Some questions before i get the new iMac

NosebagTime said:

When i run windows via bootcamp, does it mean the Mac is then susceptible for all those viruses and stuff?

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The Windows partition is vulnerable, but not the Mac partition, unless you intentionally give Windows access. Windows malware cannot run on Mac OS X.

NosebagTime said:

If so do i need the usual protection just for the windows part?

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Yes, you need malware protection on your Windows installation, just as you would on any Windows computer.

NosebagTime said:

Wireless mouse and keybord looks nice but how often do you change batteries?

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I can't speak for the mouse, but I get 4-6 months of heavy use out of a set of batteries on the Apple Wireless keyboard.

NosebagTime said:

As my wife works alot from home... Anybody done SAP remote accses work on an Mac? Just in general is it possible? Like VPN ?

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If you're referring to running a Windows computer remotely from a Mac, I do this all the time, using TeamViewer, which is free for personal use and works with Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Ubuntu, iPhone, iPad, etc. It's very secure and quite simple to set up and use (no messing around with ports), which comes in handy if providing remote support to those who aren't very computer literate. You can talk them through the setup on their end and be connected to them in less than a minute. I prefer it over LogMeIn because it includes free file transfers between computers, a feature I use frequently.

NosebagTime said:

I heard that late 2011 imacs support up to 32gb of ram, true or false?

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True. You can find specs on all Apple products, including maximum RAM:

• By visiting EveryMac.com: Actual Maximum RAM
• By selecting your model on the Crucial Memory Advisor™ Tool to find RAM information
• By using Mactracker
• By entering your serial number here to find specs for your model.
  (Be aware that some models can use more RAM than Apple shows. Check EveryMac to verify actual usable RAM.)

NosebagTime said:

And if true and if the new model can be pimped up like that too, will it be fast like Warp 11 or would the improvement only be noticeable by some nerds?

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It completely depends on your normal workload. Many users never need more than 8GB of RAM. To determine if you can benefit from more RAM, launch Activity Monitor and click the System Memory tab at the bottom to check your page outs. Page outs are cumulative since your last restart, so the best way to check is to restart your computer and track page outs under your normal workload (the apps, browser pages and documents you normally would have open). If your page outs are significant (say 1GB or more) under normal use, you may benefit from more RAM. If your page outs are zero or very low during normal use, you probably won't see any performance improvement from adding RAM.

Mac OS X: Reading system memory usage in Activity Monitor

NosebagTime said:

When i run windows via bootcamp, does it mean the Mac is then susceptible for all those viruses and stuff? If so do i need the usual protection just for the windows part?

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Yes and yes.

How far away from your head do you need to put an 27' iMac on your desk, so you wont get grilled(or gettin a headache)?

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Everyone is different, but I would imagine around 16-18" or so. Not really different from any other monitor.

Wireless mouse and keybord looks nice but how often do you change batteries?

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They seem to last a long time - my wife's keyboard gets around 4-5 months, the mouse about 3-4 months.

As my wife works alot from home... Anybody done SAP remote accses work on an Mac? Just in general is it possible? Like VPN ?

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VPN works fine in general. Not sure if SAP makes an OS X client.

I heard that late 2011 imacs support up to 32gb of ram, true or false?

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I don't believe so. Current models top out at 8 or 16 Gb.

And if true and if the new model can be pimped up like that too, will it be fast like Warp 11 or would the improvement only be noticeable by some nerds?

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Warp 11 IS only noticeable by some nerds.

Whether you get warp speeds with a new computer depends on what you do. Some software runs better on some hardware. If you were using Adobe Premiere, for example, you might want to check with Adobe to see what graphics cards etc work best with it. Might be fast enough on the iMac for you, might not be.

Rob

NosebagTime said:

Wow, thats fast.... Thank you !
16-18 thats inches right?

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Yes, the " sign here means inches. If you prefer to sit closer, you're welcome to use centimeters.

Distance from computer to user (operator) is "arm length with flat knuckles. Then, +/- 6" - depending on comfort feeling.

Aggree that typical home user of file/print/surfing only needs 8 GBs of RAM. I have total 12 GB of RAM (2x2 Apple + 2x4 of 3rd party) and it works great. At 12 GBs, Swap File size = 0, Page Out = 0 as well. If you think you need 8, then install 12 - since memory is very low cost these days. And, never buy Memory from Apple. Buy 3rd party - at 1/3 the cost...

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NosebagTime said:

Hi all...
One quick question for now... Getting a 3rd party dvd drive instead of the SuperDrive only means i cannot use the eject key on the keyboard right?

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With older Macs we can press option key + eject key to open the tray in external third party dvd writers. With the new iMac I think you can do the same unless Apple changed things