Mac Powerbook?

Togoodhlth · Jan 15, 2005

Wondering if anyone has one? I am buying a new notebook and some of my friends as well as my programmer are telling me to get a powerbook.
I have never had a mac nor have I ever used one.
I am above average with regard to my PC knowledge so i am afraid i will ahve to relearn a bunch of stuff.

have any of you gone from PC to Mac and if so would you recommend it?

Thanks

John

Ted · Jan 15, 2005

I used an iBook for about 2 years. I am generally a PC user and I hated this iBook. It was trash, in my opinion. The CD-Rom would always break, there'd always be problems with battery, etc. I cannot vouch for the PowerBook but I can say that I haven't had a very good experience with Apple except for my iPod of course. If I were you, I would go with an IBM Thinkpad T42.

Togoodhlth · Jan 16, 2005

Ok thanks very much for the input.
I currently use a HP zd7000 and it is absolutely awesome IMO. I am giving it to my wife because her Sony Vaio crapped out last night.
I may just get a zd8000 if I dont end up with the mac.

I guess the reason I am thinking about changing is that so many people are telling me to get the mac.
Oh well I am going to check into it further and since I am buyign tomorrow I better decide soon.

Thanks again

John

izoot · Jan 16, 2005

I've had a number of powerbooks and currently have the 1gig titianium pb. I love it...

I have not had a problem with this or any other that I have owned. I have 3 mac desktops
as well and as long as you do minimum maintainace ( as you should with any computer )
you won't have any issues. I would recommend getting a full size PB not a ibook...those are
nice for students or online music buffs but you can do serious work on a PB...the 17" model
is sweet. Not to mention that OS X is a really well done operating system, is almost flawless
in terms of computer virus' compared to the nightmare windows is.

If you really need to use windows you can run Virtual PC on it with no problem at all.

anyhow....my 2ÃÂ¢

Togoodhlth · Jan 16, 2005

Thanks izoot.
I am looking at the 17" powerbook and I am going to upgrade to 5200rpm harddrive and maybe upgrade to 1 gig of ram.
I can drive to an apple store about an hour away and pick it up tomorrow or I can buy it from someplace that is a little less expensive ($100) and ahve it shipped but I would rather buy locally in this case so if there is an issue I can just drive back to the store.

Thanks again and any other input is appreciated!

John

Vivvy · Jan 16, 2005

I've always used a PC, but in my advanced math and a couple of CS classes in college I was forced to use the MAC in the computer lab. I don't think I've ever hated anything so much. It's a whole new learning curve and it slowed my entire process down adding hours of figuring out the darn machine before I could figure out the darn assignment.

From a professional point of view i generally find websites designed using an editor on a MAC have intrinsic problems you don't see with PC development. Graphics are darker and less crisp when viewed on a PC, and there are more skewed layout problems. The resolution that a MAC is set to by default makes site text look fantastic when designing it, but unreadable when it's published and MAC fonts are not friendly.

just my humble opinion...
Vivvy

unholy1 · Jan 16, 2005

I have Titanium Powerbook and I love it, although I only use when I'm on the road. It does goes well with my Ipod which has turned a few heads at the airport lounge.

I had primarily always been a PC user and there was definitely a steep learning curve and a lot of adjustments required in the beginning but once I got used to the system I found that I liked OS X and its mostly virus free environment.

Just my two cents.

pavsta · Jan 16, 2005

Don't buy the Mac, they are frankly the worst machines ever made! They are designed for dummies, cos really, there is way too much on-screen help, sometimes you just want to, mess around and discover for yourself but with the MAC you dont really get that privledge, not too much the huge problems you get with running programs that were designed for PC's.

GeorgeK · Jan 16, 2005

I'm considering the 17" PowerBook too, although I could go with the 20" iMac G5 --- I'm torn.

Togoodhlth · Jan 16, 2005

Wow this aint getting any easier!
Ok, I am leanin back towards PC because of the additional money I am going to need to spend on mac compatible software. Software I already have for the PC.

If I do get the mac I'm going to write a detailed description of my learning curve so I'll post it here.

Thanks again everyone.

John

izoot · Jan 16, 2005

Hi John,
Not sure if you've had a chance to just "hang out and paly with the PB" yet but I would do
that before doing anything. Get a feel for the Mac and see if it suits ya...I think you will find
it worth the few extra bux for software. You could always buy Virtual PC too and run your
current software on it

Tryyyy it....You'lllll like ittttt

GeorgeK said:
I'm considering the 17" PowerBook too, although I could go with the 20" iMac G5 --- I'm torn.

I just just bought my Dad the 17" G5 iMac. Its very slick BUT...you can't travel with it.

With the PB you can travel or just go to the coffee shop or you can go home place it on the desk connect your 23" Cinema display and and keyboard and your ready to rock.

OR...Buy one of each....running on the wireless airport network. Work in the office or on the deck overlooking the beach ( assuming any of us have a house on the beach

)

z

seeker · Jan 16, 2005

I use both platformds on a daily basis.
I have 4 laptops, 2 HP's, and 2 Apple's (as far as laptops/notebooks are concerned).
from the Apple side, i have 1 ibook and 1 powerbook.

They are about a decade ahead from anything PC related that I have seen, so I recommend them with no hesitation.
That said, it does not mean that the PC based ones done have some advantages.
You need to check both and take your pick.

peekaboo · Jan 16, 2005

check the 50 responses here:

http://www.dnforum.com/showthread.php?t=58915

Togoodhlth · Jan 16, 2005

Thanks producer. I didn't even think to do a search for similar threads.
Just read it.
I have definitely learned a lot so now I have to take all this information and make an informed decision.

Thanks again everyone. The information you gave definitely is helping a lot!

namedropper · Jan 17, 2005

Get the Mac. The time and expenses you avoid having to deal with viruses, crashes, spyware and adware alone more than makes up for the extra cost and learning curve. Not to mention that Apple hardware lasts a lot longer and doesn't go obsolete as fast as PC hardware.