Apple announces $499 Macintosh

AppleInsider ^ | January 11, 2005

[HAL9000]

If you're developing code you probably want a real computer.

Now we can see that you know nothing about Mac software development.

Apple distributes the development tools for free - including Objective C++, the Cocoa framework, the XCode integrated development environment, debuggers, code performance analyzers, vector processing libraries, etc. Other programming languages supported in Mac OS X are Java, PHP, Python, and a few others - out of the box. It's all included with Mac OS X and it beats the snot out of Microsoft's developer tools. Even C# is available with third-party tools.

I cancelled my MSDN subscription and haven't missed it one bit.

I'm a sys admin for the computer science department at the local university. We refuse to service Macs because it just adds to our headaches, espcially with networking.

Increasing the daily dosage of Midol could help.

[1stFreedom]

>>Foe same price you get a Dell with 512MB Dual Channel DDR SDRAM at 400MHz, 40GB3 Ultra ATA/100 7200RPM Hard Drive and most importantly a 17 in (16 in viewable,.27dp) E773c CRT Monitor!

Apples and oranges. OSX is the Mercedes Benz of operating systems, and Windows is a Toyota Camry. Want luxury, fun, and prestige? Go Apple. Don't care and simply want a computer? Go cheap PC.

[Nowhere Man]

Right. Windows 85 was a great operating system.

I know in 1985, they had Windows 1.0 but that ran under DOS so it wasn't a true OS until Windows 95 came along. But I do remember Windows 2.0 coming out then 3.0 and 3.1 after that.

[af_vet_rr]

At $499 this mac is price competitive with a dell PC, may be a bit better or may be a bit worse depending on your needs but it defiantly is competitive..

The amusing thing is, there are people complaining about this thing, as if they expected, for $500, to have a 19" LCD, 1.8GHz G5, 2 gigs of RAM, DVD Burner, 160GB harrdrive (SATA of course).

When humans were first beginning to control and then use fire, the types of people complaining about Apple/Macs would have been there complaining that it was too dangerous, that it hurt their eyes to look at it, that it made the meat taste funny, that it was too hot, etc.

My opinion, the software alone is easily worth %30 of that $500 Mac mini. I've seen, firsthand, people who aren't comfortable with computers (are either new to them or hate them/have had bad experiences with them) use some of the software for the Mac, and become comfortable and adept with it very quickly.

Some people here like to make out that Macs are for simpletons, etc., but the fact is, the software works and is generally designed well (even if Apple and various third party software vendors don't always conform to Apple's UI standards).

A well designed product that does exactly what it's supposed to do, and that wastes as little of your time as possible..nothing wrong with that at all

I'm an Apple stockholder and I approve this message ;-) (I also approve the stock doing well).

[HAL9000]

I remember how DOS users hated the Mac's graphical user interface back then. They swore they would never use a mouse.

A few years later, they decided that Microsoft invented the mouse, so it must be okay to use one.

[rwfromkansas]

1.25GHz...

This is supposed to be impressive?

I can get a 3 Ghz PC with more features for under 600.

Oh, and Apple is opposed to free speech online; they are suing bloggers that talk about Apple.

I will not buy their product. They would want to shut FR down.

http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-bzeff114110936jan11,0,3143210.story?coll=ny-business-headlines

[rwfromkansas]

Exactly.

Apple is really hoodwinking people here.

Apple has always been much more expensive than a PC with the same features.

[rwfromkansas]

VNC is good stuff.

It is great to access work stuff at home....I can do almost anything.

[rwfromkansas]

If you want a small computer, get a laptop.

At least then you can carry it all over the place.

[rwfromkansas]

And Mac laptops are expensive as hell.

[rwfromkansas]

For all the supposed problems Windows has, I can't remember the last time my Dell crashed or even locked up for any period of time.

And no spyware or viruses.

[ThinkDifferent]

I can get a 3 Ghz PC with more features for under 600.

You certainly can. It will be big, noisy, ugly, and won't run OS X. If you don't care about any of that, go for it.

Oh, and Apple is opposed to free speech online; they are suing bloggers that talk about Apple.

No, they're suing unknown individuals who released information that was under NDA, and subpoenaed the bloggers who posted the information to identify them. I don't think they should win, but it's not an outrageous action.

[rwfromkansas]

Can one build a laptop, or just regular tower units?

[ThinkDifferent]

And Mac laptops are expensive as hell.

$1000?

[rwfromkansas]

Ever heard of ballparks?

You do realize that 20 years ago it was 1985?

[JenB]

Be careful, the Mac lovers will flame you. Don't talk about reality...

[BigSkyFreeper]

Integrated Intel Graphic chipset.

That is one reason I do not care for prepackaged computer systems. The integrated chipset, the software modems, and chintzy audio cards are the reasons why computers are cheap.

The next one I own will be one I put together on my own.

[rwfromkansas]

Mine is not noisy. It is not a beauty, but who cares.

[rwfromkansas]

not as much features as the PC laptop

[BigSkyFreeper]

You got a USB keyboard? How about a USB Mouse?

just your standard 101 key PS/2 keyboard, and the MS optical Intellimouse which either can plug into the USB port (by default) but came with a small PS/2 adaptor.