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Apple PowerBook G4 seems to be a hit!


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JHromadka
VisorCentral Staff

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

quote:
Originally posted by BertBert
The only thing is -- and I ask this because I am Macintosh-challenged and never had to deal with crossing platforms -- I have so much software that is just for the PC... and if I get a mac, how much of that is obsolete? And how about years and years of MS Word documents, course gradebooks on Excel, etc.? Will Mac software auto-convert that stuff? Basically I am wondering if I make the leap into Macs, will my software and applications all be unusable, will I have to spend $$$ on software to make all my current stuff work, or were people at Apple smart enough to consider that and account for it already?

Well I was a Mac "hater" up until about 6 years ago when I had to teach using them. I didn't know a thing about them but was able to use and teach Office using them. I also don't like the direction MS is taking with subscription software etc and just feel it's time for a change. Besides, with OS X I can also learn some Unix.

As for your stuff, Homer's right in that you will need either the Mac version (Office, Photoshop, etc) or will need to get Virtual PC and emulate Windows. I work with either Office documents or HTML, and all of that has transferred seamlessly to my TiBook. The only time I use the PC now is when I have to review a product that doesn't work on the Mac (and you can bet I'll mention that in the review).

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James Hromadka
Old Friend

03-31-2001 05:19 AM

dick-richardson
Member

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

I'm keyboarded again, thank everything holy. I have to give it to Apple in terms of design. Even their keyboards look good (and I'm absolutely in love with the optical mouse � no more mouse pad for me). I think Apple may have the magic bullet with their iMac series if they drop price a bit and bump features up a bit. I've been drooling over the new ones, but have found it incredibly easy to "upgrade" the one I own to incorporate features I like (i.e. cd burner, itunes, etc.). I have a feeling I'll be in my mac for an incredibly long time (for me, anyway). And I'll be in a mac as long as they make 'em (unless they seriously screw up). I'm starting a job next week repairing (learning to repair to start off with) pc's. That should boost my love for macs 100 fold, as I realize all the crap that I don't have to troubleshoot.

It's nice to be able to use the computer when my son is sleeping because it's so quite. I couldn't use my mom's computer past 9pm when I lived there, because my sisters (much younger than I) would wake up with the racket it made.

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-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

03-31-2001 06:40 AM

foo fighter
Member

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

quote:
Originally posted by dick-richardson
It's nice to be able to use the computer when my son is sleeping because it's so quite. I couldn't use my mom's computer past 9pm when I lived there, because my sisters (much younger than I) would wake up with the racket it made.

That is yet another reason for my dissatisfaction with the PC platform. Chip makers are achieving faster clock speeds through sheer brute force. The result is massive power hungry CPUs that require huge fans for cooling. What really matters is balanced system performance...not just faster clock speeds. I'd rather see a power efficient, fanless 1GHZ CPU instead of these 1.5GHZ monstrosities we have now that don't even offer that much better performance.

Don't believe Intel's marketing, there's more to system performance than clock speed. Apple isn't exactly telling the truth either with their benchmark tests between G4s and P4s. The PowerMac G4 always seems to outpace even the fastest PC. Hmm....funny that.

But I would have to say the PowerPC processor is more efficient than the Intel or even AMD's offerings.

The only thing I like about the new Athlons, and the P4, is the high-speed system bus which ranges between 200-400MHZ. Why can't Apple/Motorola increase the pipe on their motherboards as PC board makers have? 133MHZ just isn't enough if Apple wants to be the DIGITAL HUB of my world.

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Last edited by foo fighter on 03-31-2001 at 02:44 PM

03-31-2001 02:32 PM

lennonhead
Member

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NJ
Posts: 517

quote:
Originally posted by foo fighter
The only thing I like about the new Athlons, and the P4, is the high-speed system bus which ranges between 200-400MHZ. Why can't Apple/Motorola increase the pipe on their motherboards as PC board makers have? 133MHZ just isn't enough if Apple wants to be the DIGITAL HUB of my world.

I thought the reason the P4 was able to achieve higher bus speeds was the type of RAM they use, which directly relates to the high RAM prices. Until that changes (if my previous statement was correct) Apple should stick with a 133 MHz bus. With RAM prices so low you can have a completely decked out system for cheap.

I love my optical Pro Mouse too! I used to have to clean the old mouse every month or two (and the squeals it would make

quote:
by dick-richardson
...because my sisters (much younger than I)...

I still remember that

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03-31-2001 06:16 PM

dick-richardson
Member

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

quote:
Originally posted by lennonhead
...I still remember that !

Just helping out the newbies.

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-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

03-31-2001 06:35 PM

foo fighter
Member

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

quote:
Originally posted by lennonhead
I thought the reason the P4 was able to achieve higher bus speeds was the type of RAM they use, which directly relates to the high RAM prices. Until that changes (if my previous statement was correct) Apple should stick with a 133 MHz bus. With RAM prices so low you can have a completely decked out system for cheap.

Both the P4 and the Athlon each have high-speed FSB, thank's to "next generation" RAM. But while the P4 uses highly expensive RAMBUS (RDRAM), the Athlon uses a faster, more efficient, and cheaper new standard called DDR (Double Data Rate). DDR is almost as cheap as the PC133 memory that Apple uses now. One of my predictions for Macworld in July, is that Apple will announce improved G4s with higher clock speeds (somewhere in the 833 and above range, along with more DUAL processor systems) and DDR memory support.

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03-31-2001 07:24 PM