For a PC I would say an IBM Thinkpad. My wife has one and loves it, and Ayres runs all his shit off of a Thinkpad as well.
For a Mac, really anything. I run an iBook G4 maxed 12" and it's a serious machine. I believe that the Powerbooks are really more important if you want to run more visual and video processor intensive apps, but really ther'r all good.
And yeah, stay away from Dell. There's a reason why they're so inexpensive.
For a PC I would say an IBM Thinkpad. My wife has one and loves it, and Ayres runs all his shit off of a Thinkpad as well.
For a Mac, really anything. I run an iBook G4 maxed 12" and it's a serious machine. I believe that the Powerbooks are really more important if you want to run more visual and video processor intensive apps, but really ther'r all good.
And yeah, stay away from Dell. There's a reason why they're so inexpensive.
Also, find a friend that is an educator and get the educator's discount @ apple. You'll save like $400 on a laptop. You can do it online as well without having to go into the store.
if you are looking to only spend around 890 bucks, i would recommend either waiting a bit to save more money or take a look at a used ibook. 890 is not going to get you a decent laptop and you definitely won't be able to afford warranty with that much money. IBM is the only shit i will fuck with pc-wise although i don't know if their build quality has degraded since they switched over to lenovo.
I'm being serious here people: has ANYONE on this board ever bought a Mac and regretted it?
O-Dub, good to see you at Groove Merchant on Sunday.
Question: What makes the Mac better than other laptops...Is it just your flavor or is it really better i.e. speed, quality, etc.? I'm also looking for a new laptop.
IBM. I work in tech support and they are by far the most reliable pieces of kit we have issued. IBM's laptop division is now branded Lenovo, but it's still owned by IBM. The US models get better graphics cards than we get too. Go for a T42 or T43.
Macs are nothing like as popular in the UK as in the US so there are far fewer around. They cost too much over here for what you get. Then there is the unintelligible interface. They look cool though. A friend of mine has one but has had lots of things go wrong, but one example is not enough to generalise.
I'm being serious here people: has ANYONE on this board ever bought a Mac and regretted it?
O-Dub, good to see you at Groove Merchant on Sunday.
Question: What makes the Mac better than other laptops...Is it just your flavor or is it really better i.e. speed, quality, etc.? I'm also looking for a new laptop.
To me, ease of use, quality of design and consistency of performance all come to mind.
I don't hate PCs. I think the current Apple campaign is funny but kind of dumb. But to me, Windows, as an OS, really fucking sucks. Any utility it generally has seems to come from trying to follow Apple rather than stay ahead of it.
I think PCs are great if you're a techie geek (except that all the technie geeks I know seem to prefer Apple) or a gaming freak. But if you're trying to play Halo 24/7 or want to tinker around with a hardware set-up that might do battle with Deep Blue, for an altogether package, a Macintosh is extremeley hard to argue against ESPECIALLY with costs coming down.
I find the common excuse that "Apples are too expensive" to be a rather tired lament. If Apple is an inferior piece of equipment AND it's more $$$, then you have an argument on your hands. If it's just a price point issue then the question becomes: do you want value (i.e. bang for buck) or just a priceline that something doesn't go beyond.
Or, in record language, would you balk at getting an awesome record in great condition b/c it costs $25 and you insist on paying less than $20? If so, then maybe Apples might scare you off. But if you appreciate something that's actually crafted intelligently and beautifully? Mac, no question. Walk into any computer store and compare whatever PC laptop you can find with a Mac Book Pro. If you think they "look the same" or that some Dell or IBM is superior in design, well, that's cool I suppose (though really, I'd just think you have no taste) but to me, the cleaness of Apple's design speaks highly to the level of craftsmanship and like I said - I do not know ANYONE who has ever regretted buying a Mac.
so im lookin at a new laptop and all as well. im divided between a thinkpad and a mac, but i cant give up windows xp (chemistry programs and all). i know they got the new bootcamp or whatever, anyone offer any suggestions/hate about that?
I can understand being against the Dell Inspiron series (cheap plastic build), but Dell Latitude is great. Latitude's the business version with a sturdy build and none of that BS old lady software pre-installed that's a waste of space, plus cheaper than thinkpads.
(And to throw my anecdotal evidence, most tech dorks I know are all about Linux.)
But really, just shop around and try to use every model and OS you're interested in and figure out works best for you.
edit: And yeah, the dorks I know tend to be the most vocal about being pro-open-source, anti-intellectual property rights, etc.)
Dell had a bad customer service reputation which they've sorted out. Dell's are fine. Toshibas are much better though - more robust and better value for money. I've been through all sorts of machines and Toshibas are the most reliable that I've found. Currently using Asus. Great value, lots of features, huge screen etc but keyboard layout is odd, software can be temperamental and a bit of a pain in the Asus all round, if truth be told.
I'm being serious here people: has ANYONE on this board ever bought a Mac and regretted it?
Me. After two weeks I gave it to my wife and went straight out again and bought a PC laptop instead. I used to work on Macs until about 7 years ago and thought I'd rekindle the love affair but there was no chemistry between us... sniff .. and a shedload of software that it wouldn't run. My wife's happy though...
Yeah I gotta Co-sign the mac thing. I am a techie geek, and I just made the switch to a black macbook, from PC. (mostly for serato use, but i find myself using it for more).
I did have troubles with my first macbook, but the service at the Apple Retail was suburb (once you know how to deal with them).
Anyway...just gotta say, yes to the mac. if you want to do serious computer gaming, go pc. otherwise: mac laptops all the way.
Dell had a bad customer service reputation which they've sorted out. Dell's are fine. Toshibas are much better though - more robust and better value for money. I've been through all sorts of machines and Toshibas are the most reliable that I've found. Currently using Asus. Great value, lots of features, huge screen etc but keyboard layout is odd, software can be temperamental and a bit of a pain in the Asus all round, if truth be told.
Dell's have kickass desktops. I have one at home that has run great (with vigilant anti-virus software and adaware) for six years strong. Uber value. The laptops however have shitty construction. My PC laptop recommendation is a Fujitsu Lifebook. They were big with bulk corporate gigs and have decided to hit the consumer market. Wife has one and is as solid and cool as a PC can get.
I have a mothra 17" MAC G4 for graphics & photo work. Sad to say that I don't use it for anything other than that and web browsing. When it comes down to web development and generally in-office tasks (MS Office), I'm much more proficient with the PC. Would love to be all MAC.. cause the interface is pretty. Probably soon with all this windows coupling and Virtual PC.
I was just about to rep my bottom-of-the-line Dell home PC which I???ve had for 6+ years and have never had a single problem with. Based on that experience I was going to buy one of those cheap(er) Dell laptops. But there???s a massive amount of hatting goin on here? What gives?
Let???s get some horror stories. How have these laptops done you wrong? I want first hand accounts! Let???s have em.
I was just about to rep my bottom-of-the-line Dell home PC which I???ve had for 6+ years and have never had a single problem with. Based on that experience I was going to buy one of those cheap(er) Dell laptops. But there???s a massive amount of hatting goin on here? What gives?
Let???s get some horror stories. How have these laptops done you wrong? I want first hand accounts! Let???s have em.
For the travelling engineer here at exida, they usually choose Dell Laptops. you get a zillion options and they have always shipped missing something. One even came without an ethernet card? Their power supplies are shitty and last like a month. The general construction is not durable. Basically, they suck ass. My wife who does all the accounting for us went through one / year. She has had the Fujitsu for 2 with no struggles. Chad, sell a Dallas garage / surf 45 and buy a MAC.
I've had a 15" Powerbook for 2 years and 4 months and it runs like the first day I bought it. I've moved across the country with this thing and brought it on many trips. I use it every day, so it sees tons of use.
All of the people I know who bought laptops at the same time as me are looking to upgrade because their shit is starting to break down.
Mac is expensive, but it's quality that will last.
And if you're lucky like I was, maye you'll score a 17" iMac G4 for $25 at an estate sale and never have to consider PC again.
Chad, sell a Dallas garage / surf 45 and buy a MAC.
Mac???s sure are pretty but here are my probs.
1. Money??? though I really do have a dallas garage 45 that would get me on my way. Hmmm.
2. Software??? I???m gonna be jacking all my software: photoshop / illustrator / flash / office / homesite ( I like homesite ) / all fonts and anything else I can think to steal from my pl*ce of empl*ym*nt. With a Mac, my pirating game is nonexistent.
3. I had an internship ohh 8, 9 years ago when I rocked a Mac but nowadays I???m pretty much illiterate. Not feeling the step backwards I???d have to take to get up and running on it. Working on a laptop is foreign enough to me but working on a Mac laptop is some xenophobic shit. Old dog no likey new trick.
3.5 Those new Mac ads really are weak. So I???m protesting. Even Mac-o-philes I know agree that they???re lacking in truth and the mud slinging tactics just make the company seem desperate.
Does anyone have any first (or second) hand experience with Rain Recording Livebook? I've read some good reviews, but I haven't heard anything on the streetz. eventually i'm going to need a better music machine, and this one looks pretty straight.
Honestly, I'm not feeling any of the "recording" laptops that are being flogged out there. They're almost all rebranded Sager -style notebooks and aren't worth the middleman price hike.
Apple fans are a bit like 'audiophiles' right about now. They're insisting they're getting a superior product, but in reality dual core intel Apple= dual core intel PC. Same box, different branding, higher price.
Oh, and OSX < Linux.
My suggestion is get a laptop without the OS loaded, *acquire* what operating system you need, and get a cheap G4 desktop with 10.3 if you need the Appleware.
Cahoots
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For a PC I would say an IBM Thinkpad. My wife has one and loves it, and Ayres runs all his shit off of a Thinkpad as well.
For a Mac, really anything. I run an iBook G4 maxed 12" and it's a serious machine. I believe that the Powerbooks are really more important if you want to run more visual and video processor intensive apps, but really ther'r all good.
And yeah, stay away from Dell. There's a reason why they're so inexpensive.
Also, find a friend that is an educator and get the educator's discount @ apple. You'll save like $400 on a laptop. You can do it online as well without having to go into the store.
Any recommenedations for eitehr Mac or PC?
dunno how they are now though.
I'm being serious here people: has ANYONE on this board ever bought a Mac and regretted it?
O-Dub, good to see you at Groove Merchant on Sunday.
Question: What makes the Mac better than other laptops...Is it just your flavor or is it really better i.e. speed, quality, etc.? I'm also looking for a new laptop.
Macs are nothing like as popular in the UK as in the US so there are far fewer around. They cost too much over here for what you get. Then there is the unintelligible interface. They look cool though. A friend of mine has one but has had lots of things go wrong, but one example is not enough to generalise.
To me, ease of use, quality of design and consistency of performance all come to mind.
I don't hate PCs. I think the current Apple campaign is funny but kind of dumb. But to me, Windows, as an OS, really fucking sucks. Any utility it generally has seems to come from trying to follow Apple rather than stay ahead of it.
I think PCs are great if you're a techie geek (except that all the technie geeks I know seem to prefer Apple) or a gaming freak. But if you're trying to play Halo 24/7 or want to tinker around with a hardware set-up that might do battle with Deep Blue, for an altogether package, a Macintosh is extremeley hard to argue against ESPECIALLY with costs coming down.
I find the common excuse that "Apples are too expensive" to be a rather tired lament. If Apple is an inferior piece of equipment AND it's more $$$, then you have an argument on your hands. If it's just a price point issue then the question becomes: do you want value (i.e. bang for buck) or just a priceline that something doesn't go beyond.
Or, in record language, would you balk at getting an awesome record in great condition b/c it costs $25 and you insist on paying less than $20? If so, then maybe Apples might scare you off. But if you appreciate something that's actually crafted intelligently and beautifully? Mac, no question. Walk into any computer store and compare whatever PC laptop you can find with a Mac Book Pro. If you think they "look the same" or that some Dell or IBM is superior in design, well, that's cool I suppose (though really, I'd just think you have no taste) but to me, the cleaness of Apple's design speaks highly to the level of craftsmanship and like I said - I do not know ANYONE who has ever regretted buying a Mac.
Still waiting for testimonials:
The extra $ is well worth it. You wont have to worry about nadda besides your computing needs when you are rocking OS X.
(And to throw my anecdotal evidence, most tech dorks I know are all about Linux.)
But really, just shop around and try to use every model and OS you're interested in and figure out works best for you.
edit: And yeah, the dorks I know tend to be the most vocal about being pro-open-source, anti-intellectual property rights, etc.)
Me. After two weeks I gave it to my wife and went straight out again and bought a PC laptop instead. I used to work on Macs until about 7 years ago and thought I'd rekindle the love affair but there was no chemistry between us... sniff .. and a shedload of software that it wouldn't run. My wife's happy though...
I did have troubles with my first macbook, but the service at the Apple Retail was suburb (once you know how to deal with them).
Anyway...just gotta say, yes to the mac. if you want to do serious computer gaming, go pc. otherwise: mac laptops all the way.
-peeJ
Dell's have kickass desktops. I have one at home that has run great (with vigilant anti-virus software and adaware) for six years strong. Uber value. The laptops however have shitty construction. My PC laptop recommendation is a Fujitsu Lifebook. They were big with bulk corporate gigs and have decided to hit the consumer market. Wife has one and is as solid and cool as a PC can get.
I have a mothra 17" MAC G4 for graphics & photo work. Sad to say that I don't use it for anything other than that and web browsing. When it comes down to web development and generally in-office tasks (MS Office), I'm much more proficient with the PC. Would love to be all MAC.. cause the interface is pretty. Probably soon with all this windows coupling and Virtual PC.
I was just about to rep my bottom-of-the-line Dell home PC which I???ve had for 6+ years and have never had a single problem with. Based on that experience I was going to buy one of those cheap(er) Dell laptops. But there???s a massive amount of hatting goin on here? What gives?
Let???s get some horror stories. How have these laptops done you wrong? I want first hand accounts! Let???s have em.
For the travelling engineer here at exida, they usually choose Dell Laptops. you get a zillion options and they have always shipped missing something. One even came without an ethernet card? Their power supplies are shitty and last like a month. The general construction is not durable. Basically, they suck ass. My wife who does all the accounting for us went through one / year. She has had the Fujitsu for 2 with no struggles. Chad, sell a Dallas garage / surf 45 and buy a MAC.
All of the people I know who bought laptops at the same time as me are looking to upgrade because their shit is starting to break down.
Mac is expensive, but it's quality that will last.
And if you're lucky like I was, maye you'll score a 17" iMac G4 for $25 at an estate sale and never have to consider PC again.
Mac???s sure are pretty but here are my probs.
1. Money??? though I really do have a dallas garage 45 that would get me on my way. Hmmm.
2. Software??? I???m gonna be jacking all my software: photoshop / illustrator / flash / office / homesite ( I like homesite ) / all fonts and anything else I can think to steal from my pl*ce of empl*ym*nt. With a Mac, my pirating game is nonexistent.
3. I had an internship ohh 8, 9 years ago when I rocked a Mac but nowadays I???m pretty much illiterate. Not feeling the step backwards I???d have to take to get up and running on it. Working on a laptop is foreign enough to me but working on a Mac laptop is some xenophobic shit. Old dog no likey new trick.
3.5 Those new Mac ads really are weak. So I???m protesting. Even Mac-o-philes I know agree that they???re lacking in truth and the mud slinging tactics just make the company seem desperate.
Rain Recording
Apple fans are a bit like 'audiophiles' right about now. They're insisting they're getting a superior product, but in reality dual core intel Apple= dual core intel PC. Same box, different branding, higher price.
Oh, and OSX < Linux.
My suggestion is get a laptop without the OS loaded, *acquire* what operating system you need, and get a cheap G4 desktop with 10.3 if you need the Appleware.
I just bought a duo core 17inch widescreen 1 gig of ram, dvd burner etc for under 1k. Super high resolution screen as well.
Not bad.
Pbilly
DJ equipment
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