h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm about to order an new mac...on Monday to be exact...but there are so many - my head's in a spin...could someone tell me where to begin?!

If you don't help me, I *may* stop loving you.

Well, what are you going to be using it for? That has a big impact on whether you would want one of the laptops, or the iMac, or the big monster model.

Personally, if I were to get a new mac this week, I would be a bit torn between going for a iBook and an iMac -- the former, I could use in bed, which is how I use my primary computer now. The latter would have a much better screen, would be easier/cheaper to soup up, would have a drive that can write to DVDs, and would be a lot easier to use in an ergonomically correct fashion.

But I really do like using a computer from bed. I don't use the desktop I have now much at all because of this.

You actually are helping me?!



I'm writing screenplays, books, downloading & uploading stuff...
the production Co. doing the music for my current film had the good sense to snail mail me the soudtract.That was a close call!

I could never do with a lap top.

I've a spiffy new scanner/printer/fax/etc. that needs a 9.2 or higher.
I didn't know that when I ordered it...I now have an imac OS 8.6
I never read the manual & therein lies my problem...seems I was running up to FIVE programs at the same time. After nearly 5 years of abuse mac jusss died.

I was wondering if the imacX have all the bugs w*rked out yet??

There's no place around here to buy one...so I have to get one via the telephone at MacMall. I want a brand new one that won't mess me about. ...I lost sooooo much w*rk that I cn't bring myself to talk about it, again.

I was thinking about getting a Voice Pilot too...I have a stupid muscle disease & often can't get to mac...I know...perfect for a laptop...however...I don't think I would have ANY reason to get out of bed if I could have my computer in there with me.

Do you know anything about the X's???

Thank you sooooo much for your input!...way back when mac was acting up I tried to get someone from this Guild to help...but to no avail.



Ooooo I wonder how long it would take for a collection of funds to buy my new 'puter might take? I heard that...you'er right, I WOULD be too old by then.

Money is of no issue...as this will be that last computer I buy. And what with my BD a few dazze away & Christmas nearly here...well, I am
worth it!

Hope this finds you & the top of your lap well!

The flat panel iMac is attractive, and it sounds like it would work fine for you. That's what I use, and I love even though the in me told me to go with the super-powered tower model. They are surprisingly heavy, though. I think the new one with the 20 inch screen weighs roughly 40 pounds.

Just about any Mac you buy today will have OS X on it and your scanner/printer/etc should work fine with it as long as they have Mac OS X software - if it's not on the CD that came with the printer, check the manufacturer's web site. OS X takes some getting used to when you first switch from 9 (or 8.5 ) but it works so much better there is no going back (with some exceptions - some software for some reason runs more slowly on X)

I've recently squeezed, and it was a squeeze, OS X onto a 3 year old clamshell iBook, bare minimum system able to run it - sure, it's slow but it's sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo stable (ok, dodgy broadband modem that the manufacturer's no longer support but that goes for PC too!)

And if, a big if (usually when you're online) a program does crash, it doesn't take the system down with it and you can just load the program up and start again

I too would suggest that an iMac would seem to be what you need. I haven't looked at the 20 inch yet, but the 17 is good enough for most people.

Having worked with various OS's over the years, I can tell you that anything Unix based is much more stable than your Windoze or even os-9. I have os-x on my powerbook and have not had a single problem with it, and I love the fact that I can now do a quick check of my mac using the unix commands that I am used to.

In short - be not afraid of os-x, it is easy to get used to.

I have OSX on my ancient iMac (back when they were big lumps rather than the current stylish models), and am very happy with it. However, I would be even *more* happy with it if I had more RAM -- I'd suggest that whatever model you buy, upgrading the RAM a bit -- at least to 512MB, and more if you can afford it. Like the other people said, I'd probably go with the 17inch flat panel iMac if I were you -- the 20inch one is gorgeous, but it's $400 extra for that, which I just don't think is worth it for most people.

The mac that I have, I bought online from the official site - apple.com - and was happy with their service and prices.

The voice recognition software I use on my mac is IBM's "via voice" -- it is truly wonderful. Not only can I lie in bed and use my computer, I can lie in bed under the covers and just talk into the microphone, not even bothering to look at the screen. Most of the time, I use the voice recognition either for dictating large chunks of writing, or for simple commands - "Buster, check my email", that kind of thing.

Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions!

Mikey

Hi Pandora!

EvilRoy is right, the Mac OSX is extremely stable and reliable, however, some of the older programs designed before OSX that you may be be running on it are not. OSX has a built-in OS 9.2.2 on which your older programs can be run, but you may find that the switching back and forth between operating systems causes a few glitches. Nothing serious, just things that require a reboot to solve.

The best thing to do is get an upgrade for each of the programs you normally run along with your new system. This will eliminate the bugs, and you'll be a happy camper.

I've used quite a lot of software on OSX, including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat, CorelDraw, Freehand, and Quark XPress. Early releases of software designed to run on OSX were sometimes riddled with bugs as the software engineers and programmers found themselves under pressure to produce new versions of their products. The latest versions of the Adobe software and Quark have now caught up with the changeover to the Unix-based system and work much much better. Keep in mind that these are massively-complex professional graphic programs, and that the word-writing oriented programs that you normally use should cause you far less trouble.

Your new Mac will come with the third major release of the OSX software, which is Panther 10.3. I've installed it on one of my Mac G4 computers at wo*k, and it seems to be *wonderful* so far. Not a single problem anywhere and it's much easier to set up. Each release is getting steadily better, is easier to use, and I like it much better than I did initially. At first, I hated the OSX software, since it didn't seem to work well with my existing programs ... subsequent upgrades have solved all of that.

How big of a Mac do you need? Well, that's your decision, but I can tell you that a new laptop computer isn't as limited as you might think. With the advent of the USB connection system rather than the old awkward SCSI system, it's now perfectly easy to run any number of peripheral devices with a laptop. Backing up your files is a snap with the built-in CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives, or with any compatible removable disk or tape device of your choice. I can't think of any common device that you couldn't use with a laptop computer these days, and you have the freedom of portability as an added bonus.

Who ever told you that you couldn't run several programs on a Mac at once? That's what RAM is for, my dear! I run seven or eight at a time, sometimes more! My computer hasn't fried yet. Sometimes, you'll find an incompatibility, but when doesn't that happen with billions of programs floating around the planet written by millions of drunken programmers?

If money is no object, then by all means, buy the biggest and best model available. If you never intend to replace the thing, you'll be glad you did in the distant future, since programs keep growing ever bigger, sucking up more disk space, needing more RAM, and requiring faster processors to run. A bigger, badder model *might* last you longer by virtue of its power. But then again, it might break down before its time.

However, another school of thought is to buy a lesser, cheaper model, then replace it when it becomes outdated in a few years. Within a short time, another generation of Macs will come along with more capability at a lesser price. Unless you're doing intensive graphic wo*k, making your own movies on your Mac, or doing other things that will require major speed, a huge monitor, and ridiculously fast processing speed, save yourself the money and buy the lower cost model. You'll thank yourself later when your bills come in.

Remember that word processing programs don't require a computer with megatons of RAM, processing speed, or disk space. Neither do Internet programs. Your connection speed to the Internet has *much* more to do with upload and download speed. If you like to download DVDs, or lots and lots of photos, you might want the largest hard drives possible, especially in a laptop computer.

Anyway, I hope this helps. I'm going over things you may already know, but they're worth saying again. Take your time and decide what you need in each area. Monitor size, processor chip speed, RAM, hard drive space, and the built-in devices that you'll use and need are the primary consideration. Decide what you might want to add later down the road. If it can't be added easily later, then get it now.

I hope this helps, Pandora! Have fun!

The peanut gallery may feel free to correct any errors in the previous statements.

You guys are GREAT! (waves at 'AW'...knows what 'she' wants for Christmas & what color bow)

Guess I really outta' RTFM.

I've writen down what you've all said & shall spend today thinking things over. I haven't had a decent Tech. to speak with as it seems everyone who knew what they were doing took a Thanksgiving holiday.
(yes, I said 'written down' - I don't have the printer hooked up to this old mac)
I'm more confuse-a-lated than ever.
I never even USED the RAM on my imac. Was I 'sposed to?

Everytime I speak with a tech support person I'm told something different.

So, OSX with a 17" screen it is!We have a winner! I think.

I can't thank you all enough! Really! I'm going to read my iMac book
this afternoon. It's titled:Teach Yourself the iMac in 24 hours & it's the second edition. Never been opened.My bad!!!

Thank you again & I'm SURE you'll be hearing from me as soon as I decide what I want. Jussssss one lil' favor? Don't scold me for buying
the wrong thing cuz some nice salesman talked me into something or sumthin'.

Ack! I've been obnoxious again!

I *always* start talking at the level with technobabble because speak is all I know!



Could you dress him up in a nice black ribbon and a tux this year, Pandora? I'm feeling formal.

Buy whatever *you* want. No one else's opinion matters, really.

But I'd agree with ER. Another iMac is probably all you actually need. Get the *cute* one in the pretty color ... that would be my personal priority.

This is just like car buying!

Itzzz what I wazz gonna' do anyway! The iMac book just made my head hurt. So, 'color' it is! Oooo, you should see my pretty new car! It's a gold something or other!

...*decides NOT to do the 'nah-nah dance' cuz she's gettin' a new mac...& everyone else isn't*

I hope you ALL get what YOU want for Christmas too!

<aside to AW. Formal?!? You'd best send several strong fella's to wrestle him down for formal! )

(also neither, but I heard about a fashion statement being made over here and just had to join in )

You should make sure it matches the decor of the room you'll be using it in, or alternatively, it should at least match your eyes.

The new iMacs only come in white.

Yeah but I got stickers an stuff.

Welp, I did it. I ordered my new iMac OSX, flat 17"- plus a Panther something or other...with a big packet of blank CDs & DVDs. And it has more rams giggin' their bites than what you all suggessted.
Besides, with my three year FULL warenty "Josh" or someonewill
come RIGHT to my house if ANYthing goes wrong with my new iMac.

Now, anyone know how to mess one about so a tech has to show?



P.S.
I held your info. in my trembling hand as I ordered, okay, my friend Jean ordered one for me.Thasssss riiight.I haven't felt so panic sctricken since the day I walked down the, er, I'm sayin' this aloud, again. Huh?
Thanks so much for all of your advice! Even the guy at apple.
CALMMM said you'd given me great advise. He just bought the very same package. Hmmm.

What color would you like the whole thing spray painted?

Enjoying yourself, Pandora?

And no you can't break it, it's a Mac

...although my ex-boss managed to let the magic green smoke escape from his new G4 within the first 2 days

Our wonderful Pandora *always* has fun , or hadn't you noticed?

Yo de! Yeah, I'm kickin' it! And you?

B-b-b-but I HAVE to have SOMEone come install all the stuff.
I,smoke? Green smoke from his iMac?

I'm sorta' tired of the whole truquise matching stuff anyway.
Computers are jusss like men. Only different.
Chuck one out & before ya' know it there's another one laying about.

Lady Scott. I'm beginning to feel like a roll!Is there a 'reason' why you're buttering me up?