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Anyone use their 12" ibook/pbook as their main computer?

MUCKYFINGERS

MUCKYFINGERS

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 7, 2005
769
15
CA
I'm going to be moving out for college next year (2nd year college student now), and I'm wondering if anyone uses their 12" ibook/pbook as their main computer? And also, does the screen size matter?
 
MUCKYFINGERS said:
I'm going to be moving out for college next year (2nd year college student now), and I'm wondering if anyone uses their 12" ibook/pbook as their main computer? And also, does the screen size matter?
Click to expand...

I have a 14-inch iBook, but it's the same pixel dimensions as the 12-incher, and the screen is fine for me. I suppose it depends on what you're doing. It's a little cramped for photoshop, but more than adequate for MS Word, excel, iTunes, Safari, etc.
 
I do (iBook G4 12"). The screen size rarely matters to me, although there's some funny business with MS Word and Excel where their 100% views are hard to read on Macs at 1024x768, but are legible in Windows at the same resolution.... :rolleyes:

I have always preferred compact laptops, and I like having a lot of files -- e-mail, documents, etc, available, but in any event, I've found myself bringing my notebook to school and using it instead of the computer in my office, on which I would run at least 1280x1024, if not higher....

But if you're used to sprawling out with a lot more screen real-estate, it'll be a bit tougher....
 
I used a 12-inch G3 iBook as my main computer for 2.5 years. I only got rid of it because it didn't handle newer versions of photoshop very well. 12-inches was fine for me. Having said that, my new computer is a 15-inch powerbook.

Does size matter? That's a question for the ages. :p
 
MUCKYFINGERS said:
I'm going to be moving out for college next year (2nd year college student now), and I'm wondering if anyone uses their 12" ibook/pbook as their main computer? And also, does the screen size matter?
Click to expand...

I replaced my desktop PC with a 12" iBook. IMO is works fine, though when I use it at the desk I've gotten in the habit of plugging in an external monitor and keyboard/mouse just to make things easier.

On the move, it's a great little thing - no issues at all with the small screen.
It might be small, but it's big enough. :)
 
I have a 12" iBook as my main computer. I transitioned from an eMac last month and I thought that I would miss the bigger screen--I don't. However, I only use word, mail, and safari. I don't do work that requires multiple windows or palettes to be open.

Deryk
 
I use my PB as my main computer, pretty much. It shares equal time with my PC, hooked up via a KVM. I did use it on it's own for a time, but I've always used an external LCD.

In college, I used my 12" iBook as my primary computer, and had no issues. Gives you tons of desk space, which is always good to have (especially if you've got a lot of pencil and paper work to do).
 
I bought a 12" iBook G4 last August for my first semester of college and it's been great. The screen size doesn't matter to me, and it's the ultimate in portability.
 
I've been using a 12" iBook for 3 years now, my only computer. Now, I use it everyday at work, doing website design, word processing, color brochures, etc. Lot's of computer work, but it is also my personal computer. Now, it is fast enough, though a little more speed would be nice, or maybe just ram. But, the screen is way too small for what I'm doing. It's hard when you can only see one thing at once. But for most tasks like web surfing, etc, it's perfect!

But, for my first year in college, I'm considering a 15" P'Book for next year...

See this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/137891/

(Had a problem w/hyperlink... linked to Microsoft.com??)
 
i used my g3 600 ibook for 8 months as my main (only) system. It was fine, but slow. I got the Digital Audio G4 until I could replace the ibook with a faster G4 powerbook.
 
I used one as my main system *with* a monitor. That worked fine. I don't know that I could manage all the time on 1024x768 resolution. It's fine when you're trying to be portable, but a little cramped in general.
 
tsk said:
I don't know that I could manage all the time on 1024x768 resolution.
Click to expand...

I'm using my 12" PB as my main computer. I've a cute little tool called "Desktop Manager" that allows you to switch between several workspaces, e.g., one for surfing, one for email (this makes switching between applications much more convenient than Expose - which, of course, you can use in combination with Desktop Manager). Just make sure you get version 0.5.3, and not 0.5.2RC1 from the Apple Homepage.. one of my friends hat problems with the latter version.
 
i use my 12" as my main computer, cept that it is dying a horrible slow death right now (harddrive is grinding at times) and i am buying a 15" PB just for photoshop stuff, and replacing the HD on the 12" to keep it as a music server
 
i use a 14" ibook (which is fine for me, the 12" is too small) ideally i'd like the 15" powerbook with an external monitor
my gf uses the 12" ibook as her main computer
it depends upon what you're going to be doing and what you're comfortable with if the 12" screen will be big enough for you
 
I use my 12inch ibook as my main cpu but it's a little too small really. i love being able to throw it anywhere and use it anywhere, but the screen is pretty small and when i do real work it can be a hassle.
 
For almost 2 years, up to March, I used an iBook G3 900 MHz as my main computer. I had no problems, and actually grew quite fond of the machine for outmatching my expectations so often. I eventually sold it and, due to the fact that I always use the laptop attached to a LCD, mouse and keyboard, and barely ever actually used it as a laptop, I went and bought the Mac mini I have now. I'm not as fond of it as I was of the iBook, but it's still an awesome machine. :)
 
Yup, I also use a 12" iBook as my primary computer. I'm far-sighted anyway (which I'm sure the smaller screen doesn't help), but the screen size is not a problem for me.

Edit: Errr, make that NEAR-sighted... :rolleyes:
 
I've used a 12" iBook G4@800 as my main (and really only) computer since Nov 2003. It then replaced a 14" PowerBook G3@400 (Pismo), which had served as main computer since Feb 2000. The Pismo is still in use as my girlfriends main computer (since the screen on her Pismo broke).

So it's slow sometimes, and I would kill for a bigger HD (or the ability to replace it without tearing the whole iBook apart), but all in all I'm very happy with my little workhorse. :)
 
I have a 12" PowerBook as my main computer. When back at my studio it's plugged into a 17" 16.7 M Colour LCD monitor.
 
Well, I use my 15' Rev. C Powerbook as my main computer, and now that it has Tiger I'm quite happy.

I didn't realise Tiger was so nippy! :D
 
weg said:
I'm using my 12" PB as my main computer. I've a cute little tool called "Desktop Manager" that allows you to switch between several workspaces, e.g., one for surfing, one for email (this makes switching between applications much more convenient than Expose - which, of course, you can use in combination with Desktop Manager). Just make sure you get version 0.5.3, and not 0.5.2RC1 from the Apple Homepage.. one of my friends hat problems with the latter version.
Click to expand...

Those are fine and all. The problem I had was when you use a program with toolbars and things. I found I tended not to have enough space to put the toolbar somewhere and still use the main window.
 
i currently use my 12"PB as my primary (well only computer) and before that i used a 12" iBook. i love the 12" size. especially for college. its perfectly portable and all the girls say "wow that is small!!" (which is a good thing for them to say about your computer . . .but thats the only time you want to hear girls say that!!! lol) but, when i am at my apt i do have the PB hooked up to a 20" dell monitor. which is just fun to wathc movies on, or surf like 5 websites at once. or like i am doing now, it is good for working on large school projects. yes summer school is no fun. but even before my dell monitor i used just the 12" screen and it was fine. just get a girl over to your place and try watching a movie on the 12" screen. its cozy!! and thats good! heh. and as another note for college. the PB is pretty beer resistant. ive deffinitly saved my PB from a few beer spills! the key is to set the back on something, i use a carabiner. this helps raise the back a little to cool off the computer as well as protect from beer spills! lol, do i really want to finish college? or should i just keep having a good time with it/!?!?!?!?
 
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