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Switcher - My first Mac has been dispatched!

L

lmedland

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 1, 2003
25
0
England, United Kingdom
Hi,

First off, great forum I love it. I have been searching around finding out all kinds of newbie questions!

Well I have been using Windows since 3.1 and now I have switched! Ordered my Mac through a friend who works at Apple who gave me a nice discount! I have purchased a 12" powerbook so I can take it back and forth to university. It's my final year so I figured I need a computer that "just worked" if you know what I mean!?

I have a couple of questions that I hope you don't mind answering for me.

1.) This sleep function on the powerbook. Is it really as good as I have heard. I mean you put it to sleep and open the lid and its up within a second?? In Windows I would have never dreamed of using the hibernation function, it should be called "coma" cause you could never get it out of sleep!

When the powerbook goes to sleep, what does it keep on, just the fan? Is it safe to put it to sleep, then put in my college bag and then open it later in the day expecting it to be still working? What is the impact on battery life? Would you think it would be better to shutdown to preserve battery life?

2.) Okay I have seen some funky style carry cases for the ibook and powerbook, where can I purchase these online? I am from the UK so it would be preferable to have a UK store.

3.) Okay here is a bit of a UNIX question. I am computer science student and occasionally have to do UNIX system programming using a Linux box. For instance I have recently (not very successfully) created a web server from scratch in C++ using UNIX system calls. Can I do this kinda thing on Mac OS X? If I went to a terminal session and typed emacs would I get the editor up? If I then coded some C++ source code and then ran g++ would it compile?

4.) What's your take on Microsoft Entourage? Any good, is it better than Mail that comes with Mac OS X?

You know I think that's about it....yeah....that's about it.

Thanks for all your help!

Luke

P.S - Can't wait for my powerbook to arrive!
 
Congratulations! :D

1. In sleep mode, it won't even keep on the fan. Most of the 'book users I know rarely shut down their machine at all.

2. Can't help you here.

3. Yes, you can do everything you mentioned (g++, UNIX system calls, emacs) out of the box. You have to install the Mac OS X Developer Tools, though.
Be sure to take a look at Fink:
http://fink.sourceforge.net/

4. Don't give in to the dark side! ;)
Use Apple's Mail. I love it.
 
It´s a addictive piece of equipment. Congrats!!

1. Sleep-mode is great. I never shut down, just close the lid and go. But be carefull if you connect a second display, sometimes my PB gets a bit confused. Start by pressing F7 to get mirror-view, then disconnect the cable and let the screen "reload", give it a few seconds, then close and go.

2. If your into a cool backpack I recommend this one: http://www.boblbee.com It really protects your PB and looks cool! Swedish design btw

4. use mail, you´ll love it.
 
Did you use the word dispatch? You were a Mac user a long time ago, you just didn't know it. :D

As for the PowerBook, I'm jealious. Everyone seems to be getting new computers but me. Oh well, my Quicksilver Dual 1 Ghx suits me just fine.

P-Worm
 
Thanks for the replies! How do you mean about the dispatched thing?

Do you ever have problems with the sleep function eating up battery life?

Thanks again guys!

Luke
 
Originally posted by lmedland
Thanks for the replies! How do you mean about the dispatched thing?

Do you ever have problems with the sleep function eating up battery life?

Thanks again guys!

Luke
Click to expand...

I've been using books since 1999 (started off with lombard 333) and they rock. The sleep function really does work, even better now in osx than it was in 9 (though nine worked wonderfully too)

It never really affected battery life, though if you never plug it in over the course of a week or so, it will "shut down" and you'll have to reboot. BUt it sounds as if you won't go too long without using the mac. :)

And since you won't be leaving it in sleep for a long time, it seems as if you won't notice any loss of battery life.

Bag wise, the brenthaven bag is awesome. I currently have one. I also have a zero halliburton metal hardshell case but i don't think you'd particularly dig that. It's heavy (but it protects the hell out of your book) and a little unwieldy for college use. But my clients love it when i walk in with that case.

I think i'm going to replace the brenthaven with a timbuk2. If only they made a camera bag!
 
Re: Switcher - My first Mac has been dispatched!

Originally posted by lmedland
Hi,

First off, great forum I love it. I have been searching around finding out all kinds of newbie questions!

Well I have been using Windows since 3.1 and now I have switched! Ordered my Mac through a friend who works at Apple who gave me a nice discount! I have purchased a 12" powerbook so I can take it back and forth to university. It's my final year so I figured I need a computer that "just worked" if you know what I mean!?

I have a couple of questions that I hope you don't mind answering for me.

1.) This sleep function on the powerbook. Is it really as good as I have heard. I mean you put it to sleep and open the lid and its up within a second?? In Windows I would have never dreamed of using the hibernation function, it should be called "coma" cause you could never get it out of sleep!

When the powerbook goes to sleep, what does it keep on, just the fan? Is it safe to put it to sleep, then put in my college bag and then open it later in the day expecting it to be still working? What is the impact on battery life? Would you think it would be better to shutdown to preserve battery life?

2.) Okay I have seen some funky style carry cases for the ibook and powerbook, where can I purchase these online? I am from the UK so it would be preferable to have a UK store.

3.) Okay here is a bit of a UNIX question. I am computer science student and occasionally have to do UNIX system programming using a Linux box. For instance I have recently (not very successfully) created a web server from scratch in C++ using UNIX system calls. Can I do this kinda thing on Mac OS X? If I went to a terminal session and typed emacs would I get the editor up? If I then coded some C++ source code and then ran g++ would it compile?

4.) What's your take on Microsoft Entourage? Any good, is it better than Mail that comes with Mac OS X?

You know I think that's about it....yeah....that's about it.

Thanks for all your help!

Luke

P.S - Can't wait for my powerbook to arrive!
Click to expand...

About the bags - give the guys at MacUser in London a call - they sourced some great bags from Europe to give away recently. Call any of the main editorial staff as their really helpful and I'm sure would let you know where to get cool bags in the UK. If you find any others, let me know, as I'm in the UK too.
 
1. Yes, the sleep works really well. Just close the lid, then open it up later and everything will still be running just as you left it :)

When the powerbook goes to sleep, what does it keep on, just the fan?
Click to expand...

Huh? What's a "fan"? :D Seriously though, I've had an iBook for 4 months and I've only heard the fan if I've left it on the bed or somewhere else with bad circulation. Usually the fan doesn't go at all. Not sure about the PowerBook but that's my experience with the iBook.

2. Sorry, can't help.

3. Yes, emacs seems to work. You can compile C++ using Apple's developer tools if you like.

4. Haven't used it, Apple's Mail does everything I need.

You've made the right choice, and I'm sure you'll find your new Mac a joy to use. I switched months ago and still have no regrets. :)
 
Sleep is amazing. Especially in OSX.

Hell, do you remember what sleep was like waking up in OS 9..?

thanks goodness those days are gone!
 
welcome to macrumors

and well done for switching, I switched just over two months ago and it was the best buying decision I've ever made :) I'd definitely say to use mail as well, its just really diddy and very os x. i try and use as little microsoft software as possible, only actually use word from the office for mac suite. i think the best thing about switching with a laptop is you can show it off to more people- having a desktop prevents my friends seeing it so much!

Anne.
 
Hi,

Thanks for the comments guys. I tell ya, I am getting really excited now! I was at work today (work in the IT Department for a large private healthcare company) and just made a mental log of problems I solved today. We run mostly Windows 95 machines and I noticed how many calls I had that I just couldn't explain to the user why it happens other than "its Windows 95, it does that sometimes".

Typical one...

"Why doesn't the computer shutdown properly? It sits there on the Shutting Down Windows screen"?

"Err...it's Windows 95, it does that"


Anyway....my Mac should be here soon!!


Luke
 
Now, now - don't be all against entourage just because it's a microsoft product - it's actually very well done. Though I use apple mail myself, i used entourage for a while before iCal was released - and when iCal almost caused me to miss a meeting, i considered using entourage indefinitely. The alarm is great, and all your email/to-do/calendar/address book is in one place. What really made me quit using it was the release of Jaguar. The built-in address book was cooler in that it was universal for everything. But if you like to have everything together, it definitely takes like 3 or 4 applications out of the dock and rolls it into one. My 2¢
 
Originally posted by leo
You have to install the Mac OS X Developer Tools, though.
Click to expand...

which are included, free, in the box with your new pb. (just so he knows, I know you do leo).
 
The Sleep function is great, can even change the battery while the lid is shut. :cool:

Entourage? Looks like I'm the only one using it here. No complaints. :D but didnt try mail.

Bags? I have a nice one but got it from Japan. But I am from London... :D
 
Originally posted by Alte22a
The Sleep function is great, can even change the battery while the lid is shut. :cool:
Click to expand...

Without it being plugged into the wall? How does that work? Wouldn't the ram lose power?

I know that in sleep mode everything is powered down including the cpu thus no need for a fan. The only thing that still receives power is the ram to hold the contents.
 
Hi,

Well here I am typing on my new Apple Powerbook!

Everything looks wonderful BUT one thing:

My left shift key has broken! I looks like one of the hooks that it uses to snap in has well.....snapped. I don't want to send it back to Apple right away, that would be terrible! It sits there okay and you can use it but sometimes if you catch it slightly it will lift itself off the keyboard! I can push it back on but as you can imagine this is a problem!

Can you take to an Apple Centre to be serviced rather than send it away?

Thanks,

Luke
 
Originally posted by lmedland
Hi,

Well here I am typing on my new Apple Powerbook!

Everything looks wonderful BUT one thing:

My left shift key has broken! I looks like one of the hooks that it uses to snap in has well.....snapped. I don't want to send it back to Apple right away, that would be terrible! It sits there okay and you can use it but sometimes if you catch it slightly it will lift itself off the keyboard! I can push it back on but as you can imagine this is a problem!

Can you take to an Apple Centre to be serviced rather than send it away?

Thanks,

Luke
Click to expand...

You can take it to any Apple authorized reseller to have it repaired. Keyboards are not a big deal and should be able to be repaired on site without a problem.
 
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