I'm desperate, please help me with first Mac

[:-)]

I found this artice how to took apart Mini:

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/First-Look/Mac-Mini-A1283/659/1

I think there are no plastic parts which could brake - correct me if I'm wrong. So I think I won't void warranty.

Which HDD do you recommend? I was looking at this one:

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/laptops/momentus/momentus_7200.4/

Is 7200rpm HDD too noisy or too hot for Mini? Is default HDD in Mini the same as in MBP?

And the most important question how is with programming in Java and C? I need to programm at home and then sometimes run my applications on Windows based PC-s. Are Eclipse or Netbeans platform independent?
For example: I write simple program in Java on my OSX and it works perfect, can I now save this program (in notepad or something like this) and put it on Win PC where it will work with no problems again in Eclipse?

Is GUI the same in Eclipse or Netbeans for Win and OSX platform (because teacher usually say press this button, do this, you can find this here,...) so that all this stuff will be in the same place? If this is true I won't even need to run XP.

I think that Mini would be powerfull enought for me even if it has laptop parts. At the moment I work on my PC with 2,0 Ghz CPU, 2GB of RAM and 250GB HDD with integrated ATI GPU (64MB), I use Vista SP2 and I think it's fast enought for me. I like Mini because it's small, silent and cute and I get wireless keyboard and mice and OFC OSX.

 

[ruku]

have you tried the mighty mouse? in my opinion it's an average to bad mouse. i recommend getting another mouse. by the way i just bought a mini too and i really like it. a mini would have been my first mac too but they didnt support dual monitors at first so i went with a macbook. enjoy your new computer.

 

[snberk103]

I think the Mini will do nicely for you. I can't answer the programming questions for you, but I can perhaps clear up couple of others.

I have a Mini, and though it has now been retired to a media server, I did a lot of reading about them.

1) I have never had to open it up, but from reading reviews I can say that most people agree that the ifixit.com instructions are good. That opening up the Mini does not void the warranty. That replacing the RAM and the HDD does not void the warranty. However if you do need to return the Mini for repairs under warranty you should put back the original HDD and RAM.
2) If you need a bigger HDD, instead of replacing the internal one put a fast external HDD onto the Firewire 800 port. I think, from memory, that the Mini will boot faster from the external FW800 HDD than from the stock internal. This may not be true any longer, so you may want to do some more reading. This at least saves you from opening the Mini just to upgrade the HDD. You can daisy-chain a number of HDDs off the FW, or the USB ports.
3) If opening the Mini scares you, and if they exist in your community, go to an Authorized Apple Service Centre (a store that sells Apple products, and is authorized by Apple, but not owned by Apple) to get the RAM and HDD installed. At least where I live, these stores can buy non-Apple RAM for not much more than I can - and will install it. The RAM comes with its own warranty, and if they break the Mini they will fix it.

Good Luck

 

[:-)]

Yes I know that MM is not so mighty But I found and try this in store:

http://www.digital-life.si/index.php?cPath=79_170

and it's much better with that rubber on it. The same for keyboard.

I would replace HDD to get more speed, space is not an issue for me. At the moment I have 250GB and it's enought. Is it worth to replace with 7200rpm?

 

[:-)]

I was thinking to replace internal HDD with Intel SSD 80GB. That would be enought for sistem and programs. Additional music, movies,... I would put on external FW HDD.

I think that Mini with 2,26 CPU, 4GB RAM, 9400 GPU and 80GB Intel SSD would be about the same speed as entry level iMac and MBP-s. What do you think?

 

[idleboy]

Yes the MacBook is a very good machine.