What would be the cheapest hardware to familiarize myself with the Mac os environment? Also what version of the OS would be a good place to start? I'm not sure what version require what processors and when the app store was introduced ect. If a mac mini is considered I would need a $100 adapter so consider that in price.
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Cheapest way to learn Mac OSX
- Thread starter PurdueBoy
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Go with a Mini it'll come with 10.8.3 Mountain Lion(the newest OS X).....In about a week or two you'll for get about Windoze......
Well, the most recent version of OS X would be the best place to start, however, that requires a new machine, which would not be cheap. Cheaper Macs would be older, and not able to use the newer OS versions!
So your first two criteria are at odds.
You can find the system requirements for each OS version on Wikipedia.
EveryMac is also a good site for learning about what models have what specs, processors, etc, and what OS versions they support.
If you are looking for a very cheap second-hand machine, I would suggest you find a Mac that is 3 to 4 years old. That means it will support the latest OS 10.8 (Mountain Lion), or the previous one 10.7 (Lion) at the least. It will therefore still have a bit of life in it, but be considerably cheaper than a new machine. Have a look online at eBay etc. If you can afford a newer one, then try a newer model.
You need a $100 adaptor? From what to what? For what?
So your first two criteria are at odds.
You can find the system requirements for each OS version on Wikipedia.
EveryMac is also a good site for learning about what models have what specs, processors, etc, and what OS versions they support.
If you are looking for a very cheap second-hand machine, I would suggest you find a Mac that is 3 to 4 years old. That means it will support the latest OS 10.8 (Mountain Lion), or the previous one 10.7 (Lion) at the least. It will therefore still have a bit of life in it, but be considerably cheaper than a new machine. Have a look online at eBay etc. If you can afford a newer one, then try a newer model.
You need a $100 adaptor? From what to what? For what?
That everymac site is pretty cool. I would need an active dual DVI adapter for use with my monitor running 2560x1440 and those seem to go for around 100 bucks for a reliable one.
I believe the Mac Mini would have to be your cheapest venture. The starting price is $599. The cheapest laptop is the Air and it starts at $999.
If you don't mind the bulk and power hungriness you could pick up a fairly capable second hand quad-core Mac pro for less than a Mini on ebay. That would have dual DVI native.
Yeah but a laptop you can carry with you and use all the time. Consider that, especially if you already have a capable non-Mac desktop.
True but there are people on here who have a portable monitor and carry their mini around with them.
I must admit that I converted to OSX years before I got a Mac. I started using Linux in 1998 and loved it. I gazed longingly at Macs until 2005 when I got my first Mac mini. It was a G4 running Tiger. It was so much like Linux I was ecstatic. I decided I didn't need separate Linux boxes lying around any more and I definitely didn't need Windows.
So what I'm saying here is if you want to get some idea of what OSX is like underneath, try running Ubuntu or another Linux distro on an old beater PC. First thing you'll notice is it's stinking fast. Second thing you'll notice is the admin workload that is involved in the Linux way of doing software updates. You'll tire of it pretty quickly but it will tide you over until you can get your hands on a legit Mac.
I would say try hackintosh but I have a friend at the office who tried to build the exact configuration he found on tonymac86 and failed to get it installed. He had hoped to use his hackintosh as an upgrade path from his old iMac. He gave up and installed Windows. The next thing I knew he was no longer a Mac user. I know he is not typical but I would imagine it was pretty frustrating trying to cram a square peg into a round hole. Save up and buy a real Mac and you won't have to put up with any BS. Also try refurb.me for a list of deals in Apple's refurb store. If you live near a Microcenter or Frys, they sometimes have deals on Macs.
So what I'm saying here is if you want to get some idea of what OSX is like underneath, try running Ubuntu or another Linux distro on an old beater PC. First thing you'll notice is it's stinking fast. Second thing you'll notice is the admin workload that is involved in the Linux way of doing software updates. You'll tire of it pretty quickly but it will tide you over until you can get your hands on a legit Mac.
I would say try hackintosh but I have a friend at the office who tried to build the exact configuration he found on tonymac86 and failed to get it installed. He had hoped to use his hackintosh as an upgrade path from his old iMac. He gave up and installed Windows. The next thing I knew he was no longer a Mac user. I know he is not typical but I would imagine it was pretty frustrating trying to cram a square peg into a round hole. Save up and buy a real Mac and you won't have to put up with any BS. Also try refurb.me for a list of deals in Apple's refurb store. If you live near a Microcenter or Frys, they sometimes have deals on Macs.