thebankman

The newly released MacBook computers are really nice, a welcome step up from the 12" ibook. The glossy screen isn't a problem with glare so far, the nifty Mac pre-loaded programs are fun and the whole experience is just a lot more relaxing than bringing home a new PC and praying the install goes properly. Even the lowest end macbook has all the features normal folks need, and if photoshop/indesign slow down, you can get more memory.

Is anyone using the Macbooks or Macbook Pro computers here in the forums? Please tell me how your experiences have been thus far. For instance, have you installed and found Boot Camp to work well? Any problems, milestones, fun facts to tell?

Cheers and enjoy!
thebankman

jschen

A colleague of mine has the MacBook Pro 15". Very nice. I want one of the Pro's. I'm a bit concerned about the keyboard on the MacBook (haven't actually checked one out yet) and I would like a dedicated higher end graphics card. And I want the (optional) 7200 RPM hard drive.

Haven't decided which size I want. I don't really need FireWire 800 for anything (and there's always the expansion slot), so it's purely a size difference for me. And I'm holding off a bit in hopes that the next gen Core processors come out as scheduled later this summer, and hopefully Apple puts them in the Pro by the end of the year.

jschen

I went and checked them out on my lunch break. I think I like the MacBook keyboard more than the MacBook Pro one. It seems to have a bit more resistance and travel, a bit more like on the keyboard that ships with the desktops. The space between the keys looks a bit funny, but I don't look at the keyboard as I type anyway, and I am pretty good about hitting the middle of the key.

That said, I'll probably still go with the Pro when it comes time for me to buy one. Aside from the optional 7200 RPM drive (probably could put one in the MacBook, but what of its thermal properties?), I've come to really appreciate screen real estate and I also want the higher graphics performance. I also wasn't really a fan of the glossy screen. Yeah, the Pro is quite a bit more expensive, but given how rarely I replace my laptops (still have a 400 MHz G3 laptop that was given to me for some work I had to do; last laptop I bought was a Duo 230 running a 68030 processor at 33 MHz--bought used in 1997), I'm willing to splurge a bit for what I really want. I'm hoping when the next gen Core processors come out, Apple will quickly put them in the Pro laptops. If so, I'm probably getting one.

gbcb

My 6-year old Pismo Powerbook is dead/dying (only 128MB of RAM works now, and can't be bothered to spend more money on it). New MacBook should be here later this week! Unfortunately, I must confess that I am weak... I got it in black. I'm just attached to black after all these years... And it matches my bike

TheDTrain

I am so getting one when I go to college.

But right now, I'm pretty content with my beautiful iMac G5

jschen

That's my current desktop. It's a pretty nice computer.

slvoid

Big f'ing deal. You know what's sweet? This.

jyossarian

How was Montauk slvoid?

krazygluon

Errm, slvoid, what is that in that pic? unless its worth a lot of cash, I'd bet my 15" macbook pro is much sweeter.

Anyway, has anyone had issues/experiences w/ hauling their 15" widescreen mac laptops on a bike? (are any panniers going to work, any specific ones that do a great job?)

TexasGuy

I would never turst a computer to a pannier. Backapack. This way if I survive most likely the laptop will survive. I've seen a few of the new the mac books around and they are pretty sweet. I'm not a fan of the Mac and could never ever use one sinec nothing I use runs on the mac and the fact that they rewrited 10 plus years of keyboard muscle memory

BUT I can definitely appreciate the fact that they look really nice and now that they're using the new Core Duo chips from Intel they are speedy as ****. And they still managed to make them super thin too.

bbattle

Looks like Slvoid's got some chunks of sodium there. Careful, buddy.

I helped some guys last year with a reaction that called for 650g of sodium. We were rinsing it in hexanes then slicing it into small pieces before dumping them into the reaction. Dang AC went out in the lab and the humidity was making the operation rather dicey. We took a break till the AC kicked back on and had no problems.

bbattle

Macs will run Windows, too.

my58vw

Who would want to run windows on a mac...

I am going to upgrade, like achen, when the new mobile processors come out and are in the new macbook pro...

I also would like a 7200 RPM HD and dedicated graphics card.

Mandy

pedex 

who would want to run windows or OS X period when linux is free and open source? dollar for dollar performance wise, Apple is getting its butt handed to it, and the Intel chips may help a bit, but you still pay a premium for it

just watch out macbook users, theyve already had battery problems, may even be a recall, depends on how serious it gets, but it doesn seem they either released them w/o enough testing, or they are having QC issues

jschen

Over the life of the computer, the cost of the operating system is peanuts. Might as well use whatever combination of Windoze, OS X, and/or Linux that best gets the job done. For me, that means running a Windoze / OS X combo. Sure, Linux is free, but at my consulting rate, taking a few hours to install and become familiar with it would equal the cost of simply buying the other two OSes. And over the life of the computer, we're talking about pennies per hour of usage.

As for quality issues, being the first to buy is always a risky proposition. As much as I'm lusting after a Merom-based MacBook Pro, in reality, I'll probably wait a little while after they first come out before getting mine.

belfast-biker

Have you seen the "DSL/Damn Small Linux"? It's a 50Mb version of Linux that you can either install or use as a LiveCD, say on a 50Mb credit card CD - what can I say, it just works.

I used to have a 2nd partition with Ubuntu, just to give me access to the net whenever my XP died, but no need anymore - just bung this in, turn on the PC, and voila, internet access to help me with troubleshooting and network tools and a host of other goodies too.

belfast-biker

Not yet, but I've got a 2nd hand Powermac 450MHz Dual G4 arriving tomorrow or day after - it'll be my first mac ever.

https://lowendmac.com/ppc/g4mp.html


Very cheap and a fair bit upgradeable, despite being a very old mac...

pedex 

Ive been running linux since just after it came out, and very seriously running it for about 4 years(6 machines currently). I tried DSL just to check it out, as live CD's go I prefer SLAX or knoppix. I will say this, linux isnt for everyone, if you dont want to get your hands dirty and learn how to use it, then it isnt a good choice, but then again, to use ANY OS well it takes some time and learning. But if you want to build and cheap high performance machine using commodity hardware its almost impossible to beat. Nothing windows or OS X can even hold a candle to.

pedex 

depends on how many problems you have with it, and what your doing, and not everyone is filthy rich like you

slvoid

That's cause he's ASIAN and his parents are LOADED.
Unforunately, I'm just your average asian-american. I have nothing...

slvoid

That was actually supposed to be saccrine or something, I guess it looked too much like crack...

Stacey

I thought they built that big azzed wall in China to keep all you folks IN... and now y'all keep sneakin out :LOL

slvoid

Yeah I know right, they know what's up with that. Too much talent sneaking out.

Stacey

But you're throwing off the curve here for the 'muricans

gbcb

It's all right, the wall is porous enough to let talentless hacks like me in, too...

Oh, and the MacBook is indeed pretty sweet.