$499 Headless iMac?

[Spidermanjohn]

But all of our peecee's eventually slow down due to all the crap

Have a PB 1.25 myself - and could not be more happy with it: best computer I ever had!

That said; there is a profound difference in the way the GUI reacts in OS X and XP - I actually like it (most of the time), but I get the point that some people would feel the Mac as sluggish...

Here's a little funny trick to see how Quartz graphics loads your CPU just like that:
Open Activity Monitor, and let it show the CPU loads.

Then mark lets say 10 folders and open them simultanously - keep an eye on the monitor.

Do the same with just running the mousepointer across the dock with the magnifyer effect turned on... or just grab a window and shake it vigorously. Some flash animations on a webpage in the background also does a bit of damage...

It is actually devastating to the CPU! Doesn't take much to say that things might pile up a bit with some of this constantly in action.

But; it is not like the computer is anything near unusable or slower than XP - its just that they are different. Some people might not think more to it though...

OK, so what if a window opens faster, it’s still no as pretty Who really notices these things? I run a TV station and I can tell you that the XP and 2000 systems fail far more than our Macs do. The Windows systems start to sllloooooowwwww d—o—www—nnn much quicker than the X systems. Our IT department is troubleshooting PC issues a lot more than any Mac issues. On average, I must rebuild or repair the PC’s every six months to keep them spunky.

Believe me when I say we have equal parts PC to Mac and my staff all migrate to the Mac systems for stability and reliability. We have run test between our best XP systems and our Mac 2.5’s; on the surface, the Macs are better for our purpose.

If you start watching CPU load when you launch a window, I think you have uncovered the reason the Mac windows are beautiful. I'll sacrifice a little CPU load on launch for beauty, but does it make a any real difference how this window performs once open?

Our PC systems run our insertion, robotics, traffic, and encode video for streaming over the WWW. My staff installs just the necessary software and nothing else. When we started loading the same amount of software we do one the OS X systems, the PC’s started to slow down, and just try running virus protection with robotics, or video editing software, it does not work!


This from a former PC zealot. Let the bashing begin

 

[iKwick7]

I saw them in the TigerDirect outlet store last month, and am considering one as a case for a 64-bit gaming PC. They are adorable compared to most barebones PC kits.

They are adorable. So cute. Mine sits on my desk and takes up like no room. Anyone thats every seen mine is like "what the hell is that little thing." Has enough room for 2 hard drives, my dvd burner, agp and pci card, etc. Everything I need, with good looks. I will never go back to a tower again.

 

[Rootman]

I sat here and debated back and forth with B-Gates about how much better OS X is and everyone COMPLETELY ignored it. But as soon as I said Windows Explorer is more responsive, I got jumped by the whole damn Mac Nation.

Crazy.

Sorry, I'm just bleary from 900 posts, and it all started so nice 'til about post #700 when it went down the inevitable platform wars drain. Time to burn this sucka down. I want my life back. No matter what, it's going to come down to what are the real specs, which we can't possibly know.

 

[Xtremehkr]

If you don't like Apple why come and foul up the boards with this crap?

Whether you like it or not, Apple is getting hot again. Beyond the excellent product line and products coming, the share price has more than tripled since I have been following it.

That and you are really underestimating the problem of virii and spyware.

Link

Beware of CoolWebSearch, a program that can change Microsoft Internet Explorer's security settings and wreak havoc on computers.

Anti-spyware company Webroot Software said Tuesday that CoolWebSearch self-installs malicious HTML applications and exploits security flaws in IE.

"This has vexed all of us," said Nick Lewis, managing director of Boulder, Colo.-based Webroot. "For consumers, CoolWebSearch is probably one of the most vicious programs in terms of how nasty it is. It completely hijacks the browser so you can't do anything."


CoolWebSearch is the most dangerous program on Webroot's latest list of the 10 worst spyware and adware threats. Webroot's list of top 10 threats also includes:

•* PurityScan, a program that displays pop-up ads and claims that it can delete pornographic images on the person's computer.

•* Transponder (vx2), an Internet Explorer "browser helper object" that monitors Web browsing and sends relevant advertisements.

•* KeenValue, an adware program that collects personal information and sends advertisements to computer users.

•* Perfect Keylogger, a monitoring tool that records Web sites visited, keystrokes and mouse clicks. It logs passwords, account numbers and other sensitive information.

"The people who write this stuff are gaining sophistication in their coding practices, as they attempt to evade detection and removal," said Richard Stiennon, Webroot's vice president of threat research. "These 10 are the most insidious programs in terms of prevalence and effect."

Never had to do deal with this, have any other Mac users?

Link

GAITHERSBURG, Md.--A U.S. Justice Department prosecutor warned Tuesday that a new spam law's criminal sanctions likely will not stem the flow of bulk solicitations that are flooding into e-mail in-boxes.

Criminal laws "haven't done much to deter virus writers and hackers," said Anthony Teelucksingh, an attorney in the Justice Department's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.


Speaking at a one-day workshop convened here by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Teelucksingh said the government is "very interested" in prosecuting criminal spammers but also attempted to downplay expectations. "I don't think that criminal prosecutions, even that many of them, will put that big a dent" in spam, he said.

You mean I could save $50 by buying a Dell and would only have to deal with this and Windows?

Are you being watched online?

And's let not even begin to disucss with Longtooth may appear. We may be at OSXV by then.

 

[~Shard~]

I would have to disagree with that. I have a shuttle as my primary desktop and it is absolutely wonderful. From what I understand, the company is selling those systems like hot cakes.

How can you disagree with a question? Thanks for coming out...

 

[SiliconAddict]

OK, so what if a window opens faster, it’s still no as pretty Who really notices these things? I run a TV station and I can tell you that the XP and 2000 systems fail far more than our Macs do. The Windows systems start to sllloooooowwwww d—o—www—nnn much quicker than the X systems. Our IT department is troubleshooting PC issues a lot more than any Mac issues. On average, I must rebuild or repair the PC’s every six months to keep them spunky.

Not to put too fine a point on it but your IT folks are incompetent if they have to redo your nt boxes every 6 months. Either that or they are actively looking for things to do. I would suggest that your nt boxes aren’t properly setup if you have that many issues.
I run an office with 160+/- Windows 2000 boxes. The oldest systems are about 2.5 years old and all 60 of them are running as fast as the day we deployed them. Actually faster since we upgrade from 128MB of RAM to 384MB. The ONLY time now a days when I have to redo a system is when it’s been inundated with ad/spyware or have some physical flaw such as a crashed hard drive. Otherwise nothing. It’s so slow around here I’m pretty sure they are going to cut this office’s IT staff down to one person.

 

[Rootman]

They are adorable. So cute. Mine sits on my desk and takes up like no room. Anyone thats every seen mine is like "what the hell is that little thing." Has enough room for 2 hard drives, my dvd burner, agp and pci card, etc. Everything I need, with good looks. I will never go back to a tower again.

Yeah, now I'm thinking a PC Shuttle barebones with Linux instead of the headless Mac. What kind of box could I put together for $499 if I already have extra drives that I can pull out of my RAID? I want my windows to pop open faster than OSX, or I'll feel like a loser.

 

[~Shard~]

I saw them in the TigerDirect outlet store last month, and am considering one as a case for a 64-bit gaming PC. They are adorable compared to most barebones PC kits.

Cool, good to hear they're still around...

 

[SiliconAddict]

If you don't like Apple why come and foul up the boards with this crap?

Whether you like it or not, Apple is getting hot again. Beyond the excellent product line and products coming, the share price has more than tripled since I have been following it.

That and you are really underestimating the problem of virii and spyware.

Link



Never had to do deal with this, have any other Mac users?

Neither does a Windows user who uses FireFox. As long as you don't use IE ad/spyware isn't an issue.

 

[Rootman]

I run an office with 160+/- Windows 2000 boxes. The oldest systems are about 2.5 years old and all 60 of them are running as fast as the day we deployed them. Actually faster since we upgrade from 128MB of RAM to 384MB. The ONLY time now a days when I have to redo a system is when it’s been inundated with ad/spyware or have some physical flaw such as a crashed hard drive. Otherwise nothing. It’s so slow around here I’m pretty sure they are going to cut this office’s IT staff down to one person.

We have 80 Windows boxes, 12 Macs, and three IT people who never stop running. We have a company-wide 90-minute virus scan every day at noon that does nothing except make my Dell worthless for an hour-and-a-half cause Norton says I have 200 viruses on my Dell that it just logs and doesn't clear up. If you want to keep your job, just be incompetent like the IT staff in my place. Their support for the 12 Macs? Almost zero (except for Outlook issues).

 

[Xtremehkr]

Neither does a Windows user who uses FireFox. As long as you don't use IE ad/spyware isn't an issue.

The lucky 5% eh. Well, it would have been nice. Firefox can't save windows.

 

[macrobay]

Neither does a Windows user who uses FireFox. As long as you don't use IE ad/spyware isn't an issue.

Haha...no no no... the problem isn't just adware and IE... it's much deeper than that.

There's a little thing called Windows Explorer...which is IE software used as the desktop/finder (I'm sure you're aware). Because Microsoft decided to go Commie with their monopoly and make IE and Explorer integrated (therefore unable to be removed without problems), Explorer is the real problem. Even without IE, I still get pop ups as long as I'm connected to the internet, because when a window in Explorer is open on the desktop, you are essentially on an internet network. Pop-ups galore.

So even with FireFox, Windows is still insanely difficult to manage without dropping money on removal software.

 

[Rootman]

Neither does a Windows user who uses FireFox. As long as you don't use IE ad/spyware isn't an issue.

I switched from IE to Firefox on my PC at work last week and it is a rocket! Has the Google thing like Safari and does smart management of pop-ups. Much better than Netscape, too. Imported all my favorites and passwords. Now I need a Windows client for Exchange that, well, isn't Outlook.

BTW Is this a Windows forum?

 

[macrobay]

We have 80 Windows boxes, 12 Macs, and three IT people who never stop running. We have a company-wide 90-minute virus scan every day at noon that does nothing except make my Dell worthless for an hour-and-a-half cause Norton says I have 200 viruses on my Dell that it just logs and doesn't clear up. If you want to keep your job, just be incompetent like the IT staff in my place. Their support for the 12 Macs? Almost zero (except for Outlook issues).

Well the only real way to free your Dell of virii is to drop it off a highrise apartment building, or something of the sort.

 

[macrobay]

I switched from IE to Firefox on my PC at work last week and it is a rocket! Has the Google thing like Safari and does smart management of pop-ups. Much better than Netscape, too. Imported all my favorites and passwords. Now I need a Windows client for Exchange that, well, isn't Outlook.

BTW Is this a Windows forum?

Yea, I wonder where FireFox got it's design from...hmmm..........

 

[habibbijan]

Neither does a Windows user who uses FireFox. As long as you don't use IE ad/spyware isn't an issue.

Right. And neither do any Linux users, even though most of them use (gasp) "Peecees" (a derogatory term that I despise). I get the feeling that a large majority of Mac users do not comprehend that one can own a PC that has absolutely nothing to do with Windows or Intel, which is also why I despise the term "Wintel."

Back on topic, I like the prospect of this headless iMac, and would consider purchasing one. It's a nice move by Apple.

 

[BillHarrison]

Come on guys, this thread has really gone downhill, and is completely off topic. This is about a $499 entry level mac for the masses, lets discuss that, not how well your IT department keeps up your office!

Blech

 

[Sir_Giggles]

i seem to have lost my way

hmm.. I think I must be lost. I was looking for the headless iMac thread.

 

[Rootman]

Haha...no no no... the problem isn't just adware and IE... it's much deeper than that.

There's a little thing called Windows Explorer...which is IE software used as the desktop/finder (I'm sure you're aware). Because Microsoft decided to go Commie with their monopoly and make IE and Explorer integrated (therefore unable to be removed without problems), Explorer is the real problem. Even without IE, I still get pop ups as long as I'm connected to the internet, because when a window in Explorer is open on the desktop, you are essentially on an internet network.

I'm as anti Windows as you can be, but you are wrong about this. This is just an urban legend. Windows Explorer is not IE software. If you're getting pop-ups on your desktop with IE off, you need a priest.

 

[macrobay]

i said it before, but to get back on topic, i'll say it again...

i think it should be called, simply: macintosh

it would be perfect...simple, elegant, and nostalgic. As long as the case matches the beauty of the proposed name, of course.

 

[macrobay]

I'm as anti Windows as you can be, but you are wrong about this. This is just an urban legend. Windows Explorer is not IE software. If you're getting pop-ups on your desktop with IE off, you need a priest.

Then explain why one can open the My Computer window, type a dot-com into the location bar, and surf the web. It's integrated with IE...the same friggin' thing.

 

[Spidermanjohn]

Not to put too fine a point on it but your IT folks are incompliant if they have to redo your nt boxes every 6 months. Either that or they are actively looking for things to do. I would suggest that your nt boxes aren’t properly setup if you have that many issues.
I run an office with 160+/- Windows 2000 boxes. The oldest systems are about 2.5 years old and all 60 of them are running as fast as the day we deployed them. Actually faster since we upgrade from 128MB of RAM to 384MB. The ONLY time now a days when I have to redo a system is when it’s been inundated with ad/spyware or have some physical flaw such as a crashed hard drive. Otherwise nothing. It’s so slow around here I’m pretty sure they are going to cut this office’s IT staff down to one person.

SiliconAddict do you do any video work? Robotics? You did not mention what your 2000 machine do all day. Makes a big difference.

 

[h00ligan]

This could turn out to be a bird with two heads, or
should I say, two sets of wings, after all - both a
headless iMac and/or an entertainment hub for
TV, DVD, MP3, TiVO, etc. Surely looks promising...

good point.. remember the set top box from like a year ago that never came to fruition..

et voila. - i doubt it will get dvi out though.. or have svideo (if they are smart it will have svideo and be READY to go as a set top box.

 

[h00ligan]

SiliconAddict do you do any video work? Robotics? You did not mention what your 2000 machine do all day. Makes a big difference.

userbase also matters.. and as far i think you also meant incompetant.. not incompliant.. which makes me wonder how old you are / the validity of your claims.

aside form that if you have a deployment solution, it doesn't really matter if you redo them frequently.

 

[Xtremehkr]

Apart from deciding on a name though, what is left to be said?

Though I am still pretty curious about what the size will be. It would be cool if it were tiny.

Maybe it will look like a JBL Creature speaker with a built in iPod slot/dock thingy.