why should I switch? What is the best antivirus software? How is Safari with pop-ups (Does it have a built-in blocker)?

Obviously, I am very Mac-illiterate, so any help would be much appreciated. I just want a capable computer with everything I need... and I am tired of giving money to a company as evil as Microsoft :D

Thanks

[rstroud]

I am currently going to Indiana University in Bloomington. I had never been exposed to Macs until I came here. I haven't used them much (I bought an HP laptop before coming here), but my friend bought a 12" powerbook recently. Needless to say I was very impressed with OS X and the speed of the machine.

I use my PC mostly for internet, media (DVD and Music), word processing, e-mail, and instant messaging. I have been upset with how loud my PC is. The fan is ridiculous. It also has a tendency to get very hot. It is also very heavy for a 15" notebook.

I also like to mess around making websites and photo-editing, but I'm not really serious with it.

I have also had a lot of concerns about the security. Windows XP has had been serious flaws. I downloaded Zone Alarm firewall, but I'm not totally sure that is will help with a serious problem.

What do you think would be good for me? Why should I switch? What is the best antivirus software? How is Safari with pop-ups (Does it have a built-in blocker)?

Obviously, I am very Mac-illiterate, so any help would be much appreciated. I just want a capable computer with everything I need... and I am tired of giving money to a company as evil as Microsoft :D

Thanks
IU? I live in Bedford, IN. If ya didn't know it's 20 mins south! I currently go to UE in Evansville!

[ozimax]

I am absolutely unqualified to comment on Mac vs PC with any credibility, but after a day with a brand new ibook I can say that it works incredibly well, stays relatively very cool (and that's in Brisbane, Australia, a sub tropical climate) and apart from a fairly noisy disk insert mechanism, is almost silent. Oh, and the keyboard is sensational compared to the Vaio. Very impressed.

Multitasking wise, I have had browser, Appleworks, mail, etc etc all running it doesn't seem to make any difference. PS Elements seems to run just a little slower than PC but I can live with that.

That's my 2-bob worth for the moment.


Max

[thirteen1031]

I am currently going to Indiana University in Bloomington..... I have been upset with how loud my PC is. The fan is ridiculous. It also has a tendency to get very hot. It is also very heavy for a 15" notebook.....I have also had a lot of concerns about the security. Windows XP has had been serious flaws. I downloaded Zone Alarm firewall, but I'm not totally sure that is will help with a serious problem.

What do you think would be good for me? Why should I switch? What is the best antivirus software? How is Safari with pop-ups (Does it have a built-in blocker)?

Welcome to the Land of Mac. A 15" powerbook, weighs a mere 5.6 pounds. and you almost never hear the fan when it kicks in--which isn't often. Most folk find Macs to be "whisper quiet." That's all Macs, laptops included. And while powerbooks do get a bit warm (all laptops do, nature of the beast) they never get all that hot.

As for security...If you get a Mac, you almost don't have to worry about security at all. Don't get me wrong, there are viruses out there and you always have to worry some. BUT 95% of all viruses are aimed at Windows--because that's all but 5% of the market. So, if you get a Mac, you immediately protect yourself from about 95% of the viruses out there which are aimed at Windows. After that, Norton's is always good. Also, OS X comes with some really high security features built in.

And yes, Safari has a built in pop-up blocker. Unless the ads are embedded in the site, you don't get them. No pop ups. Period.

And just in case you think Macs a little pricy (hey, they are!), you can get up to 20% off the cost because you're a student--or you can get referbished powerbook which is just like new only less money. Is that enough reasons to switch?

[hulugu]

I have also had a lot of concerns about the security. Windows XP has had been serious flaws. I downloaded Zone Alarm firewall, but I'm not totally sure that is will help with a serious problem.

What do you think would be good for me? Why should I switch? What is the best antivirus software? How is Safari with pop-ups (Does it have a built-in blocker)?

Obviously, I am very Mac-illiterate, so any help would be much appreciated. I just want a capable computer with everything I need... and I am tired of giving money to a company as evil as Microsoft :D

Thanks

Security is a big issue with computers and the Mac reigns supreme for the personal user, currently there are 0 virii for Mac OSX and it has been available in public beta since 2001. A British security firm mi2g I believem noted that UNIX and BSD on which OSX is based on were the least hacked systems over the year.
OSX comes with its own software firewall on by default and is as good as ZoneAlarm without all the random problems that ZoneAlarm can cause. Furthermore, OSX does have Norton Anti-virus and Apple has its own service under .Mac with Virex, so if a virus for OSX ever appears, there are already solutions.
Safari is a fast browser with pop-up blocker and the Mac also can use Firefox, Opera, and even *shudder* IE.
And, if you really want to avoid Microsoft, you can use OpenOffice.

[emmx]

hi ozimax,

i also live in brisbane. which apple store are you going to? i recommendNext Byte (http://www.nextbyte.com.au) (260 Adelaide St), as in my experience i have found their staff to be really helpful and polite. i cant say the same for all of the staff at infinite systems (Charlotte St).
also, do you qualify for education discount, or do you know someone who does that you can get to purchase for you? cos it will save you at between $100 and $300 depending on what laptop you decide on. apple does have a deal currently until the end of march for education only, where you can get some extra ram, and ipod (20 gb) and AE card, and get a couple of hundred off the normal edu cost. alternatively, there is a buy a powerbook, get an ipod (20gb) for $99, which is available through next byte, but you cant use edu discount with that deal. hope this helps you a little.

Kaylee
Can you tell me how I get the extra ram, 20 gig iPod and the AE Card at the education price - I have yet to find this deal. I am a uni student in WA - and my only offer I have been able to track down at the moment is and education deal (direct from apple) with none of the above mentioned extras - or to pay full retail to get an iPod.

Your assistance would be appreciated as I need to get a notebook ASAP (this week).

Cheers
Kristine
Western Australia

[Palad1]

Kristine,

You can get a 20% rebate on your system if you register as a student developper with the Apple Developper Connection.

Check there: http://developer.apple.com/students/studentfaq.html#403

It worked for me (in France), plus you get access to lots of really interesting technical data with the ADC.

Hope that helps.
PaLaD1

[Reimei]

Thanks everyone. I am definitely going to look into a Powerbook now. The fact that they are quiet is icing on the cake. I can hear my laptop all the time, and since I have to keep it in the room where I sleep, it can get rather annoying.

You have been very helpful. I researched a few websites about Mac myths, but you never really know until you hear it from a user. You have relinguished my doubts.

[emmx]

Kristine,

You can get a 20% rebate on your system if you register as a student developper with the Apple Developper Connection.

Check there: http://developer.apple.com/students/studentfaq.html#403

It worked for me (in France), plus you get access to lots of really interesting technical data with the ADC.

Hope that helps.
PaLaD1

Thanks for the information - much appreciated. In Australia, the discount is 10% discount for an iBook or a PowerBook.

Thanks again
Kristine

[IMAGJE]

Hi all,
I'm using both Windows XP and Mac at work & home, only a few reasons still having us hang on to a mac and even that is nothing that couldn't get solved anyway else (SQL Database management to be precise). Most has been switched to Mac and not regretted (Photoshop, InDesign, Office, Mail, Photo management (iPhoto 04 - a charm!), ...

a very important reason for me which beats a PC anytime is the operating system - as someone else pointed out, "it doesn't do what you don't" hits it right there. Even more important: it does what you (the user, after all the "master" of the machine... or so it should be) want - example: I've had applications quitting and hanging on a PC and even through trying to shoot 'em down with CRTL-ALT-DEL + terminate process / terminate application etc. - this doesn't work all of the time. Compare a mac: experience a program stalling? click on the Apple, end application - DONE. EVERY TIME - this rock-solid operating system is the real sales argument. Adding a SINGLE source (OS + hardware) makes user complaints go straight to Apple. In the Wintel World, this gets blamed on the mainboard version or the graphics card incompatibility or the memory or the blablabla.

rather save a few month more and get a powerbook (or desktop for that matter). I can not really find anything I dislike about this operating system. after all, it's industrial-strenght UNIX under the hood :-)

[ozimax]

I don't think you can get both academic discount AND the $99 iPod deal in Australia. I also think that the iPod deal ends 26th March

Max

[Fukui]

Considering the cost of changing software to Max OS, why should I make the switch?

If you like macs better, and it has the programs you want, thats the only reason you should need right?

[Crikey]

Hi, Max,

That's a very good question you ask. You've got a pretty substantial investment in Windows software. What would justify the expense of switching for you?

To answer your question, I suggest that you visit an Apple dealer and sit down with the iBook (and the PowerBook) and play with them a little. One of the things that motivates many Apple users is the conviction that the experience of using a Mac is more enjoyable than that of using Windows. It's somewhat hard to get the full sense of that just puttering around, because part of what appeals on the Mac is the little time-saving touches built into the OS and applications, but hopefully you'd get the sense of that.

I didn't look at it as "switching" when I bought my Mac ~18 months ago. I still have my PC and all the software I had loaded on it; I thought I'd use it as much as the Mac, since I had Microsoft Office and some other software on it that I didn't feel like buying again on the Mac side. As it turns out, I rarely even turn the PC on any more. For the relatively simple office tasks I do, OpenOffice.org (free) and ThinkFree Office ($10) work fine. I've found free or cheap alternative software on the Mac for everything I do; much of it comes with MacOS X. I use the iLife tools a lot more than I thought I would -- so much that I very gladly paid $49 to get the latest upgrade and play with GarageBand. I was into using free and open source software on the PC (I have a Linux PC too), and lots of it exists on MacOS X as well. The software development environment that you get with MacOS X is really, really cool, if that's your cup of tea.

Anyway, it's a cost-benefit analysis only you can do, and it's hard for you to grasp the benefits when they include such intangibles as "user experience". All I can say is, sit down at Macs and play with them when you get a chance. I think you'll like the elegance and user-friendliness.

The one thing to be aware of is that MacOS X and its applications like lots of RAM, and the display models at dealers typically have about the least they can get away with installed. I think 256MB is the factory allotment for the current iBooks. I personally prefer to have at least 512MB RAM in any of my computers, Mac or PC; in my Mac at home I have 1.5GB because I like to do digital audio and video editing. The Mac you use at the dealer would work better with 512MB or more RAM. Apple charges a lot for factory RAM upgrades; I buy mine at http://www.crucial.com -- not the cheapest, but good quality and reliable RAM.

Good luck,


Crikey

[emmx]

I don't think you can get both academic discount AND the $99 iPod deal in Australia. I also think that the iPod deal ends 26th March

Max

I got the 15" PowerBook (Combo Drive), with a FREE 20 gig iPod as well as a free 256 MB RAM Upgrade (had to pay retail price to get this deal - $3689.00).

Also got free delivery - I am very happy and I am really looking forward to receiving my FIRST MAC! :-)

Cheers
Kristine

[oingoboingo]

Good luck,
Crikey

Indeed. Ozimax bought his new 12" iBook a few days ago. Some good advice though :) This kind of stuff needs to go in a sticky FAQ somewhere for switchers.

[ozimax]

Indeed. Ozimax bought his new 12" iBook a few days ago. Some good advice though :) This kind of stuff needs to go in a sticky FAQ somewhere for switchers.

Took the iBook back to dealer today, he fixed the sticky F1 key in about 9.789 secs, just slightly unaligned (misaligned?) when he was replacing the keyboard after adding extra ram, that's all.

This Apple OSx is quite amazing, the 12" iBook could most probably do with a nitrous/turbo injection as far as speed goes, but I am happy with the cash outlay and the 10% speed reduction is no major deal. As long as I can keep as many apps open as I want without the thing breaking a piston or blowing a head gasket I'll be happy.

There is so much software included out of the box in this thing that I don't quite know where to start - I feel like a mosquito at a nudist picnic!

Max

[encro]

And yes, Safari has a built in pop-up blocker. Unless the ads are embedded in the site, you don't get them. No pop ups. Period.


...to remove embedded ads you can add a Safari .plugin called PithHelmet (http://culater.net/software/PithHelmet/PithHelmet.php) :cool:

[encro]

There is so much software included out of the box in this thing that I don't quite know where to start - I feel like a mosquito at a nudist picnic!
Max

http://www.macupdate.com
http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx
http://www.aquafiles.com/
http://www.macshareware.net/
http://fink.sourceforge.net/
http://darwinports.opendarwin.org/

...should keep you going :)

[ozimax]

http://www.macupdate.com
http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx
http://www.aquafiles.com/
http://www.macshareware.net/
http://fink.sourceforge.net/
http://darwinports.opendarwin.org/

...should keep you going :)

Thanks Encro, a little light reading....

[kaylee]

I got the 15" PowerBook (Combo Drive), with a FREE 20 gig iPod as well as a free 256 MB RAM Upgrade (had to pay retail price to get this deal - $3689.00).

Also got free delivery - I am very happy and I am really looking forward to receiving my FIRST MAC! :-)

Cheers
Kristine

I know this link is a little late now that you have got your powerbook, sorry i didnt see your post sooner, but for anyone else who is interested in the earlier mentioned ipod, AE card and extra ram promo: http://www.apple.com.au/education/promos/havemorefun/ (http://). And yes, you cannot use the 99 dollar ipod deal in conjunction with education pricing ( i think i did mention this earlier, but oh well).

EDIT: looking back at the site for the promos, you wouldn't have saved yourself a lot, seeing you got them to throw in RAM and ipod, and the only thing additional the deal has for the 15in powerbook is the AE card

[bousozoku]

...
This Apple OSx is quite amazing, the 12" iBook could most probably do with a nitrous/turbo injection as far as speed goes, but I am happy with the cash outlay and the 10% speed reduction is no major deal. As long as I can keep as many apps open as I want without the thing breaking a piston or blowing a head gasket I'll be happy.
...
Max

You shouldn't have a problem with it crashing, but from what I've seen, it happens early on and maybe never again. Unfortunately, the only thing you can do to increase speed on that machine is to install a faster hard drive. More RAM would help but you can't add any more.

If you haven't seen this already, after you've installed software, go to the Utilities folder within the Applications folder and run Disk Utility. Click on Macintosh HD in the list of drives and volumes. Click on the First Aid tab and then, the Repair Permissions button. This will make certain that everything is accessible as it should be.

[emmx]

I know this link is a little late now that you have got your powerbook, sorry i didnt see your post sooner, but for anyone else who is interested in the earlier mentioned ipod, AE card and extra ram promo: http://www.apple.com.au/education/promos/havemorefun/ (http://). And yes, you cannot use the 99 dollar ipod deal in conjunction with education pricing ( i think i did mention this earlier, but oh well).

EDIT: looking back at the site for the promos, you wouldn't have saved yourself a lot, seeing you got them to throw in RAM and ipod, and the only thing additional the deal has for the 15in powerbook is the AE card


Kaylee

Thanks for the information - the prices for this promo due not include GST - if you place an order - then by the time the GST is added - it is more expensive (but you get the AE CARD). I got an AE card (DLink's newest one) for a great price (I got it wholesale) and still works out cheaper.

I am so happy to be becoming part of the Mac community (I am only the second person to become a Mac user out of all my friends and collegues)!

Cheers

[kaylee]

Kaylee

Thanks for the information - the prices for this promo due not include GST - if you place an order - then by the time the GST is added - it is more expensive (but you get the AE CARD). I got an AE card (DLink's newest one) for a great price (I got it wholesale) and still works out cheaper.

I am so happy to be becoming part of the Mac community (I am only the second person to become a Mac user out of all my friends and collegues)!

Cheers

actually, as far as i could see when i went through the ordering process (up to the point before you actually buy it), it does include GST in the prices for the promos. the 15in pb deal is 3416.73 excl GST, and 3758.40 incl.

[deriviative]

congrats!!

two words for mac: they work.

like everyone said, it is all about the stability and ease of use of the system, plus all those intelligent and intelligible software and hardware design choices called "user-friendly".

i love os x -- no more little system bombs and crashes, just the occasional kernel panic and a program quitting.

hope you're enjoying the 'book. :)

[kaylee]

Hmmm, I'm not too sure I agree on these 3.

I believe it should be:

Cappuccino ==
1 Shot of Espresso; then the remainder is 50% Steamed Milk and 50% Froth.
(Cocoa dusting: Wierd Australian Tradition, leaning towards Mocha)

Macchiato ==
Long Espresso with unsteamed milk wave on the bottom created by pouring over a teaspoon. Perfect layer seperation, just like creating a cocktail.

Latté ==
1 Shot of Espresso with Frothed milk. Rich Brown crema with 1cm of froth at the top. (I prefer served Warm to help differentiate from a Flat White and it also seems to taste thicker when the milk hasn't achieved anywhere near boiling point.)

P.S. I'm not a Barrister so this is my interpretation only :)

ok, with the 50% milk, 50% froth on the cappuccino- its not how i make it at work, its actually probably closer to 3/4 milk 1/4 froth - especially given that customers will complain if you give them too much froth that they are "only getting half a cup of coffee" (even though the actual coffee is only a 30ml shot, and the point of a cappuccino is the froth i thought). also the cocoa dusting on the cappuccino is never to the same extent of how much you put in a mocha (its a whole spoonful in the mocha compared to a sprinkle from a shaker on the cappuccino). from what i've been told, traditionally a latte is meant to be a warm coffee, but with the way customers are you cant serve it like that - they will complain its not hot enough. we even get customers that complain that 80 degrees celsius (not sure on what that is in farenheit?) is not hot enough for their coffee, even though milk starts to boil and burn at 85, and the coffee will be bitter if we have to make it hotter than that (the milk at that temp burns the shot of coffee). as for macchiatos and affaghatos, we dont make them very often at work (in the year i've been there, its only been a handful of times), and whether they are made on a long black or short black seems to vary depending on where you buy your coffee.

[kaylee]

Apologies to my multitude of American friends, but after living in Riverside CA for 8 months in 2002 and visiting Star-bugs all over USA looking for an authentic coffee, I have yet to find one that rates above about 3-4 on the CQ (caffeine quality) scale. Several times I have leapt the counter to demonstrate to a "trained" Star-bugs employee how to make a proper cup of coffee, rule #1 being DON'T EVER PUT THE ESPRESSO INTO A STEEL JUG AND TRANSFER IT TO A CUP - YOU LOSE THE CREMA, BUFFHEAD!

Gloria Jean, now open in Australia (alongside Krispy Kreme) have taken bottom place in coffee standards, just dreadful.


on the putting the espresso in a steel jug and transfering it - yes it loses the crema, im not arguing that, but the reason they may have to do that is because they serve their coffee in tall paper cups and those may not fit under the handles on the coffee machine. i was also taught at a hospitality course that i did, to put the espresso into a jug and transfer it as a presentation thing - you dont end up with splashes all over the cup. at work however, the espresso goes straight into cups (we dont have time to stuff about with jugs even if we wanted to, plus we dont use paper cups except for takeaways).

and i have to agree that gloria jeans is really bad (and im not just saying that because they are the competition).

[ozimax]

Well said Kaylee, well said. Yes, good coffee (and BTW don't ever buy Australian produced coffee - we just don't have the right climate for Coffee) should only ever be warm, not hot and definitely not boiling.

I demonstrated to a Star-bugs employee one day that all they had to do was put the paper cup on an angle, there's not much coffee in a shot and it won't overflow! They were astounded. It makes you wonder what they teach at hospitality school!

As far as other coffee establishments, McCafe, Coffee Club, etc all terrible coffee. Jamaica Blue is OK, actually Donut King franchises have a very nice blend of coffee.

How to find a good coffee shop? Look for a (not bald) but completely shaven barista in a place filled with uni students - uni students complain about not having money but they would rather spend $3.50 on a good coffee than buy vegies etc...my sentiments exactly.

Best coffee blends? Lavazza and Grinders IMHO. Cheers, Max

[ozimax]

Thanks to all the helpful people at macrumors.

After almost 2 months with my little iBook here are a few observations:

1. Screen is sensational, definitely better than the very good Sony Vaio I sold

2. Applications included are almost too many, great value

3. iTunes application is unreal

4. Photoshop is a little slower than on the PC, even with 640MB ram, but it justs seems to run more smoothly, can't quite explain how.

5. CD buring is absolutely no-brainer-territory, as good as if not better than the excellent XP version (eg drag and drop)

6. I'm still working my way through the differences in the OS interfaces, will just take a little time

7. Just returned home from 3,500 km vacation to southern NSW, kids spent 3-4 hrs each day looking at DVD's in the car, the battery lasts forever.

Conclusion:

Even though I havn't got much work done in last month, (can't say I'm complaining), things are doing very well. Looking forward to some heavy productivity on the Pagemaker front this May with iBook.

Cheers, Max
Coffs Harbour
NSW

[Skeeball236]

del

[matthk]

Actually, "macchiato" means "to stain" (got that one from a chef), hence a short black or espresso is simply stained with a dollop of foam etc to form a macchiato. Max

Well Max, you're a bit right, or a bit wrong,
depending on your outlook.

Macchiato does indeed mean "stain" but it should
never be made with foam! That's what the
half-wits at Starbucks do (and what would they
know about coffee? Feck all!)

A proper macchiato is an espresso, in a glass,
with a tiny dash of cold milk, that never
reaches the bottom.

The milk, poured s-l-o-w-l-y makes a spidery stain
on the top of the coffee, which then settles on top,
giving the black coffee a caramel coloured top.

remember, it means "stain" If you used foam, it doesn't
stain, it just colours. (Maybe you should call you coffee a
"cafe colore!)

cheers,
matt

[varmit]

PC user for last 15 years, started with XT around 1989, have always had pc's, presently running a Sony Vaio, but am seriously considering switching to a G4 iBook. I use mainly pagemaker 6.5, photoshop elements, Finale (music software) and web browsing.

Considering the cost of changing software to Max OS, why should I make the switch?

Max
Brisbane, Australia

The only question is, what will keep you from switching. If you say that you love viruses, spyware, and Windows problems by all means, stay a Windows user. But if you want to be more productive and have more fun working with your computer than having it working against you, and all the programs that want to use have a Mac equavalent, then make the move.

Pagemaker is on the Mac: http://www.adobe.com/products/indesign/pm_ind.html

Photoshop Elements is too: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelmac/main.html

Finale: Use Garageband, free with your new Mac or get Logic www.apple.com/software/pro/logic .

Web: Safari, Mozilla, Foxfire, Camio, even IE if you want to use that old piece of crap.

Now tell me, what is keeping you.

[munkle]

The only question is, what will keep you from switching. If you say that you love viruses, spyware, and Windows problems by all means, stay a Windows user. But if you want to be more productive and have more fun working with your computer than having it working against you, and all the programs that want to use have a Mac equavalent, then make the move.

Pagemaker is on the Mac: http://www.adobe.com/products/indesign/pm_ind.html

Photoshop Elements is too: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelmac/main.html

Finale: Use Garageband, free with your new Mac or get Logic www.apple.com/software/pro/logic .

Web: Safari, Mozilla, Foxfire, Camio, even IE if you want to use that old piece of crap.

Now tell me, what is keeping you.

He made the switch, ooooh about two months ago! Little late on the uptake! Anyway I think the thread is about the intricacies of making the perfect cup of coffee now :p

[ozimax]

Actually I switched about 7 months ago now and very glad that I did, amazing little machine this iBook, especially the AE function, I now have AEBS which works very well for dialup web, have ordered ADSL for next week, will attempt to make wireless network with 2 other PC's in household.

I will eventually dump the PC and get a shiny new G5 iMac for the family, or maybe I should give them the iBook and get a shiny new G5 powerbook when they arrive!

As far as the macchiato goes, I think you're dead right, a little cold milk is the way to go but not many people out there know anything about coffee. Have just returned from a month in New Zealand. They have some wonderful independent coffee establishments with on-site roasting and grinding setups, and excellent coffee, especially Christchurch.

My only gripe - it's getting too exspensive, $3-4 per cup of coffee is way too much, but that's the world we live in, too many people have too much money...

Max

[iGary]

I went into the Apple Store last night with full intent to walk out with a 12" iBook.

1. The display sucks. Period. End of story. Even after playing with the settings I found it very dissapointing. In fact, it was the deal-breaker.

2. Although it only had the base RAM, it was DOG SLOW. Ran an X Bench and fiddled with a couple of apps. I was very dissapointed. Scored a 73. Half of what my 1.25 desktop scores (I know, apples to oranges, but still.)

3. That said, it's a beautfiully put together machine; very well thought out. Perhaps an additional gig of Ram would really make things fly.

4. I'm a proffessional photographer, and really want a utilitarian laptop to check e-mail, surf and download photos onto when I'm on assignments away from home, but even the 14 inch wasn't impressive, and the Powerbooks are just too expensive compared ot what you can buy in a PC.

I'll never buy a PC, but feel like Apple's portable line, especially their displays is sub-par when compared to a lot of the PC's out there. Admitted, none of them run OS X, so I won't be buying one.

My two cents. :D

[Jigglelicious]

I went into the Apple Store last night with full intent to walk out with a 12" iBook.

1. The display sucks. Period. End of story. Even after playing with the settings I found it very dissapointing. In fact, it was the deal-breaker.

2. Although it only had the base RAM, it was DOG SLOW. Ran an X Bench and fiddled with a couple of apps. I was very dissapointed. Scored a 73. Half of what my 1.25 desktop scores (I know, apples to oranges, but still.)

3. That said, it's a beautfiully put together machine; very well thought out. Perhaps an additional gig of Ram would really make things fly.

4. I'm a proffessional photographer, and really want a utilitarian laptop to check e-mail, surf and download photos onto when I'm on assignments away from home, but even the 14 inch wasn't impressive, and the Powerbooks are just too expensive compared ot what you can buy in a PC.

I'll never buy a PC, but feel like Apple's portable line, especially their displays is sub-par when compared to a lot of the PC's out there. Admitted, none of them run OS X, so I won't be buying one.

My two cents. :D


I'm actually pretty confused about the quality of displays in Apple's portables. Whenever I goto the Apple store, i'm completely in awe of the 20+ inch displays. But when I move over to the displays on the ibooks and Powerbooks, they look very very dark and the colors washed out, as if the backlight were half dead. ALL of the portables look like this, so its not one defective unit that i'm looking at. I always walked out of the store thinking that the display on the portables just suck.

Yet, i've seen several photo's online of people comparing their PC laptop to an Apple portable, and the ibook or powerbook's display almost always looks brighter and more colorful than the PC's.

I've only been able to come to one conclusion. I think the reason the displays on the portable's looks so bad in the Apple store has to do with the lighting in the store. The Apple stores have this very bright and harsh white lighting, which possibly makes the displays seem darker than they really are. However, in a "normal" environment, I believe the displays look just fine. This is all just speculation, though.

[ozimax]

I have had many laptops, mainly Toshibas and a very recent Sony Vaoi (read all of this post), this little iBook is better than the lot IMHO, just excellent. And for battery life, it is unbeatable.

Max

[dav]

I think the reason the displays on the portable's looks so bad in the Apple store has to do with the lighting in the store.

Confirmed..

The display is, in fact, very nice in a normal setting.. Not with 2000 wat lights beaming down on it.

[Zaty]

4. I'm a proffessional photographer, and really want a utilitarian laptop to check e-mail, surf and download photos onto when I'm on assignments away from home, but even the 14 inch wasn't impressive, and the Powerbooks are just too expensive compared ot what you can buy in a PC.



I don't entirely agree. You're right when comparing the 15" and 17" PBs to PC laptops. But why not have a lookt at the 12" PB? Again, you can get an equally powerful PC laptop for the same price but almost all PC laptops have 15" screens. There are a handful of 12" and 10" laptops out there in the PC world but those are (usually) more expensive than the 12" PB. Also, most of those PC laptops don't have an enternal optical drive to save weight.

[bdomz]

I'll vouch for apples ultraportable line, they are priced just right. Almost every other laptop manufacture charges more for their smaller laptops and less for the bigger desktop replacement models. I think the 12" ibook screen is decent, It certainly looks better than my 3 year old Thinkpads. Brightness is huge for me and I was hoping the screen would be a bit brighter, it is hard to guage brightness in a well lit store like that though.