I have to buy a Windows Machine...NOOOOO...Opinions wanted. : )

[roebeet]

The "non-Mac head aka Windows Guy" doesn't even know that HP has publicly backtracked from this stance and is sticking with its consumer PC business (and you could say, "but oh they might change their minds again"... just like any other company on any issue ever).

Bootcamp should work. If not, look at any of the major players (HP, Dell, Lenovo, Sony) and see what works best for you price + spec wise and do your research - customer reviews, electronic site reviews, whatever you can find. That will help you avoid as many issues as you can, but everyone has a different experience and every company (including Apple) pushes out the occasional lemon these days and there's nothing you can do about it.

Yeah, actually I would say exactly that. If you're as unfocused as HP has been lately, then I will treat you accordingly. They're becoming like IBM, and I don't mean that in a good way.

Sure, companies re-org and change their direction. But this was a very public accouncement and then they reversed gears later. It was a bad move to handle it the way they did, imo.

Most of the windows machines are very poorly built and would not last for more than 2 years anyway as the whole windows ecosystem tries to survive on cost (instead of quality).

I wonder, why the boot camp will not work or even fusion? When most people run their servers under VM what is the problem in running on Fusion. Just double check... Maybe the people at the school have no clue..Or just try to use it under Fusion / Bootcamp and get a windows machine, only if an absolute must.

With 16GB RAM a lot cheaper, I would get that instead.

Get your wife an MBA unless you want to be the support person for the house

A sweeping generalization, as far as PC hardware is concerned. I've had PC's that have lasted five+ years, easily. I have one from 2005 right now that still in use. I still have a Pentium III system from 2001 that finally got retired as it was just too slow to use with modern OS's and apps. But the hardware still worked fine.

Whether or not Windows 7 / hardware works well isn't really the concern for the OP - it's whether or not it's worth buying just for this class. I've already stated my opinion, which is to just use Bootcamp (as others have also suggested).

 

[shiekh]

Put Windows on your Mackbook Pro, now you have a full fledged Windows machine

 

[Plutonius]

Geez what's the big deal... Windows PCs are really great these days and they are available in numerous shapes, styles, makes, and models. Becoming proficient with Windows 7 (and later) will be a career asset regardless of all this BS about which is better Apple or Microsoft.

Maybe you should read the comments again before you post. Nobody here has made any comparisons between Windows 7 and and OS X. The OP owns an Apple laptop so many people have advised running Windows 7 under bootcamp on the laptop he already owns rather then buying a Windows laptop and having two laptops. People have also been posting their suggestions for a Windows laptop if he decides to go that route. There is no need for you to turn this into a Windows 7 vs OS X argument.