Looking for a thin and light notebook

[Wuzup101]

My head kinda hurts after reading all this crap... hopefully you've found this post atleast a little bit useful. Anyway, I still strongly advocate the mac, despite the numbers showing that it lacks in software support. Truth is there isn't as many software titles written for the mac. Good thing for mac users that the programs that are written for mac work... and there's little need to fix what isn't broken.

Go to any software reseller and you will always have more choices in the PC sector than in the Mac sector. Many computer stores don't even sell mac software. Does this mean it doesn't exist? No... it means you have to order it online usually. Even if a title is made for both platforms, 9 chances out of 10 the store only carries the PC version anyway. Yes, this does suck for those of us who are limited to purchasing our software at best buy. For those of us who do know how to use the internet it's not really a problem. And I'm guessing everyone here does know how to use the internet right? Okay then... Bottom line is there are more PC software programs avaliable at most venders... there's also more out of date PC software... more obsolete PC software... more usless PC software...

I'd like to stress the fact that I'm a recent convert and that this Powerbook that I'm typing on is my first Mac purchase ever. There are 5 other active PCs (4 desktops and a bran new HP laptop in my house) not including the 4 or 5 outdated systems in various closets around here. I purchased this laptop because I wanted something different, I wanted something where the hardware manufacture actually payed attention to what they were doing... where I wasn't always worried about getting viruses and bluescreans every 3 seconds... Though I do think windows XP is the best windows OS to date it still is lacking oh so many things... OSX is a pleasure to use on the other hand.

Also, have you ever considered the fact that having the same company making both the hardware and the OS is benificial to customers. Sure, you don't have as many choices as you do for PCs... oh shoot wait... don't they all run windows? well okay 97% of them run windows, and that other 3% is insignificant right? So basically you have the choice on what hardware to buy... and then you use the same operating system. If you purchased a Mac you'd have less hardware chices (true... though there still are options)... thing is since the OS and hardware are made by the same company the software is taylored to work with the hardware. IMHO the less variables the better when it comes to things like this. Both manufactures support all the newer stuff hardware wise comming out, if that's what you care about.

Bottom line is: unless you need a PC or Mac for a specalized function that only one can handle (or handle well) then you should consider both before making a pruchase. Having a company that uses VS .Net is a very very good reason for sticking with a PC. If I had a piece of softare that was only avaliable for windows and it's what I used every day at work I would consider nothing other than a windows PC (probably an IBM thinkpad). I'm not saying windows machines are bad... they defintely have their purpose... But to say that most people dont use a mac because of a situation like jvarszegi is crazy. Most people that use a windows PC do so because they:

1) Have always used a windows PC and will always use one until they are shown otherwise
2) Don't have the money to pay for a mac... lets face it... they are expensive... not for what you get... but there's not really a "low end" mac like there is a crappy $400 dell system
3) Are hardcore gamers (this is quite justified as most/all hardcore gamers that are also mac fans will admit that they own a pc for gaming... or that they understand this b/c it's defintely a weak spot of the mac platform)

Lets face it... Linux is better than windows... and we all know how many people run linux vs those running windows.

 

[jvarszegi]

I think that the higher price of Macs is partly the lack of competition, which is sort of a problem that Apple has always caused for themselves. I think that this was due to short-sightedness; they probably thought they'd always have a solid business selling the best multimedia machines around, and didn't count on the combined muscle of the likes of IBM, Microsoft, and Intel being so efficient in the long haul.

One thing you forgot to mention, too, is that lots of people now use Windows PCs on the job, which probably contributes to even more home PC sales. I agree totally that most people are either too scared or too lazy to change to something new. Most "power users" can barely operate a simple spreadsheet program. A monopoly can be hard to break just because of the sheer momentum, in the persons of millions of dumbass business users.

I'd personally enjoy having a Mac, but having five PCs in the house already for various purposes and with a baby on the way, I can't really justify the purchase. Or rather, I could justify it to myself, but not to the little lady.

I readily agree that Windows XP is still pretty sucky in lots of ways. I also think that it's a shame that Microsoft's monopolistic strategies are working out so well for them, to the detriment of the entire society (and especially, lately, my industry, since Microsoft is now heavily championing outsourcing).
It's like, after all this time, they've finally managed to produce an OS that's halfway stable, but they still make horrible mistakes all the time. Their recent SP2 abortion renders lots of systems basically unusable in one way or another, and is tough to uninstall.

Companies and home users are switching off of Windows in record numbers. It's just going to take a long time to topple the behemoth, but it will happen. Ten years from now, the combined sway of Apple, Linux/BSD, and maybe the new MorphOS will have levelled the playing field, and things will be much more interesting.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

I agree that Macs are very expensive. And if I had the money at the moment, I honestly wouldnt mind spend almost $3000 for a new Powermac G5.

I know many places that run off of PC's, just like my Uncles shop. All the PC's at my Uncles shop are running Windows 98, and are all running Quickbooks Pro. Problem is, no one there except one person, a very good friend of mine, can run the PC's. We have 3 shops. My friend runs one location, my dad runs one, and my Uncle runs the other. The one my friend works at, the computer stays virus free. While the other two locations, they always have trouble taking care of them. They probably have never heard of anti virus, because those PC's are just full of viruses which we have to take care of like every two weeks. But only if they learned how to take care of the computers, the business would run a lot better.

Well, at least the arguing is over. Good night to both of yall, and take care.

Lets get this back on topic shall we?