If you were going to buy a Mac....

[AtlantaBob]

Hi all.

So I'm a graduate student who uses linux in my research. I don't need a terribly powerful computer (I can wait for my simulations to run) but I'm tired of coding Python on a laptop. Financially, I'm doing ok (no debt, etc) but I'm stingy. I'd also like to have this run Picassa, etc. to keep track of photos, iTunes for music, etc.

I'm leaning towards a Mac. My options:

From Apple:
2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x1GB
120GB Serial ATA Drive
SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
$640 including tax/shipping, etc.

From Microcenter:
1.83 GHZ Intel Core Duo
2 GB Ram
80GB HDD
DVDRom/CD Burner
$462. including tax/shipping/etc. That includes having the Microcenter people upgrade the RAM for $20 (plus cost @ $20 for 2 GB). From hearing about how hard it is to open the mini, I think it's a deal.

The microcenter mini is the earlier version and has integrated graphics...

If not, I'd probably go for a Dell. One deal here has an Intel E5200, 3 GB memory, 320 GB HDD for $299.

Most of what I do is python/mysql. It's important that this be as compatible as possible with Ubuntu 9.04 running on my work computer (an OLD Dell SC420). I'd like crontab and all of the usual linux accessories. But most of all, I'd like things to work. I'm tired of always having to look at how hot the laoptop is running, and whether or not the hard disk bug will increase the load/unload count too much. It'd be nice to play DVD's while working too.

I already have the monitor and the keyboard. I don't really play games (other than the minesweeper/tetris versions) so graphics aren't a key concern. I'd probably need to load bootcamp from time to time for some research-specific programs.

After writing this, I'm really leaning towards the Microcenter Mini. Any reason why not?

Thanks in advance...

 

[Rebel44]

Intel E5200, 3 GB memory, 320 GB HDD for $299.

- This

 

[vj8usa]

Another vote for the Dell. Significantly better hardware for a much lower price, that's a no-brainer.

 

[VinylxScratches]

Mac Mini.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

You're wasting money if you go with a proprietary, stupid people OS, users are in a cult, mac.

 

[AtlantaBob]

Well, just so everyone knows, I ended up getting the Mac. I have to say, I love it. All of the goods parts about Linux* (crontab, etc.), but this actually works. No need to research every little problem and then sudo apt-get .... edit arcane files, etc.

I was impressed with Linux on the desktop with Ubuntu 9.04, but this is just heavenly. If I really needed top-of-the-line hardware, and was into gaming, I really would have gone with the Dell. But for what I need -- a DVD playing in the background, a couple of dozen tabs open in Safari, and doing some graphs, the system is handling it just fine. And for what it's worth, R (a statistics program) plots 10K data points in about a second... so, count me in. I drank the cool aid.

Yeah, I know, it's FreeBSD based...

 

[VinylxScratches]

Originally posted by: WaitingForNehalem
You're wasting money if you go with a proprietary, stupid people OS, users are in a cult, mac.

I hope you don't use Windows with a comment like that.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches

Originally posted by: WaitingForNehalem
You're wasting money if you go with a proprietary, stupid people OS, users are in a cult, mac.

I hope you don't use Windows with a comment like that.

Theres a difference between a proprietary os in the sense that it is tied to a certain brand of pc's and a closed source os. Secondly, Windows can be used by newbs or IT techs. Thirdly, Windows def isn't a cult like mac people are. Half the people that use a pc don't even know what Windows is.

 

[VinylxScratches]

Doesn't matter, get off your high horse man. You are attempting to rip on an OS by calling it proprietary while you are using a Windows OS.

OS X can be used by newbs and IT Techs and anyone. It even is Unix certified. I don't get where you get that idea from? What cult?

You are a moron.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches

You are a moron.

Thanks

 

[AtlantaBob]

Apologies, guys. Didn't mean to start a Windows/Mac thread. Both are good for different things.... this one just happened to work out well for me at the moment.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

Don't be, you didn't give out personal attacks over an operating system.

 

[VinylxScratches]

Haha. You claim all Mac people are in a cult. Stop trying to act you're civilized over me.

 

[TheStu]

At the end of the day, they will both work just fine, and Windows 7 is just about the best thing I have seen out of Redmond in a LOOOOOONG time. XP got the job done, Vista was better, but 7 just feels so much nicer.

My grandfather asked me why I got a Mac. Short answer was that at the time it was the cheapest 13" dual core laptop on the market, and the only one that would let my run any OS legally (well, any OS that I would need) since I was going to be studying Software Engineering. I have since come to greatly prefer the interface to Windows, it is just all the little things that are hard to quantify. QuickLook, Expose, and the fact that it feels like it gets out of my way to let me use my computer.

However, like I said, at the end of the day, you can surf the web with any of the OSes, you can check your email, you can write reports, all of that. Saying that one is inherently better than the other, or has more of a cult following is just plain wrong. However, I think that of the big three (if you will allow me to lump Linux all into one category) Linux has the most cult-like following given how small their share of the market is (consumer wise) not just percentage of installed, but also in terms of how many people really know what it is.

Oh and Nehalem, OS X is but isn't a closed source system. It is in the sense that you cannot freely copy the OS like say Linux, but isn't in that it is ultimately Unix based and certified. Windows is also a fairly closed system. Yes, it runs on more hardware mixes than OS X, but it is neither free as in beer or speech either.

There are fanboys on both sides of the fence, and I would definitely admit that I lean toward Mac fanboy-ism. No, I do not think that they can do no wrong, but I am generally very impressed by most of what they put out in the market.