Why Macbook/Macbook Pro? (Page 2)

Khyron,

Drag the networked drive into the start up items of your account. Takes about 5 seconds.

Next?

Bear,
I too dig Apple products, but I won't spend the premium prices for them.  I have friends who got great deals on used MBs, and although they really dig them, they say there's not a noticable performance difference that would warrant the extra expence of buying new.

I recently got 2 factory refurb HP dv7-_____ Intel i5 17" laptops from Costo, which is nice because they bundle with a larger battery (last you long-time), tack on an extra year of warranty (bonus!), and you can return within 90 days if you no likee; no questions, no restocking fee.

I don't remember the exact model right off-hand (I'm at work), but ours have the Intel i5 processor and blu-ray drives (w/ HDMI output - suhweet).  I don't see it on the site now, but when available, it comes in at $650.  I took the refurb gamble due to the Costco benefits; they look brand new and I've had no probs for the month we've had them.

I'm no HP or Windows fanboy, but disregard any "HP/Windows sux!" replies that follow, because you get that for ANY brand of about ANYthin?g you might ever purchase.  This was my 1st experience with Windows 7.  Gotta say I'm digging it????? so far.  I went from XP and skipped Vista.  Boot-up is fast??,? ?d?i?s?p?l?a?y? ?i?s? ?a?w?e?s?o?m?e?,? ?n?e?t?w?o?r?k?i?n?g? ?w?a?s? ?e?a?s?y?.? ? ??I?t?'?s? ?n?o?t? ?l?i?g?h?t? ??(?a?b?o?u?t? ?8? ?p?o?u?n?d?s??)? ?d?u?e? ?t?o? ??t?h?e? ?b?a?t?t?e?r?y? ?s?i?z?e?,? ?b?u?t? ?t?h?a?t?'?s? ?n?o?t? ?a? ?p?r?o?b? ?f?o?r? ?m?e?.
?

Being in the education field (doing IT support, but 99% being Windows-based), from what I hear, the Mac area is (supposedly) MORE secure and easier to use - that, of itself, is a premium for rock-solid functionality and reliability.  If you are a graphic-based artist/web designer, then the graphics are worth the price.
Beyond that, you can run a Windows platform, if you so choose, by a couple of different methods - using Parallels or a different VMware product, or Bootcamp (dual-boot process), but performance/speed will be drastically less.
What it boils down to is this - what is YOUR need and functionality?

I just bought an iMac and at the bottom of the screen, which is also the computer itself, is a nicely hidden door.  Pop the two screws out and drop new memory in.  It would probably take me about 2 minutes to complete.  Just sayin'.
 

I was looking for a replacement for my Dell 9400. I really don't like having an 8 Lb laptop but I like having the DVD burner, decent amount of RAM, reasonable speed and a thin as hell notebook. I was a loyal Dell buyer and this was my third laptop from them.

I was honestly looking at netbooks and an external DVD burner. Decided I didn't want the external stuff and I wanted a reasonable sized keyboard as well as a more sturdy computer than my old Dell.

Toshiba toughbook was one that I was also considering but it's not exactly svelte nor any less expensive than others.

So I started browsing used MacBook Pro computer listings. Excellent, $600 later I've got a 15.4" MBP with 2 Gb RAM a CD-R, DVD-R and it weighs in at 5.5 Lbs. I was issued a MacBook Pro as well as a Mac Pro at work but I've been running Fedora on them. Now I've started moving over to OS X. It's a BSD back end so I'm right at home. I'm a *NIX type.

Now I've got a notebook that I work on myself, it's not exactly difficult to drop in a new hard drive and I can triple boot so for the once or twice a year I need WIN for something like an Office document I can do that then get back to one of the OSs that I actually enjoy using.

The only reason I have WIN at home at all is for one of the video editing software packages I use. Everything else is either Fedora or Solaris, now with OS X thrown in for good measure. Everything works great together except the WIN box. It has days where it cannot see anything else and they've changed the way WIN does SMB again so I may not even try to connect it any more.

Me too. I've already had my MacBook for longer than I had my HP. And I had constant issues with my HP. I've had NOT A SINGLE ISSUE with my MacBook. Since 2008.

I did delete my entire iPhoto library, and that did cause some problems, but that was not the fault of the Mac. That was the fault of me.

The moral is to not let Whizzzzz have a Mac or any 'puter.

This thread amuses me.

I have a desktop computer at home running Windows XP. Never had a virus, never had a system crash. I've had it for 12 years. For the longest time, it was my only computer, and I used it frequently for tasks from school work to surfing the net to playing the occasional game.

A computer is a tool. No more, no less. Some tools are better at certain things than others. Some tools have people who love them, and others who hate them. Personally, I dislike the user interface from Apple. I have never really "gotten" the aesthetics of them. Some people love the interface, and say it's so intuitive. Maybe for them it is.

If you are using a lower-end laptop now and having no real issues, then there is absolutely no need to not continue with that trend. For what you use the computer for, ANY system will work fine. Why bother having to go through the steps of learning a new operating system and its quirks when there is no driving need to do so?

I'd say you don't need a Mac.

I actually have an Air on my desk. First, connect to the resource :

Finder -> Go -> Connect to Server
Use obscure samba reference : smb://bigbart/data
Login
Contents of Bigbart/Data show on screen. But you can't go "up" one level to then grab the data share and drag it.
Open 2nd finder window, navigate to user/startup.
Ok stuck here.

PC: Tools -> Map Network drive, pick a letter, type \\bigbart\data , done.

You're obviously missing out on the best parts of the internet.

Nope. I just know which corners are relatively safe.

as someone that has a mac and has used them for a long time,  I"d actually advise you to stay with the dell if it's worked well for you.   You won't have to worry about buying mac specific software for programs you are already running

x2.. if it ain't broke don't fix it...

I tend to push computers to their extreme with our CAD software and have found MAC hardware handles Windows better than PCs do...

But if you have had no issues, why introduce the possible of them...


Edited by TriRSquared 2011-01-31 4:06 PM

That settles it. I do understand. I've owned a Jeep; probably the worst purchase I've made in the last 25 years.

Oh, the irony. 

Last year I believe it was, the Macbook Pro was rated the number 1 Windows 7 laptop by PC Magazine.

Am I the only one who finds it ironic that you can spend all this money on a Mac and then spend more money and give it windows?*







* Yes, I still hate Mac's