Advice needed for a programmer

[truthseekr]

I am a programmer who has worked on Linux/Windows machines for most of my career. I've been looking for a laptop and most of my friends have referred me to get a 15" Macbook Pro. You get Unix and a Mac in one. I can also learn some iPhone development.

I code mostly in Java/Web/Ruby and am trying to get some work done in Flash/Flex.
Is a 15" MBP the right choice or is Macbook good enough for me?

However, the price point is pretty steep for me.
I looked hard on craigslist to find a deal but the kind of sellers I found were err, mostly the questionable kind.

Is there a trick to verifying if a Macbook Pro is not stolen/fake on craigsList?

In order to save myself from losing faith in the human kind, I am leaning towards buying directly from Apple.

I have been eying refurbished MBPs on Apple Store for a while and I am hoping the WWDC will get me a MBP either refurbished or in clearance.

I've never owned a Mac, why do I need the sleeves/casings everyone seems to mention?

Thanks for all your advice.

 

[RoninXI]

Is a 15" MBP the right choice or is Macbook good enough for me?
>> I would have to say yes.

However, the price point is pretty steep for me.
>> Macs (even used ones) are not really cheap. All the Mac users I know use them til it dies and reselling tends to be high(with exceptions of course.)

I looked hard on craigslist to find a deal but the kind of sellers I found were err, mostly the questionable kind.
>> Again with the not cheap if it is insanely cheap it is probably not really what they say, stolen/fake/"totaled" and repaired by owner.

I have been eying refurbished MBPs on Apple Store for a while and I am hoping the WWDC will get me a MBP either refurbished or in clearance.
>> If you can wait do it, I got a referb MP and love it I had more issues with my brand new G5 than my current Intel.

I've never owned a Mac, why do I need the sleeves/casings everyone seems to mention?
>> You don't really they just like covering it from scratches and short falls, which normally won't help.

 

[jodelli]

This is just me, but unless you need Apple's SDK or want to work in Objective C you don't really require a Mac. Of course that's a big unless, as iPhone apps have taken off.

Check down in Programmers maybe.

 

[uberamd]

Well as far as Craigslist goes, you meet up with the person. So go to a public place and inspect it yourself. You then have the machine in front of you, and can call Apple to check warranty status on the serial, etc. Heck you could even bring diagnostic software to check it if you wanted. With Craigslist, the buyer has every opportunity to back out after seeing the item, unlike ebay.

And for programming, the MBP is what I use and it works great. The MB (with its updated video) would probably work great, but its hard to say for sure.

 

[Sebbonny]

I just bought a MBP and I have to say it's working brilliantly.

I'm a Flex-programmer and I must say everything is working fluently!
Previously, I owned a regular MB, and I think de 2" extra really counts as well.

 

[portent]

Unless you desperately need either a 15" display built in (you can always use an external monitor when at a desk) or a graphics card with dedicated memory (eg. if you're a 3D game developer) then I'd think that an ordinary white MacBook would be a decent development system.