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Originally Posted by eric2006 You can get an iBook for 700 bucks, and minis for sub-400 bucks at the refurb store. If you really want a cheap way to test out OS X, get one of those. PC's are not made for the mac experience.. it's just not the same with a PC. Plus, the refurbs come with OS X and iLife, everything you need to start working (or playing). iWork is only 79 bucks. MS Office is 279. Need I say more?
The OS X experience is tempting.. don't go to jail for it! |
Well, iWork isn't MS Office, and comparing the two isn't really fair. Office has Excel, which is the standard spreadsheet app that every Windows user has installed on their computer and is familiar with. This is the one app that has not been outdone by any other company in recent years, and it's what keeps Microsoft Office flying off the shelves for PC users. iWork is missing too much to be considered an office-capable package. It doesn't really compete with Office, so this is OK.
I wouldn't pay for any additional software if all I wanted to do was test a cheaper Mac. TextEdit will give you your simple word processor, and iLife is the perfect small taste of what a Mac can do. Office looks nicer on a Mac than a PC, so a PC user will appreciate that, like I did. They can install the Office test drive that comes with their new/used Mac and get a feel for it.
I agree completely with fryke that Apple would do best by offering a bootable test drive DVD of the Mac OS. They have little on their Web site that really highlights the Mac OS because you have to be able to use it for a few minutes to see what it can do. Many will say, "tell them to go to an Apple store and test it out." Yeah, that's fine, but they won't, and that attitude isn't going to sell more Macs. It only reenforces the PC users view of the arrogant Mac user (i.e. - "We have the best OS. You are all stupid for using Windows. We don't really care if you switch, but, if you want to, you have to come to us, because we don't need you.").