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?
Sounds like he’d do fine with an Ipad, and wifi. You can adjust the font size readability.
No reason to get a Macbook Pro, at that price. The Macbook itself would be overkill, but if you must, stick to the smaller 13” and at a more reasonable price, and once again, make the print bigger. 17” laptops are cumbersome and meant for professional work, graphics, etc. Oh, and with a laptop, it’s a great idea to get Applecare via Ebay. Normally a rip off, you need the extended warranty on a mac laptop.
I’ve been in your shoes though, and couldn’t talk someone out of overspending because they had fantasies of building spaceships on their laptop.
Sounds like an iMac would be a better fit. MacBookPro is spending dollars on portability and features made for the graphics or business professional on the go.
An iMac has every bit the quality and performance along with a better monitor. Pretty slick machine for the described purpose.
I have never tried the Apple wireless keyboard. Stick with the standard wired keyboard and the quality is top notch.
Go for it. Macs work, and just keep on working.
Depends on how pro tax you are. The computer world has had the term Apple Tax around for years for a reason.
What about the Air?
Well, it depends on what his time is worth. And, more importantly, what is YOUR time worth, since he’s going to probably call you for help when there’s a problem.
For example: I have enough money to buy any computer system I want, and as many of them as I want.
What I don’t have is enough time to cater to every stupid problem that Windows presents on a daily basis. So my wife and I, both veteran programmers (she of Unix kernels and compilers, I of embedded systems, mini’s, mainframes, Macs, PC’s, Unix, the whole lot) of the computer industry since the early 80’s, run Macs. Why? Because if I were billing my time for fixing a computer, I’d be charging over $200/hour - that was my billing rate in the past. So I figure that in the years we ran Windows, there would be about 10+ hours per year per computer of idiotic nonsense that required I wrangle a Windows system to exorcise some bit of stupidity or clean up after a crash.
Call that $2,000/year of my time that I had to sink into Windows per Windows box.
We’d keep a Windows system for at least three years, so over the lifetime of each system, so that would be $6K/computer-life I’d be sinking into Windows.
We converted the entire household over to Macs and that was that. Now I spend my time on other things, not computer problems.
About a year after we converted and I had the “light bulb” moment where I realized how much time I had NOT spent on pissing into system issues on the Mac, I ceased working on Windows systems for other people, even if they were paying. I reckoned that I could bill out my time at $200/hour for farting around with Windows systems... or I could spend my time trading in the markets and potentially making thousands of dollars per hour, or I could be farming, fixing stuff around the house.... anything else other than doing truly stupid stuff with Windows as a result of their idiotic engineering decisions.
My point is this: Computers, especially Windows systems, can be incredible time sinks. Your relative just wants to piddle around on the ‘net. If it is his money AND his time, then get him what they want.
If it is his money and YOUR time... then think about how much of your time you want to invest in this.
You can always get or make more money.
You can never make more time.
I bought a used recent MB with a trashed display for $50. Added a 32” HDMI/VGA TV from BestBuy for $279. Total with VGA adapter, speakers ~$400.
Well said. Your words make sense. Many of us, however, do not charge our friends and relatives $200 an hour for tech support. Are you proud of that stance?
It’s worth it. They are built better. He will not be sorry.
Yep.
Because it makes them learn that a) my time is valuable, b) they can do it themselves too.
It is amazing how many people learn how to not clog up a toilet after the first time they call a plumber.
It’s the best laptop. I love viewing movies and TV on my daughter’s 15” Mac Book Pro. Don’t they discount the previous year’s model in September?
A physical system like plumbing has rules. I’m glad you value yourself so much higher than kindness towards others. It all comes back ace.
Most of my work is web, email, MS Office and Photoshop. I had a 15” PowerBook G4 before and it was kind of bulky and not as comfortable to use on the couch as my current 13” is. I have a external 19” Dell monitor and wireless keyboard and mouse for heavy use.
Computers have rules too, which if learned, prevent plenty of problems.
I don’t expect my relatives who are doctors to treat me for free. I don’t expect my friends who are dentists to clean my teeth for free. I don’t expect farmers to give away their crops for free and I don’t expect mechanics will fix my car for free.
I volunteer much more of my time than most other people, often with expensive equipment involved, and when I do, it is of my choosing to do so. People who want to use my time because they wanted to buy the cheapest piece of crap Windows system available... well, they don’t get so much of my time.
The people who think that Windows is “cheap” are the problem here. My point is this: When one’s time is considered, Windows is not “cheap.”
Yes, your words are salient. Responding to the thread I assume bare bones. We were on one... ? :)
That’s my point. The “bare bones” or lowest-cost Windows systems for relatives and friends become time pits.
I just went through this with my brother-in-law. I was willing to ante up more money than my in-laws to help buy the guy a more expensive (but still Windows) system, because I knew there would be problems. Just as I’m saying here. I knew it. I said that there would be issues.
But no, the in-laws wouldn’t hear of it. Max budget of $400.
So now I get to hear of my brother-in-law’s misadventures with a computer for “only surfing and emailing” about... oh, Every. Other. Week.
Guess who gets to do the legwork to find the answers to the problems? Go ahead. Take a wild guess.
You are implying Macs are idiot proof. Not buying it. I’ve built machines that lasted many years, for free, they still run. Some of them (users)will admit to being idiots, but smarter for the concern. It’s easy to fix or replace a PC. Whole or in parts. Apple is Apple. Unix theft IMO.
No, he should not get a Macbook pro.
Not just for web surfing.
Instead, get him an iPAD2...
Only $500
<<<< Oh, you’ll often find Mac users tend to be very pushy about how wonderful Macs are. >>>>>>
I’ve got both. A mac and a pc. So far, the MAC is winning hands down. Its not even a comparison.
The pc has decided that it likes to take 5 minutes to startup and shutdown...
My daughters pc decided to corrupt itself. I spent a day rebuilding it.
The mac has been trouble free.
Well, not quite trouble free. I killed the keyboard by spilling a drink on it. Took it into the mac store to buy a new one. Didn’t get seven words out of my mouth... They guy said, thank you for your honesty, went and got down a new keyboard and handed it to me. No warranty check, not nothing. 5 minutes and gone.
<<<<< I think it’s from cognitive dissonance justifying the outrageous heaps of cash they laid out for it. Hell, for $2500, you could buy a new PC every several months. >>>>>>>>>
and you would probably need to.
Get him an iPAD2. It would work great for surfing.
>>>> Well, it depends on what his time is worth. And, more importantly, what is YOUR time worth, since he’s going to probably call you for help when there’s a problem. <<<
BINGO.
My stepmom finally made the switch.
My dad and her had PC’s for decades.
But she needed a digital starball for her workplace, and they used an iMAC.
Well, that started the ball rolling.
So the next computer was a portable Mac.
The PC’s in the house now just sit there. The nice 17” PC is just gathering dust.
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