would somebody hold me, please. i am about to breakdown

M

mactaco

Registered
tightly, but not so tightly...

so err ahem hrrr pprrr. I decided to purchase my first Mac. So there is an option of me purchasing a 15in/combo drive/ PowerBook on a loan with a student discount. I can probably dance around, but it won't get any lower than 1799.

However, there is all this talk of last round of updates to hardware.

WTF do I do? Sit, jump like monkey and click around the apple store, or just close my eyes and buy it.
 
mactaco said:
tightly, but not so tightly...

so err ahem hrrr pprrr. I decided to purchase my first Mac. So there is an option of me purchasing a 15in/combo drive/ PowerBook on a loan with a student discount. I can probably dance around, but it won't get any lower than 1799.

However, there is all this talk of last round of updates to hardware.

WTF do I do? Sit, jump like monkey and click around the apple store, or just close my eyes and buy it.
Click to expand...

Have you ever used Mac OS X for an extended period of time? I know the PowerBooks are sexy, but maybe you want to start off with something that isn't as big of an investment. OS X isn't for everyone as much as we all like to think it is, and I despise using Windows. You could get something more affordable like an iBook and see if you like it. Of course if you do like it, you will be kicking your self for not getting the PowerBook :p

If I were you, I'd just turn my head and click the submit button, but I DO have a problem with buying computers.
 
mactaco said:
tightly, but not so tightly...

so err ahem hrrr pprrr. I decided to purchase my first Mac. So there is an option of me purchasing a 15in/combo drive/ PowerBook on a loan with a student discount. I can probably dance around, but it won't get any lower than 1799.

However, there is all this talk of last round of updates to hardware.

WTF do I do? Sit, jump like monkey and click around the apple store, or just close my eyes and buy it.
Click to expand...
You can be assured that new computers are coming. That is way of the computer market--something new is always on the way. However, you cannot use the computer that is on the way, you can only use the ones that are on the market up til now. If you can swing the $1799, then go ahead and place your order. If Apple is soon to replace the model you ordered, it will ship the newer, better replacement. Computers, cars, and homes are all large investments. If you are going to spend this kind of money, it makes precious little sense to buy anything less than what you want. Enjoy your new PowerBook.
 
Yeah, imagine the beauty of NEVER having to buy a new computer :) That would rock. Not gonna happen though. Anywho, get the best of what you can afford realistically. I like my iBook a lot, and I look forward to a new i(ntel)Book widescreen :p I'm willing to replace it more often than I would a PB because I like getting new stuff...my .02, and after reading my response, I'm not sure I helped...well I tried anyway :)

joneSi

PS. Mac OS X is NOT for everybody...yes its great. But for my parents, nope. No need to learn anything non Windows for them, out of my own sanity.
 
joneSi said:
PS. Mac OS X is NOT for everybody...yes its great. But for my parents, nope. No need to learn anything non Windows for them, out of my own sanity.
Click to expand...

Ha, yes I can totally relate to that! Converted my whole family.... :p

I agree with MisterMe. An important life lesson is to only pay for what you can be happy with, and if you can't buy what you would be happy with, learn to live with what you have. If you can hack the 1.8k, do it! You won't regret getting a great Mac. And don't worry about updates; In the computer world, if you don't live in the present as a consumer, you'll go insane. There's always going to be something better.
 
Obviously, since youre a student, you want something portable. Also, the Powerbook is an excellent computer. I just made the switch from a Dell Laptop (1.8 GHz). I had been a Mac user many years ago but got fed up with the operating system of the time. It kept on freezing and the force quit function at the time sucked!!! Needless to say, after years of Win 98 and Win XP, I got fed up with the adware/spyboy/popups/viruses that plagues the Windows. I heard great things about Tiger and so I made the big leap.

Granted the world is primed towards Microsoft and Windows, but in the end, my decision was well worth it. Tiger runs great and you will pick it up in no time. My learning curve involved accidently deleting my DOCUMENTS folder but with only about one weeks worth of changes to my files. Hopefully, if you get a mac, your learning curve wont involve that.

In the end, I say go for it. The Powerbooks are great machines. You wont be dissatisfied. Dont worry about all the talk of the intel switch, the first round to come (involving a 1.5 year transition period) will most like be a little buggy. you will therefore have at least 2 - 3 years of usability. Thats pretty good for any computers.

Hate Eternal has a great suggestion of getting the IBook if you want to save a little cash. Spend the money you save on RAM, nice case, and whatever accessories. The only difference between the two is perhaps a little bit of speed from the processor differences (youre talking milliseconds) and the powerbook (but not the IBook) supports dual monitors for extended desktop capability. The Ibook only allows you to connect a monitor and mirror the laptop display.

Good luck and computing.
 
i got a powermac. now the imac friend is buying is faster, and it cost her less than half. HA!

technology moves forward all the time, and those powerbooks are VERY good. you would be waiting probably a year to get new powerbooks, and yours'll still be screaming by then
 
I would not worry about purchasing a PB in light of Apple switching processors. I just bought a new PB, and Apple will be supporting PPC within the lifetime of your purchase. You need a computer now, go get it. You will not regret the purchase, and will find Tiger a refreshing OS to work on after being bruised by XP.
 
If you need one, get one. If you can wait, wait. If you are thinking laptop, be prepared to wait 2 years as you'll be better off getting a rev b model.
 
Ok thanks for all your answers. I am going to go visit a local mac dealer today in light of them being open on saturdays(!). I think once I'll get my fingers on the pb or ib i will decide which one, but really 1.33 sounds too slow.
 
"...would somebody hold me, please. i am about to breakdown
- tightly, but not so tightly... so err ahem hrrr pprrr."

Forget computers dude - from the "dubious" sounds you're making what you need is a woman! If you want someone to hold you (tightly), comfort you, and make reciprocating noises - I suggest blowing some of that cash of yours in the local red-light district...

At least then, having got rid of your frustrations, you might be able to make a sensible decision.
 
The PowerBooks are much quicker in almost every department, Hard drives, video, cpu and ram. They are much sexier and I am WAY jealous of my brother's, my roomate's, and my friend's PowerBook 12's (I seem to have a big influence on peoples computer purchases, all of these people being previous windows users, one ripped on my Macness all the time.)

I suggested the iBook because they are cheaper and it would be a safer investment just in case you ended up not liking Mac OS X. Both PowerBooks and iBooks hold their value fairly well, I don't think it would be hard to sell either if you felt it wasn't right.

However, if you are looking at the 14 inch iBooks, I would just spend the extra 100 and get a 12 inch PowerBook. The 14 inch screen doesn't have any more pixels than the 12, so you really aren't getting any more screen space. The 12s are tiny, even compared to the 12" iBook.
 
mactaco said:
tightly, but not so tightly...

so err ahem hrrr pprrr. I decided to purchase my first Mac. So there is an option of me purchasing a 15in/combo drive/ PowerBook on a loan with a student discount. I can probably dance around, but it won't get any lower than 1799.

However, there is all this talk of last round of updates to hardware.

WTF do I do? Sit, jump like monkey and click around the apple store, or just close my eyes and buy it.
Click to expand...

If OS X is for you there are only two considerations:

1. Computers move on all the time, will the machine you buy NOW do the job you want?
2. Is the price you are spending going to give you the value you need?

Personally I'd go for an iBook rather than a PowerBook and get software and stuff with the money you save or bank it and put it towards the next generation Intel machines when they start to appear.

Also 1.33 speed or whatever is not really that much of a consideration, my Mac mini is a 1.25GHz machine and flies along and does jobs faster than my old AMD PC which had double the clock speed, if you're using it just for college/university you don't need much horsepower.
 
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