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Posted on 04/25/2011 9:49:28 PM PDT by balch3
So, an older relative wants a laptop so he can surf the web from his recliner. His computer skills consist of being able to turn the computer on, open his browser, and do simple word processing/printing. He's tired of viruses and malware. I've been talking up the Macbook. He's decided on the Macbook pro with 17 inch monitor, Way more computer than he needs, but he likes the big monitor because it will be easier on his eyes.
All sounds good, right? That is, until I go online and look at the price. Yikes! Nearly $2500. He can afford it and doesn't seem phased by it, but...still, Yikes! My worst case scenario fantasy is he isn't satisfied and I'll feel guilty for giving him a bum steer. Or, something goes wrong and we have to send it back. Or, I have trouble setting up the wireless LAN--Seems simple enough, but I've never done it before. Or...well, you get the picture.
Somebody talk me into (or out of) this, please?
While I am writing this comment on a Mac Book Pro, tell your friend to get a PC. Apple’s are great, but the new PC running Windows 7 cost a lot less, have a greater variety of software and would be more than adequate for your friend. I have even used one of the cheap notebook PCs and for just casual surfing the net this might be a perfectly fine alternative.
I started using a Mac when my wife updated hers and I got her hand me down laptop. While I use it every day, I still get frustrated at times that things I could do easily on a PC seem more convoluted on a Mac. For a PC user switching to Mac is like driving a car in a left side drive country like Australia or the UK ...you know how to drive, but nothing seems in the right place.
Its a waste of money. Get him a Netbook so he can surf the net.
If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.
Sorry, no, you are wrong. There ARE NO Mac OSX self-installing, self-transmitting, self-replicating viruses int he wild. Period. Zero. Nada. Zilch. and that is after eleven years of exposure. There were seven proof-of-concept, never-seen-out-of-the-lab virus candidate wanna be's that made head lines, all of which failed to work because there are no viable vectors on a Mac for them to spread... and each of them required the participation of the user to install, transmit, or run, making them at best Trojans. As for said Trojans, there are now 18 known Mac OSX Trojans in five Trojan families that OSX itself will warn you if you attempt to download, install, or run. That's it.
Compare that to the almost 2 million malware for that other platform.
Someone else will have suggested this before me, but something else to consider is finding the least expensive 17" Windows laptop, erasing Windows, and reformatting with Ubuntu Linux.
(Comparatively) Inexpensive, reliable and easy to use.
http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#MacBook_Pro
The line has been recently updated, so if you decide to get one, now’s the time.
If he can afford it he will not be disappointed.
And why would you hold that opinion? The UNIX™ that is OSX is fully licensed and is, in fact, one of the four fully, registered and qualified UNIXes to hold the UNIX trademark. ERGO, it is NOT stolen. Your opinion is completely uninformed.
I'm here... scat! ;^)>
That’s better. ;)
There is a functional equivalent to Notepad... it's called TextEdit... There is better than print screen... you just don't know how to do it. It's obvious you want the Mac to be JUST EXACTLY LIKE A WINDOWS PC.
I can only think of four reasons to get a Windows computer, instead of a Macbook Pro...
1. You can’t afford anything more than windows. Sorry for you, but what is, is.
2. You are can afford more, but you are d*mned cheap (estimates say >15% of population has price as primary concern)
3. You value your time at ZERO and do not mind working for Microsoft for free, fixing viruses, trojans, fixing windows itself (heck, reinstalling it periodically)
4. You have specific software you MUST use that only comes in the Windows flavor.
Other than those ...
... buy a Mac, be productive, enjoy life, don’t be a MSS- MicroSoft Slave.
I made the leap after 13 years of servitude. I enjoy my Mac. It just works. It just works without viruses. It just works without reinstalling the system. My time and energy goes into productivity and not into fixing windows.
And it is a pleasure.
Compare that to the almost 2 million malware for that other platform.
Okay, let's compare.
"Malware" is something that you installed (usually by being tricked into installing it, but you still did it). It is not "self-installing, self-transmitting, self-replicating".
I’m a Macbook user. It sounds like somebody is going to be spending a lot of money on a Mac and not enjoying the true benefits.
Look at the IMacs and see if one could work into his/her situation. The mouse pad and keyboards are bluetooth and would work well with a recliner. Put the Imac on a sidestand.
There, you just saved over a thousand dollars.
You pay twice as much for a Mac over the other computers; but you get things this friend of yours will never use.
The other thing to consider about Macs, is that when you want to upgrade to a new Mac, you could still get a lot of money from selling the old one, they keep their value better than any other laptop out there.
OK, one. I wish I could jack up the ram to more than 3 GB, but I doubt that applies to the new machines.
No.
??????
We Mac users still await our first true virus. The rare bits of malware cooked up for Macs have been trojans.
Macs are inherently more secure than XP. I'm not a bit experience with 7 so I won't comment on that OS.
For someone like that - who just wants to turn the computer on, have it work to surf the net, nice big screen AND can afford it — it’s a great idea.
Tell him to go ahead and get the 3 year warrenty too, just in case.
How about a Macbook withan external monitor? Also, does he need to be mobile? Try a Mac Mini with a monitor. If you do go Macbook (not Pro), don’t do it now. Updates are expected soon.
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