# To buy IBook or not to buy



## o0o_Max_o0o (Feb 5, 2004)

Hi All!
I have a little problem. All my live I have been using windows based systems, but now i'm thinking of buying an Ibook. I want to use this at university and also around the place at home. Now, my problem is that I can't decide if I should buy the IBook or not. I still want to be able to do all the things I can do with my PC - and at the same cost. I'm mainly afraid that I won't find the software I need, and will have to buy some expensive software solution which I really don't have the money for, seeing the Ibook already costs a lot of money.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!


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## Arden (Feb 5, 2004)

What do you want/need to do with your iBook?  Macs are quite capable at keeping up with their PC brethren in most areas of computing.  They also come with a great selection of software, including iLife (which is composed of iTunes, iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto and GarageBand) and Appleworks.  If you use a certain program on your PC, like Photoshop or Premier, you will need to buy the Mac version or an equivalent program (Premier => Final Cut) which can cost a lot of money, but there are usually shareware, freeware or command-line alternatives.  Let us know what you need and we'll be glad to point you in the right direction.


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## Zammy-Sam (Feb 6, 2004)

there is MS Office X for macosx too.
Guess most of the standard software bundles are covered. If you are into games, you should rather not "think different". 
And welcome to the forum


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## powermac (Feb 6, 2004)

Buy iBook. Macs are very capable and then some. Zammy-Sam is right, except games, you should be thinking of an iBook. I have 12' G4, use it for work, and I love it.


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## Surronded (Feb 6, 2004)

I was a PC user, and I've just bought my iBook G4 933. Now I love my Mac, and I can do all I want with it. I surf the net (Safari, IE Explorer), making documents (Office v.X, AppleWorks), Editing images (Photoshop 8), Making my website (Dreamweaver MX), listening to music (iTunes), watching videos (Quicktime, Windows Media Player, VideoLan Client, RealOne, MPlayer)(including Divx, Xvid, Ogg,...), Programming (not yet)(Xcode, AppleScript), burning Cd's (Toast), chatting (iChat(AIM & ICQ), Windows Messenger),...


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## Surronded (Feb 6, 2004)

There are Mac Games, not a lot but some interesting ones: Neverwinter Nights, Baldur's Gate 2, Icewind Dale, Unreal Tournament, Quake 3, Stracraft, Warcraft Saga, Tropico, Heroes, Civilization, Halo,...


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## Surronded (Feb 6, 2004)

I forgot iPhoto (upload photos from you digital camera) and iMovie (make some nice movies)


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## Randman (Feb 6, 2004)

Don't forget wireless surfing, GarageBand, virus-free and able to run Windoze via VPC, among many, many other things.


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## Giaguara (Feb 6, 2004)

OpenOffice works fine for Mac, and with iBook you get a bundle of AppleWorks too. 

I was thinking the same way you did, whether I could find the software I need for Mac. Now I wonder if I could find the software I need and use if I used windows. 

Tell which specific kind of programs / for doing what (e.g. digicam management, photo editing, scanner, chat program etc) you are most worried about. Maybe we can show you already alternatives for them in mac.

Macs have over 10,000 software, for os x. Many are freeware, or cheap. Most software available you can find links and reviews (with ratings) at http://www.versiontracker.com - browes by category and you will find a lot of nice ones to try.


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## Zammy-Sam (Feb 6, 2004)

Surronded said:
			
		

> I was a PC user, and I've just bought my iBook G4 933. Now I love my Mac, and I can do all I want with it. I surf the net (Safari, IE Explorer), making documents (Office v.X, AppleWorks), Editing images (Photoshop 8), Making my website (Dreamweaver MX), listening to music (iTunes), watching videos (Quicktime, Windows Media Player, VideoLan Client, RealOne, MPlayer)(including Divx, Xvid, Ogg,...), Programming (not yet)(Xcode, AppleScript), burning Cd's (Toast), chatting (iChat(AIM & ICQ), Windows Messenger),...



Uffff, someone is pretty rich!


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## o0o_Max_o0o (Feb 6, 2004)

Surronded said:
			
		

> I was a PC user, and I've just bought my iBook G4 933. Now I love my Mac, and I can do all I want with it. I surf the net (Safari, IE Explorer), making documents (Office v.X, AppleWorks), Editing images (Photoshop 8), Making my website (Dreamweaver MX), listening to music (iTunes), watching videos (Quicktime, Windows Media Player, VideoLan Client, RealOne, MPlayer)(including Divx, Xvid, Ogg,...), Programming (not yet)(Xcode, AppleScript), burning Cd's (Toast), chatting (iChat(AIM & ICQ), Windows Messenger),...



First of all, I'd like to thank you all for your advice and for welcoming me into this forum!
I guess from what you have said there is a wide range of software available. The problem is, as a uni student, living by myself and supporting myself I wont have that much money left over for software. I mean, I'll save about $30 a week... So Surronded, didnt all that software cost a lot???


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## Surronded (Feb 6, 2004)

OK,
Safari, IE Explorer, Apple Works, iTunes, Quicktime, iPhoto, iMovie, Xcode, AppleScript and iChat are included in Mac OS X.
Then,
Windows Media Player, VideoLan Client, RealOne, MPlayer and Windows Messenger are free to download.
Last,
Photoshop 8, Dreamweaver MX, Office v.X and Toast is expensive, but if you have friends...


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## diablojota (Feb 6, 2004)

o0o_Max_o0o said:
			
		

> First of all, I'd like to thank you all for your advice and for welcoming me into this forum!
> I guess from what you have said there is a wide range of software available. The problem is, as a uni student, living by myself and supporting myself I wont have that much money left over for software. I mean, I'll save about $30 a week... So Surronded, didnt all that software cost a lot???



Many of these software packages are available at a deeply discounted rate for University students.  Try checking on Apples website for University students.  Some of the packages are already there reflecting the student price.  Otherwise, defer to the vendor website and see if they can provide you with answers to the price for students.


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## Surronded (Feb 6, 2004)

You have a pm


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## diablojota (Feb 6, 2004)

Surronded said:
			
		

> OK,
> Safari, IE Explorer, Apple Works, iTunes, Quicktime, iPhoto, iMovie, Xcode, AppleScript and iChat are included in Mac OS X.
> Then,
> Windows Media Player, VideoLan Client, RealOne, MPlayer and Windows Messenger are free to download.
> ...



They will gladly defer you to their contact where they got the software from


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## markclausing (Feb 15, 2004)

As a student I got a copy of Office X for 15 euros, legally


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## DJ Rep (Mar 13, 2004)

markclausing said:
			
		

> As a student I got a copy of Office X for 15 euros, legally


WHERE?!!! I'm a student, could I do that?!


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