BUYING ADVICE - 512 MB RAM, DVD RW or Office 2004?

[Shaun.P]

I recently received my exam results and my parents are appearently meant to be buying me a gift. There are a few things that I would like:

512 MB PC100 Memory for my computer (currently has 640) Would I notice any difference? ~ £80

A Lacie DVD-RW (£140) - http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore.woa/90901/wo/2J4yyfhVxk703xiRMVrRMdqtfO3/1.4.0.6.10.11.10.1.1?29,44

Can a DVD-RW record data to CD's also?

Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Student &Teacher Edition ~ £116
(Do I have to prove I'm a student to install this software? I'm 17 and at high school/secondary school, I know the licence is only valid if you have a student card, I don't because I'm not at Uni, but I am a student and I think i'm entitled to it.

Which item do you think is best to buy? Or is there any other things that you think are cool that I'd like? I have an iPod, g3 600Mhz snow iMac with a 40gb hdd and 640MB ram.

Thanks in advance.

[Kingsnapped]

Can a DVD-RW record data to CD's also?
Yes.

Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Student &Teacher Edition ~ £116
(Do I have to prove I'm a student to install this software? I'm 17 and at high school/secondary school, I know the licence is only valid if you have a student card, I don't because I'm not at Uni, but I am a student and I think i'm entitled to it.
I think you'll be safe. I know plenty of people who got it in High School.

As for what to get.. it depends on what you think you could get the most use of. Remember to say thank you to the 'rents.

[LeeTom]

You have plenty of RAM, so I'd go for the DVD-RW. Then burn yourself a copy of someone else's Office! HAHA, just kidding. I would go with the drive though.

Lee Tom

[jxyama]

i'd go DVD-R, RAM then Office.

[Shaun.P]

LOL! I don't know anyone who has office for mac I have AppleWorks - I know it's old etc but I do basic word processing. I'd download Office 2004 from p2p, but the thing is, the program prob sends your data to Microsoft and they'll know I have used it illegally...

[jsw]

You are absolutely, positively entitled to the Student/Teacher Edition of Office. If you go to Microsoft's site, you'll see. I'd post the link for you, but I'm currently connected via a shaky Bluetooth phone connection, and don't have the bandwidth or connection time to do a decent search for it. But, months ago, I posted the link for someone else, so I know it's there. Remember that it's Microsoft's Student policy, not Apple Educational Discount in effect here.

[jsw]

i'd go DVD-R, RAM then Office.
I second that - depending on your need for Office. Appleworks is barely adequate, although there are rumors of it being upgraded. Office is a great deal at the price. But, if you don't need it, you don't need it. And don't go and do something stupid like get it via P2P.

[Shaun.P]

It should be the governments resonsibility!!! They should be making sure that software is freely avaiable for people such as students!

[Horrortaxi]

LOL! I don't know anyone who has office for mac I have AppleWorks - I know it's old etc but I do basic word processing.
So it meets your needs. Great. And you have enough RAM so your list should look like: DVD burner, something else, something else, etc. Do you need any software? Final Cut, plugins for iMovie, .Mac?

[jxyama]

It should be the governments resonsibility!!! They should be making sure that software is freely avaiable for people such as students!

gov't can't even ensure that people have adaquate housing and food - i think providing software for students is the least of the concerns.

[Shaun.P]

I'm just really an average user. I don't use iMovie/Final Cut as I don't have (or would have much use for) a digital camcorder. No use for .Mac.

[mikeyredk]

what about open office?

[sgarringer]

what about open office?

wow, best laugh I've had all day!

you, sir, make me laugh

[rinseout]

My advice is "none of the above", not least because it seems like you don't really need anything on the list. So, my advice is to ask for the cash-equivalent of your gift and take your girl/boyfriend out for a day in London. If that isn't really a possibility, then get your parents to buy you weekend-long trip to Paris or Hamburg to unwind.