My Plan for the Future + Some Questions

[Tumeg101]

A few weeks ago I finally decided to buy a mac, after using PC's my whole life.
After a few days\weeks of debating between the MacBook 2.16ghz(Mid-End), and the MacBook Pro 2.2ghz (Low End), I finally made my decision!
I am going to wait until refurbished MacBook Pro's start to sell, with Leopard and iLife '07 on them, then I will buy my Refurbished MacBook Pro, 2.2ghz, 120gb HD, 2gb Ram (Unless they update any of this between now and then)

I would like to know if I made the right decision (even though I have a few months to make it final)
With the MacBook Pro I will run Windows XP Pro (My dad can get all Window's OS' for free) I will be using BootCamp\Windows for: Counter Strike, Guild Wars, Jasc Paint Shop Pro 8, and for Microsoft Office(School). And on the Mac side, I will be using: Safari, iLife to the MAX, iTunes ALOT, and I will be ripping allot of DVD's onto my MBP, along with burning lots of DVD's (I will be making allot of movies and sideshows).

I am just posting this to get my thoughts straightened out, and to see if I made the right decision, this Pro will be replacing my desktop, and will be my first mac.
So yeah, everything I am going to buy will be refurbished, I don't see the point in buying brand new, except to spend more

I also have a few questions:
1) If i get an external HD, and if I put all my movies, pictures, and music on it, will I still be able to watch my movies and listen to my music in iTunes?? (I would not have any copys of the music\movies on the MBP HD, only on the extrernal HD)
2) Would it be possible to move all my pictures, and music over from my old PC, to my soon to be new MBP, using a USB flash drive?? or will I have to do it the way apple.com shows, (I have no problems with that, but I would rather use a flash drive)

 

[iToaster]

You'll love the MBP and OS X, I doubt you'll want to use bootcamp after you get to know it. The Pro makes a nice desktop replacement, with nice portability as well (minus the 17" monster). You can put an iTunes library on an external HD, it's best to do it through iTunes though. You can use a flash drive to move all your old stuff over as well. Refurbs are cost effective, but I couldn't wait for mine to show up there., but it's a nice place for that ACD I'll pick up later.

 

[Tumeg101]

You'll love the MBP and OS X, I doubt you'll want to use bootcamp after you get to know it. The Pro makes a nice desktop replacement, with nice portability as well (minus the 17" monster). You can put an iTunes library on an external HD, it's best to do it through iTunes though. You can use a flash drive to move all your old stuff over as well. Refurbs are cost effective, but I couldn't wait for mine to show up there., but it's a nice place for that ACD I'll pick up later.

main reason I am planning to use bootcamp, is for games, that 1) you can't get for mac, and 2) I already have them, so why re-buy for mac...
and for paint shop and Microsoft office, but those 2 things I prob will find a substitute for them both to work on a mac (for, like... free, lol)

 

[Tumeg101]

I just noticed that they had education discounts for home schoolers (me)
So with that, a brand new MBP that I want, is $1,799 + $144 tax new + Free Printer (if this is still going on when I buy)
So should I buy it new for that price, or buy refurb for $1,699 + $136 tax, with no free printer...
If I get new, I can probably buy it sooner (if I wait for refurbs with leopard and iLife '07, could be a while) and if I get it new, and if the printer deal is still going on, I can sell the printer on eBay for $75-$100 for it to basically be the same price as refurb... and if i get it new, I can get it sooner because I can go to the store and buy it, unlike if I get refurb...
and keep in mind that I have no job, I am 14 (will try to get a job next summer (will be 15)) I only have the amount of money that is in my sig, my dad will loan me money, and I will be getting $200-$400 for Christmas\B-Day (Dec for Christmas, Jan for Birthday) I would like to avoid loaning too much from my dad, because it also turns into a hassle, but no matter what I most likely will have too...

 

[maverick808]

...and for paint shop and Microsoft office, but those 2 things I prob will find a substitute for them both to work on a mac (for, like... free, lol)

There are Mac versions of both Office and Photoshop. However, you probably know this already and aren't mentioning them because you'd need to buy them again, which would be quite expensive.

 

[tristan]

Sounds like a good plan. The external HD sounds like a headache with a notebook. You'll always be connecting and disconnecting it. How about a wireless solution? Hook a USB hard drive up to an airport extreme.

 

[emptyCup]

If i get an external HD, and if I put all my movies, pictures, and music on it, will I still be able to watch my movies and listen to my music in iTunes?? (I would not have any copys of the music\movies on the MBP HD, only on the extrernal HD)

You will as long as the external is connected, which may defeat the purpose of having a laptop. You can have more than one library, however.

I suggest looking around for the Mac equivalent of some of the programs you name. There are no equivalents to many games. The Mac equivalent of Office is Office (get the student version). Best wishes.