Can I ask a computer question ??

[Patrick]

I'm getting pretty fed up with anything Bill gates.. I'm looking at Apple[mac book pro] and am not computer friendly, but, it seems to be more intuitive than any windows program I've used.. If anyone has done something similar I'd sure like to here about it, positive and negative.. I particularly like not worrying about viruses and other such assorted diseases.. Lets see, Valkyrie, Valkyrie, Oh,, it would be kewl to stick it in a saddle bag and be able to keep up with this board anytime anywhere.. 

[hubcapsc]

I'm getting pretty fed up with anything Bill gates.. I'm looking at Apple[mac book pro] and am not computer friendly, but, it seems to be more intuitive than any windows program I've used.. If anyone has done something similar I'd sure like to here about it, positive and negative.. I particularly like not worrying about viruses and other such assorted diseases.. Lets see, Valkyrie, Valkyrie, Oh,, it would be kewl to stick it in a saddle bag and be able to keep up with this board anytime anywhere.. 

Macs have plenty of exploits. You gotta keep them updated just like PeeCees... I got my first mac,
a mac book pro, about a year ago. I hooked it to a 24 inch monitor, it is my workstation at work, so I
use it all day. I'm sure it is awesome, but intuitive? I think it is kind of whacky. Macs are unix inside,
so if you like to use unix from the shell, that's a plus.

I use XP at home, windows update is on automatic, and use Windows Security Essentials for virus
protection, never have a problem... what kind of problems are you having?

A mac book pro is a pretty cool computer, though, nice hardware...

-Mike "I've hauled my thinkpad all around in my saddlebag  "

[cef2lion]

If your thinking MAC and already have a desktop take a look at the Ipad. I have had one since April and it's great. Very handy and quick wake up.  I'm laying on couch typing this and reading the board. Keep it on end table and grab it for quick reference. I have it on kitchen counter when around the house. Walk over tap screen to check email. Works great with gmail for email, calendar and contacts. There are a number of great apps. Many of them free. Weather, eBay, drop box, Facebook and google earth to name a few. I carry it with me all the time. They have a wifi version and one that also has ATT carrier service but adds a monthly fee. I have my wifi model setup to auto connect to places I normally go and it's connected when I walk in. Give it a look. Not what you want as a single pc device but a great addition. Took mine on bike trip to gettysburg recenty and it worked well. Packs small and battery life is great. I got the marware case. Best case I have seen yet. Has nice camera import adapter and snap in stand with keyboard.

Craig

[Patrick]

Thanks for the responses.. This will be a stand-alone thingy.. I only have a desk top now and I guess I need to bring myself into the 20th century and go with a laptop so I'll have access to this board during the winter months.. I'm sure I'll end up using an air-card with it also and have been looking at them.. Once I do get something new, I'll have a party and let everyone beat this old Dell with the biggest hammer I can find,, should be fun..

[hubcapsc]

Thanks for the responses.. This will be a stand-alone thingy.. I only have a desk top now and I guess I need to bring myself into the 20th century and go with a laptop so I'll have access to this board during the winter months.. I'm sure I'll end up using an air-card with it also and have been looking at them.. Once I do get something new, I'll have a party and let everyone beat this old Dell with the biggest hammer I can find,, should be fun..

Oh... that's what kind of trouble you are having  ...

-Mike "I'd rather have a Atari 800"

[Robert]

Dell  When you get the new laptop it will have Windows 7 more than likely and its really good. I have bought 6 computers from Dell and finally got fed up and built my own with 7 on it and I really like it. I have XP at work but will upgrade to 7 when I build new puters for there. The idea of the ipad is  good one have used them too and for just surfing the net its really nice. There are some good inexpensive lap tops out there so you will have plenty to choose from and the speeds are pretty good.  The ipad is very intuitive and easy and Windows 7 wont be a stretch from XP to learn and there are some cool features that make life easier.

[roboto65]

I have had good luck with Dell and recently as in 2 months ago bought a Alienware from Dell the M11X which is a SMALL format 11 inch HD screen.
Can you say fast LOL I love and this is my first time messing with windows 7 and I must say it is pretty good now I play games on it and surf the web. I use an Aircard pretty much all the time being that I work on a boat.
The only thing that may turn people off to it is it does not have a CD drive you have to have an external but hey no big deal.

[Robert]

If all you have to do is buy equipment from Dell and there is no problem then Dells ok if you have to deal with customer service or tech forget it. I just cannot spend the time and aggravation on the phone that it requires to repair a issue. Not to mention I have found that to build a top end computer that Dell would charge say 6 grand for really costs about half that price or less. I heard the new Dell laptops  were pretty good though.

[Patrick]

I've just heard from two friends that are having troubles with fairly new Dell Lap tops[ inspiron and studio, I think] ,but, they are using Vista..  I've not heard anything favorable about Vista..  I'm almost convinced on Apple..

[roboto65]

Yes most of the time building your own most always cost less even if you dabbled into water cooled systems have built a few and if or when I need another desktop.
 I will build my own but a far as laptops go you are kind of limited so Dell is the way to go with laptops I think YMMV .
I have had HP and others and the Thinkpad is pretty good .
This is like an oil debate though LOL With computer geeks well the ones that run Winblows...

[Robert]

Vista sucks big time Xp or 7 is great. I core 7 960 9 gigs ram 850 watt supply 5890 card 3 raptor drives gigabyte board nzxt case. In 7 you can turn off the stupid notifications. Try the Nocturna cooler you'll never go to water.

[BradValk48237]

+1on the Macs..... I have 2 and I used to be a diehard PC guy. You can partition the new Macs to also run Windows.... doing it right now(like having 2 computers) and using XP so I dont have all the Vista BS.... but viruses can play with the Window OS, but I have never had any trouble with Mac OS X..... and with A MAC, SETUP CAN TAKE AS LITTLE AS 20 MIN.....!!!!!!!!!!!!

Once you go Mac...you never go back.....

They are a bit more pricey, but worth it for all the time you save not chasing viruses and updating

B

[Robert]

Hate to tell you but reports say that there are more holes in the os for mac than pcs
http://www.clazh.com/did-someone-say-macs-are-more-secure-than-windows/
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/pc-windows-apple-mac-osx,9557.html
Kinda surprised me too when I heard it, but read it and weep.

[GJS]

+1 on the Mac front.
I am an electronics tech by training but have been doing systems integration (PC only) for 25yrs. Before that I used the Radio Shack Model1, 3 & 4.  I have been actively networking PCs and Macs since the beginning of PC networking.

I recently bought a Mac Mini. I LOVE IT!. They are just different than PCs. It is an engineering and design difference. That, and Apple make nice toys.

I now own two Mac Minis, this one operates of my 46" flat panel LED display. I rarely use my old PC in my home office. The other Mac Mini is in the shop. Both have the new Mac Mouse and wireless keyboard. The entire I-suite (iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie and Garage Band are a lot of fun and easy to use.
I also use 'Parallel' to run PC software (I still have a PC accounting system (this too will change)).
The networking  and wireless setup is the easiest in the business. As well, it stays connected properly to my network HP7160 OfficeJet printer/scanner/fax machine. The two PCs I have always need to be reset if the printer has been off or was not on when the PC was booted up. Both PCs are Windows 7 with all the latest patches and updates from HP and Microsoft.

Personally, I am sick and tired of Microsoft. The problems will always be fixed in the next release.
Both of our Windows 7 machines are performing the same way Windows always performs once yiou get the Virus checker, Malware checker ....... installed. The PCs go progressively slower the older they get.

I won't be goin back!

(On the Dell discussion... I have had very poor results with Dell over the years. Mostly with very poor quality service. I had a corporate client (7 years ago now) sue Dell over 200+ notebooks that were just crap, that Dell just refused to deal with. The settled out of court. My daughter, in university , has had her notebook repaired 5 times, she hates Dell with a passion. When you think of the extra couple hundred a MacBook would have cost, it would have been worth it for sure)


Good luck

Glenn

 

[MP]

+1 on the Mac.

MP

[hubcapsc]

They are a bit more pricey, but worth it for all the time you save not chasing viruses and updating

Did you fix this?

  # Affected:
    * Apple Mac OS X versions 10.5.6 and prior
    * Apple Mac OS X versions 10.4.11 and prior
 # Description: Apple Mac OS X contains multiple vulnerabilities in several of its components. Improper
 # handling of user and network requests, and several file, document, and media formats, can cause
 # memory corruption and/or buffer overflow leading to arbitrary remote code execution with the
 # privileges of the vulnerable process. Other logical flaws can lead to arbitrary information disclosure,
 # denial of service, file overwrites, null pointer dereference, escalation of privileges. Several of these
 # vulnerabilities stem from flaws in included third-party applications and components.
 #
 # Status: Vendor confirmed, updates available.
 # http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3438

And this?

 # (1) CRITICAL: Apple Mac OS X Multiple Vulnerabilities (Security Update 2009-001)
 # Affected:
    * Apple Mac OS X versions 10.5.6 and prior
    * Apple Mac OS X versions 10.4.11 and prior
 # Description: Apple Mac OS X contains multiple vulnerabilities in several of its components. Improper
 # handling of user and network requests, and several file, document, and media formats, can cause
 # memory corruption and/or buffer overflow leading to arbitrary remote code execution with the privileges
 # of the vulnerable process. Other logical flaws can lead to arbitrary information disclosure, denial of
 # service, file overwrites, null pointer dereference, escalation of privileges. Several of these vulnerabilities
 # stem from flaws in included third-party applications and components.
 #
 # Status: Vendor confirmed, updates available.
 #

New ones come out every day...

-Mike

[TGViper]

These threads are funny.  I like them both PC and Mac.  The Mac is WAY over priced though.  I can buy 2 laptops with windows 7 for the price of 1 Mac....

Both have problems, both have vulnerabilities....

TGViper

[GJS]

I love a good debate!


If all the risks between PCs and Macs were equal, overall PCs would be more vulnerable. There are more attacks on PCs than Macs, there are way more of them, that is a fact. I suggest there are way more attackers as well. So, this advantage may lessen in time , for Macs.

The Web Site pointed to by Robert had a very interesting bar chart showing many stages of 'Critical'.
http://www.clazh.com/did-someone-say-macs-are-more-secure-than-windows//url] [url]http://www.clazh.com/did-someone-say-macs-are-more-secure-than-windows//url]
In the "Extremely Critical" category, Microsoft had 4, Macs had 0.
Sometime statistics can be twisted. The article is focusing on the next stage of criticality, but not the "extreme" category.

As for the ZiffDavis article. I am completely jaded by ZiffDavis, they have a lot of Microsoft advertising in there publications. eWeek is very weak and very serving of its advertisers.

From a pure technical perspective, a Unix operating system is a good thing.
The Mac OS is just a bunch of Apple applications running on a Unix platform.
Linux, also a Unix clone, will have Open Source support for generations to come.


There is a ton to be said about the difference between Microsoft and Apple.
I see it this way.
Bill Gates is the best business manager the industry has ever had. A Capitalist's capitalist.
Steve Jobs has always had a strong artistic sense of computer workflow. Apple applications just work better. The Mac OS is based on Unix. Linux is based on the Unix model as well. The operating system will have a bright future.

It really comes down to preference.
I've slept with Windows from the beginning, but now I used a better interface and theres no going back. I'm a McMan!

Cheers,

Glenn  

[Robert]

I like the way you put it and I agree   

[Patrick]

Thanks for the responses.. Some are talking way way way beyond me, but, thats OK and thanks again..

[roboto65]

Well all that counts is you find one you like and it lets you keep up with your friends at VRCC..    Valkyries RULE!!!