Computers

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Not Bob
Whoops. We just bought a MacBook last night (the $1299 white one -- didn't feel like spending an extra $200 to get a black one). Of course, we did get the AppleCare or whatever they call it extended warranty thingy. Hope we don't need it, but shit happens.

Question though -- how do you get the browser to open as a full screen? Frustrating -- I am used to clicking the middle button on the upper right of the screen to maximize. I'm sure that there is an easy answer, but my 15 minutes of screwing around with it when I brought it home last night didn't reveal it.

And how does Office for OX work? I am going to order a copy from the apple store online (the reseller didn't have it in stock) -- older brother Not Nick assures me that it will work fine, but he drank the Steve Jobs Kool Aid about 20 years ago, so he would say that. I've seen some reviews suggest that it's a bit slow and buggy.

Browser: Drag the lower right corner to adjust the size.

Office. Works fine. It's not written for the Intel chips (as in your Mac Book), but it works under the emulator. Tht has slowed it down a bit, but not in ways you're likely to notice. It's basically teh same as Office 2003 for windows, except a year newer, so they've caught some of the bugs and implemented some other neat features.

As for Mac reliability: I have had a Mac since college. Three macs in ~17 years. I discarded the first two only because they had become so outdated that they weren't doing what I needed. (I confess I had to buy a $25 ethernet card for one because the built-in didn't work--not sure if it was fried or something else). My parents have had several macs. The only problem with any of them was (a) user error (which I then spent time fixing) and (b) a dead battery in an old iBook (and I'm not sure that couldn't be fixed, but it's been replaced so I won't bother). Obviously YMMV. But the PCs I've been exposed to have had components go out much more quickly.

[Not Bob]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Browser: Drag the lower right corner to adjust the size.

Sweet. Thanks.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Browser: Drag the lower right corner to adjust the size.

Office. Works fine. It's not written for the Intel chips (as in your Mac Book), but it works under the emulator. Tht has slowed it down a bit, but not in ways you're likely to notice. It's basically teh same as Office 2003 for windows, except a year newer, so they've caught some of the bugs and implemented some other neat features.

As for Mac reliability: I have had a Mac since college. Three macs in ~17 years. I discarded the first two only because they had become so outdated that they weren't doing what I needed. (I confess I had to buy a $25 ethernet card for one because the built-in didn't work--not sure if it was fried or something else). My parents have had several macs. The only problem with any of them was (a) user error (which I then spent time fixing) and (b) a dead battery in an old iBook (and I'm not sure that couldn't be fixed, but it's been replaced so I won't bother). Obviously YMMV. But the PCs I've been exposed to have had components go out much more quickly.

I'm glad to hear that other people have had better luck, My daughter's iBook with the G3 was a piece of shit. The logic board fried every three months like closkwork. They always replaced it without charge, but each time it was out for service for two weeks. I began to think of it as the Jaguar of computers. Eventually they replaced the machine with a G4 and she's had somewhat better luck with this one, but it's still been in for service twice now.

I like what I've seen and read about the MacBook, but I'm going to wait a while to see if it really lives up to its hype.

[pony_trekker]

Originally posted by Not Bob
Whoops. We just bought a MacBook last night (the $1299 white one -- didn't feel like spending an extra $200 to get a black one). Of course, we did get the AppleCare or whatever they call it extended warranty thingy. Hope we don't need it, but shit happens.

Question though -- how do you get the browser to open as a full screen? Frustrating -- I am used to clicking the middle button on the upper right of the screen to maximize. I'm sure that there is an easy answer, but my 15 minutes of screwing around with it when I brought it home last night didn't reveal it.

And how does Office for OX work? I am going to order a copy from the apple store online (the reseller didn't have it in stock) -- older brother Not Nick assures me that it will work fine, but he drank the Steve Jobs Kool Aid about 20 years ago, so he would say that. I've seen some reviews suggest that it's a bit slow and buggy.

You gotta stretch it full screen by dragging on the right bottom corner.

I have office and it runs absolutely fucking fine.

As far as PC hardware being fixed my experience has been that I bring it to a 'puter guy and he says "yeah it's fucked and I can fix it for more than you can buy a new one."

And for software. Freeze reboot. Repeat ad nauseum.

[Oliver_Wendell_Ramone]

In serious need of a new computer at home, and leaning majorly towards an iMac. Can anybody convince me I shouldn't go Apple? Pretty simple needs: 'net, banking/finances, music and photos, occasionally work, some kid stuff. Also needs to look nice, as it will likely be in a pretty prominant location. iMac seems the best fit, but I'm interested in other thoughts/suggestions.

[pony_trekker]

Originally posted by Oliver_Wendell_Ramone
In serious need of a new computer at home, and leaning majorly towards an iMac. Can anybody convince me I shouldn't go Apple? Pretty simple needs: 'net, banking/finances, music and photos, occasionally work, some kid stuff. Also needs to look nice, as it will likely be in a pretty prominant location. iMac seems the best fit, but I'm interested in other thoughts/suggestions.

Music and photos: definitely mac. Not even close. Add easy video editing capability, DVD burning that's easy and easy net and email and the mac is a no brainer. Imac is cool but you can also try the mac mini and keep your monitor, keyboard, etc. But the imac is a lot of 'puter for the money.

As far as work, Word and Xcel for mac are very solid programs and documents created on them seamlessly integrate with PC versions.

I set up an airport network in my house in about 5 minutes. Then, when I got a second mac for my kid, it recognized the network and set itself up in 2 minutes.

Even my dad, whose last technological purchase was a color tv is considering a mac.

One warning is banking/finance software. Quicken for mac doesn't even work. Seriously. Read the customer reviews on Amazon and CNET. You'd be better off getting Windows quicken and parallels. Burger also gave me a hint at some other finance software but I just keep my banking info online.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Oliver_Wendell_Ramone
In serious need of a new computer at home, and leaning majorly towards an iMac. Can anybody convince me I shouldn't go Apple? Pretty simple needs: 'net, banking/finances, music and photos, occasionally work, some kid stuff. Also needs to look nice, as it will likely be in a pretty prominant location. iMac seems the best fit, but I'm interested in other thoughts/suggestions.

2. I am in the same boat, although considering Macifying for the holidays. A couple of Macbooks one for home (wife) and one for me/work (with parallels, so its compatible with work network) and an iMac for the kids.

[pony_trekker]

Originally posted by Penske_Account
2. I am in the same boat, although considering Macifying for the holidays. A couple of Macbooks one for home (wife) and one for me/work (with parallels, so its compatible with work network) and an iMac for the kids.

It should be compatible with the network out of the box -- proprietary programs being another story.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by pony_trekker
It should be compatible with the network out of the box -- proprietary programs being another story.

bootcamp, yes?

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by pony_trekker
It should be compatible with the network out of the box -- proprietary programs being another story.

I believe most of the remote access programs that firms use come in a Mac flavor. Cisco VPN certainly does. And now that everyone has blackberry email, the only thing you need remote access for is documents. Get a key drive and bring home what you need.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Oliver_Wendell_Ramone
In serious need of a new computer at home, and leaning majorly towards an iMac. Can anybody convince me I shouldn't go Apple? Pretty simple needs: 'net, banking/finances, music and photos, occasionally work, some kid stuff. Also needs to look nice, as it will likely be in a pretty prominant location. iMac seems the best fit, but I'm interested in other thoughts/suggestions.

Another possibility, if you want to spend a bit more, is to get a MacBook and a good sized monitor. Add a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and you can use it in the living room, but unplug it for taking to the bedroom or outside. That said, an iMac is an excellent choice. Will do what you need it to.


Also, 2 to what Pony said, except I've found quicken serviceable. I acknowledge the complaints, though, and wish they'd improve it.

[robustpuppy]

Is there anyway to resize a picture file (not the picture itself) so that it is smaller? I have a 400k picture that I need to reduce to 100k. Apologies if this is a stupid question but it's something I've actually never had need to do before.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
Is there anyway to resize a picture file (not the picture itself) so that it is smaller? I have a 400k picture that I need to reduce to 100k. Apologies if this is a stupid question but it's something I've actually never had need to do before.

This is going to be very hepful, but I do know it's possible to do this because I've done it. I just don't know how I did it. I mean, I know I used one of two different programs, but I don't know the names of either of them. They are on my home computer if you want to wait 6 hours or so for an answer.

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
This is going to be very hepful, but I do know it's possible to do this because I've done it. I just don't know how I did it. I mean, I know I used one of two different programs, but I don't know the names of either of them. They are on my home computer if you want to wait 6 hours or so for an answer.

If you are thinking of irfanview, that changes the picture size, but doesn't affect the size of the file -- at least not when I do it.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
If you are thinking of irfanview, that changes the picture size, but doesn't affect the size of the file -- at least not when I do it.

No. I was specifically and consciously changing the size of the file. It made the picture look not quite as good, but it went from like 1.2 MB to 400kb, and then could be posted where I wanted to post it.


No noir was involved.