Not this kind.
http://www.typetamer.com.au/old/resource/news7/apple.gif

Nor this kind.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40999000/jpg/_40999212_apple_getty203.jpg
(Mxy knew that one was coming)

But this kind.
http://www.nbc11.com/2006/0824/9731795_240X180.jpg

I recently decided I couldn't live anymore without a laptop and thought it would be a good excuse to buy my first Apple. So I got a Macbook. I think Denny has said in the past that he does all his good shit on a Red Delicious and perhaps The Shogun rocks one as well. I started "computing" on my older brother's Commadore64 and then his Amiga 500 and while my desktop machine is still a PC (home built back when I started college and updated less than regularly lately), I've had periodic contact with apples since playing Kings Bounty on my buddy's father's office AppleII (1990-ish). I used to roll hard on the gaming front and so a PC was the logical choice but I've got a kid now, grown soft, and most of my activity on a computer is lower key and digital family album oriented.

So who's gottem'?

I've had one in the past, but currently am all-PC. I'm thinking of switching my current laptop for a Macbook, however.

I do. been using them my whole life.

I just bought an imac last Thanksgiving. I dual boot windows on it.

I think Denny has said in the past that he does all his good shit on a Red Delicious and perhaps The Shogun rocks one as well
Actually, I use a duct taped Vic20 and a bottle of El Jimador for all my graphical needs.

iBook + eMac + Adobe CS suite = [smilie=blaha.gif]

EDIT: How OLD is that kid? She's still sucking her thumb? Fuck a paltrow!
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40999000/jpg/_40999212_apple_getty203.jpg

Adobe CS is $1,200 bucks. I hope you could at least write that off.

Currently typing this post on my G4 PowerBook. I also just bought my wife a used iBook for christmas this year too. ;)

I am also that really annoying person that tells people to buy a Mac whenever they tell me they are in the market for a new computer.

Having spent the suckier part of my evening ripping apart someone's PC laptop to replace a busted fan (and having no end of fun putting the bitch together again) while watching us inch past the Bucks, I was saying "get a fucking Mac and be done with it" a few times.

And here's the Apple of my eye:

http://homepage.mac.com/nbarrett/.Pictures/upcomers/fiona_apple.jpg

First trip to WTF on my new Macbook. BTW, the post text doesn't show up in Safari, though the quoted portions do. Maybe its just something about the default theme. I'd check others but I can't remember or find how to change it. Had to d/l Firefox (which I probably would have done anyway sooner or later) to post this.

First trip to WTF on my new Macbook. BTW, the post text doesn't show up in Safari, though the quoted portions do. Maybe its just something about the default theme. I'd check others but I can't remember or find how to change it. Had to d/l Firefox (which I probably would have done anyway sooner or later) to post this.

Safari sucks. Download Firefox.

First trip to WTF on my new Macbook. BTW, the post text doesn't show up in Safari, though the quoted portions do. Maybe its just something about the default theme. I'd check others but I can't remember or find how to change it. Had to d/l Firefox (which I probably would have done anyway sooner or later) to post this.

It's all changing soon anyways.

Safari sucks. Download Firefox.
Or get Camino, it uses the same rendering engine as FF.

I'm real close to buying a Macbook. I have 4 PCs and a Compaq Laptop. I want the Macbook for it's size, styling and to use as an Apple development/test platform.

Safari sucks. Download Firefox.

Hi, I don't know if we've met but THAT'S WHAT I DID!

Hi, I don't know if we've met but THAT'S WHAT I DID!

You type too much in your posts, so I simply read the first sentence, assume the rest, and post an answer.

It's easier to read your shit that way [smilie=hyper.gif]

Did you check out the skins yet? Firefox basic is gay. You need to get the ninja skin.

Somnambulant.

So, foolloof, you've now had your Mac for a few days now. How do you like it?

I've gotten over the "new purchase high". I think its a very good machine so far but I really haven't had the time to do the things with it that I specifically bought an Apple for. With 2 classes and a full time job, so far I've just written a few short papers on it and used it to connect to the internet in a couple of libraries. I haven't gotten to do any pics/video/web creativity yet. It hasn't been that hard to get used to as of yet, the biggest hang up I've had is switching between the control button and apple button for keyboard shortcuts like cut and paste (it seems like some programs use control while others use the apple key). The wireless airport has picked up and used any wifi I've sat down to use w/o problem, which has been nice. The screen is vibrant and the keyboard has a good feel. Its a quiet machine. The battery life has been good and the little magnetic cord and the magnets that hold the laptop closed are a cool touch. I got a wireless mighty mouse which I haven't used that much but I also don't really like the feel of it so far. It kind of feels like I'm controling the computer with an egg.

I've gotta say that Apple Pages might have some useful templates but as a word processor (which doesn't appear to be its primary use I admit) it sucks. You pretty much have to get a copy of Word as I wrote a paper in Pages and then exported it to Word on the same machine and Word's spell check alone found a bunch of corrections after Pages had already run its check. I took some time to figure out how to do a lot of the document adjustments in Pages so I could give it a good trial run and though I'm clearly biased having grown up using Word for everything, its just doesn't allow for the same level of manipulation. Pages is just "less precise". For example to change font size in Pages you make the font "bigger" or "smaller", I still haven't seen anywhere that tells me what font size I'm actually putting out, only "bigger" or "smaller". So far I haven't run into anything that would prevent me from being able to use Pages if I had to, but I definately haven't found a reason to use it over Word. Obviously that's not really Apples target but it does suck that I went through the trouble of getting an Apple from Apple and one of the first things I need is a M$ product. Kinda kills the whole "trying a new style" vibe. Its not like I needed Quicktime on my PC.

Anyway, so far I'm defiantely happy with it as a laptop. Its running smooth and I've been playing with the widgets and whatnot.

Go to apple.com and check out the software section. There's a ton of Apple approved freeware and shareware, some of which might be word processors.

Relying on Freeware and shareware < making your software better.

Screw Pages. Just use MS Word. If you need it, let me know. ;)

interesting, cuz right now im also looking at upgrading my laptop... which has devolved into a paper weight with wireless capabilities.

i cant imagine getting a mac, but you say theyre easier to do repairs on? my sis's boyfriend might like that, cuz im hard as hell on my stuff (and he'll be doing the fixing).

but sadly, im thinking i want to get a highpowered top of the line, way more expensive than i can afford beast. it depends on how i do sports gambling over the next 3 days. by my estimations, if i do well, i'll have the computer of my dreams by thursday, with enough left over to leave in and to parlay into.. the second computer of my dreams? or something. top of the world, regardless.

if things dont go well, i'll be a sad, broken man with nothing left to live for.

or something in between.

interesting, cuz right now im also looking at upgrading my laptop... which has devolved into a paper weight with wireless capabilities.

i cant imagine getting a mac, but you say theyre easier to do repairs on? my sis's boyfriend might like that, cuz im hard as hell on my stuff (and he'll be doing the fixing).

but sadly, im thinking i want to get a highpowered top of the line, way more expensive than i can afford beast. it depends on how i do sports gambling over the next 3 days. by my estimations, if i do well, i'll have the computer of my dreams by thursday, with enough left over to leave in and to parlay into.. the second computer of my dreams? or something. top of the world, regardless.

if things dont go well, i'll be a sad, broken man with nothing left to live for.

or something in between.
Pete? Is that you?

Relying on Freeware and shareware < making your software better.
Sometimes, relying on freeware and shareware = making your software better. It depends on the specifics.

I rely on Firefox because it enjoys wide usage, and has useful extensions that independent developers have created atop it, extensions that probably wouldn't have been created and wouldn't have worked as well if Firefox weren't free. I could pay for commercial support for Firefox or a commercial alternative like Opera (or IE -- ick), but that'd probably subtract value from the configuration that I run currently.

Sometimes, relying on freeware and shareware = making your software better. It depends on the specifics. And how.

In my game, it is all about utility. I'll sacrifice some convention for power or convenience. Do I want to upgrade to Vista? Forget that. DO I NEED TO UPGRADE TO VISTA?

How much utility does the latest version of Office offer me? The latest MS OS?

And at what cost?

Apps I use for free and get great returns on...

Firefox
Thunderbird
OpenOffice
FileZilla

Check out OpenOffice Fool. You might surprise yourself with some freeware. :)

I'm not against freeware. I'm against needing a M$ program as soon as I get my new Mac out of the box. I've got plenty of PC apps that didn't cost me a nickel but I'm not about to throw my 30 page reasearch paper into an untested homebrew while I'm busy researching dead religions on a tight deadline.

It's just dissapointing that I made an effort to make sure I had Apple's version of the lone (pretty damn standard) application I knew I would need immediately before I even got my feet wet with their product and found out that what they sold was a flaming pile of pig shit.

Mxy, you relying on Firefox isn't in the same ballpark as Apple rely on its user base to make them a decent word processing app. Let me know when you become a global company who's main drive is telling everyone that you do the internet (since you are talking FireFox) better than Mozilla.

Thanks for the tip about OpenOffice Uber, I'll check it out after the semester is over.

interesting, cuz right now im also looking at upgrading my laptop... which has devolved into a paper weight with wireless capabilities.

i cant imagine getting a mac, but you say theyre easier to do repairs on? my sis's boyfriend might like that, cuz im hard as hell on my stuff (and he'll be doing the fixing).

but sadly, im thinking i want to get a highpowered top of the line, way more expensive than i can afford beast. it depends on how i do sports gambling over the next 3 days. by my estimations, if i do well, i'll have the computer of my dreams by thursday, with enough left over to leave in and to parlay into.. the second computer of my dreams? or something. top of the world, regardless.

if things dont go well, i'll be a sad, broken man with nothing left to live for.

or something in between.

Unless you carry your laptop around, you should just buy a desktop.

I'm not against freeware. I'm against needing a M$ program as soon as I get my new Mac out of the box. I've got plenty of PC apps that didn't cost me a nickel but I'm not about to throw my 30 page reasearch paper into an untested homebrew while I'm busy researching dead religions on a tight deadline.

It's just dissapointing that I made an effort to make sure I had Apple's version of the lone (pretty damn standard) application I knew I would need immediately before I even got my feet wet with their product and found out that what they sold was a flaming pile of pig shit.

Mxy, you relying on Firefox isn't in the same ballpark as Apple rely on its user base to make them a decent word processing app. Let me know when you become a global company who's main drive is telling everyone that you do the internet (since you are talking FireFox) better than Mozilla.

Thanks for the tip about OpenOffice Uber, I'll check it out after the semester is over.

I don't know what school you go to but usually you can get an academic discount on Office in your school bookstore.

Indeed. I can get the same discount from both my school and my work. Its not an issue of being able to buy Word. Its ... fuck it.

Like I said, it depends on the specifics. A lot of people, including some global companies who leverage the Internet, rely on free Firefox rather than pay-for IE. They consider a browser more important than a word processor for what they do. Heck, the hottest new word processor is browser-based:

http://docs.google.com
:)

For a long time now, the best selling piece of commercial software for Apple computers has been Microsoft Office. That's one reason for Microsoft's bail-out of Apple a decade ago. Apple's iWork is largely there to keep Microsoft honest, not to avoid paying the M$ tax for serious office stuff. Expecting a serious non-M$ commercial office out of Apple is not grounded in business reality, especially if it's limited to MacOS users and closed-source.

BTW, you're probably better off with NeoOffice, which is OpenOffice that's specifically tailored for MacOS.

So the best selling software package for Apple computers is Office and you are arguing that its not in Apple's interest to make a competent Office rip?

Please, tell me more.

I view open source software like the asian dude that drives around in a civic with all of those ridiculous mods when he should have just purchased a real sports car. At the end of the day, Microsoft Office is where its at in the world of office suites. Its used at most major companies and schools. People need to stop going on geek crusades with software and admit that Microsoft has the best product in both web browsing and office productivity.

People need to stop going on geek crusades with software and admit that Microsoft has the best product in both web browsing and office productivity.
Whoa cowboy.

How do you define best? One product for each application suits everyone equally? PULEEZE, don't make me PM spam you to death.

I apologize for not putting this out there before: I don't have an Apple.

I'm not against freeware. I'm against needing a M$ program as soon as I get my new Mac out of the box.

Well, that is Microsoft's one good thing that they make for Mac. IE is absolutely terrible on the Mac.

Besides, Apple has the heads up on the actual OS itself, so you gotta throw MS a bone here and there. ;)

So the best selling software for Apple's is Office and you are arguing that its not in Apple's interest to make a competent Office rip?

Please, tell me more.
Adobe has the most product offerings for Mac and claims "largest" from time to time, but when you're talking dollars and cents, it's Microsoft and has been for quite a long time.

It's in Apple's interest to make sure that Microsoft keeps making Office for Mac. Apple would love to not have that be the case, but they're probably too small a niche for them to effect a "competent Office rip", as you put it. The Office universe has too many nooks and crannies, and too many people have too many different definitions of "competent". At this point, it's best to think of Office as an OS in its own right. If you want to play in the same paradigm, you better align with Office. As it stands, the only really big value add Apple has in their office suite is with Keynote vs. Powerpoint, and that speaks to an Apple core competency of looking cool. :)

BTW, it appears that Amir Johnson has a Mac. But, he's taking classes online that will probably require him to get a Windows box.

I view open source software like the asian dude that drives around in a civic with all of those ridiculous mods when he should have just purchased a real sports car. At the end of the day, Microsoft Office is where its at in the world of office suites. Its used at most major companies and schools. People need to stop going on geek crusades with software and admit that Microsoft has the best product in both web browsing and office productivity.

Funny you should pick that example. All those ridiculous mods actually led to some models being offered from the factory (http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/coupes/0201_focus_civic_mp3_sentra_gti/) in versions that mimicked what the modders were doing.

Open source provided the only legitimate competition in the browser market and you don't get an IE7 without Firefox creating the demand for its features.

We'd all be better served if open office were in a similar position.

Open source provided the only legitimate competition in the browser market and you don't get an IE7 without Firefox creating the demand for its features.
There was legitimate competition between Netscape and Microsoft, and Opera still has a place (many of Firefox's cool features were swiped from Opera).

Netscape made a stupid decision to try to be all things to all people, instead of focusing on its core browser functionality (no, adding a mail client doesn't make Netscape better as a browser). Netscape wanted to be the Microsoft of the Internet age. Meanwhile, Microsoft kept plugging away at IE (with a much smaller team than Netscape's browser team, IE not being seen as big a deal as, say, Office). IE grew into something that worked well enough that users weren't automatically ditching for Netscape anymore. Microsoft also did some scummy OEM games, to be sure, but IE5 was a better performing product than Netscape 4.x.

The notion that the browser ought to be a distinctly separate component from the OS is backwards. The same goes for firewalls, virus scanners, etc. Unfortunately, you have the law dictating what should and shouldn't be part of an OS (if your OS happens to be Windows). The OS should be "what you need to operate", and that should evolve as users needs evolve. Google and its ilk is making traditional OSes less relevant. The descendents of Firefox could end up being as much of an "OS" as Windows or Linux as the world moves toward web ubiquity.

There was legitimate competition between Netscape and Microsoft, and Opera still has a place (many of Firefox's cool features were swiped from Opera).

Netscape made a stupid decision to try to be all things to all people, instead of focusing on its core browser functionality (no, adding a mail client doesn't make Netscape better as a browser). Netscape wanted to be the Microsoft of the Internet age. Meanwhile, Microsoft kept plugging away at IE (with a much smaller team than Netscape's browser team, IE not being seen as big a deal as, say, Office). IE grew into something that worked well enough that users weren't automatically ditching for Netscape anymore. Microsoft also did some scummy OEM games, to be sure, but IE5 was a better performing product than Netscape 4.x.

The notion that the browser ought to be a distinctly separate component from the OS is backwards. The same goes for firewalls, virus scanners, etc. Unfortunately, you have the law dictating what should and shouldn't be part of an OS (if your OS happens to be Windows). The OS should be "what you need to operate", and that should evolve as users needs evolve. Google and its ilk is making traditional OSes less relevant. The descendents of Firefox could end up being as much of an "OS" as Windows or Linux as the world moves toward web ubiquity.

My basic point remains that microsoft is so established and dominant in those areas that the only way to put pressure on them to actually improve their product is to make something better and give it away free. IE7 was a direct result of Firefox and the end result was a win for the user regardless of which browser they choose.

Google and its ilk may serve as a proof of concept for an alternative to traditional OSes but that's still a long way from happening. A very long way. We might get those flying cars we were promised before that happens.

I view open source software like the asian dude that drives around in a civic with all of those ridiculous mods when he should have just purchased a real sports car. At the end of the day, Microsoft Office is where its at in the world of office suites. Its used at most major companies and schools. People need to stop going on geek crusades with software and admit that Microsoft has the best product in both web browsing and office productivity.

I take it you never tried a windows-user-friendly version of linux then? If it werent for games I'd have thrown MS away years ago. A good linux distro does everything windows does but faster. There are completely compatible MSOffice apps in linux. I do agree though, with all the modding my friends have done on their Hondas my stock 'Stang is faster off the line and in later gears.

My basic point remains that microsoft is so established and dominant in those areas that the only way to put pressure on them to actually improve their product is to make something better and give it away free. IE7 was a direct result of Firefox and the end result was a win for the user regardless of which browser they choose.
Having lived it, I was giving a history lesson, that's all. You said "open source provided the only legit competition in the browser market" and that wasn't always the case.

Really, it's not so much "open source" that won the day, but people doing actual noticeable work to make things better, to the point that the legal stupidities could be overcome. Mosaic was "open source" when the (then) closed-source Netscape became dominant. Likewise, Netscape had become open-sourced when IE became top dog.

For example, the tabbed browsing that everyone loves about IE7 started from an AOL subsidiary called Internetworks in 1994, which Microsoft couldn't use without risking a lawsuit. Then came Opera, a closed source browser with limited market penetration that Microsoft couldn't adapt directly from without a lawsuit. Then it was adapted by Firefox, and only then could it be adopted by IE7. Is that a success of open source?


Google and its ilk may serve as a proof of concept for an alternative to traditional OSes but that's still a long way from happening. A very long way. We might get those flying cars we were promised before that happens.
Microsoft couldn't integrate IE into the OS the way they wanted to because lawyers said "the browser and the OS should be independent". They couldn't ship some strong security measures due to legal constraints. Cryptography is decades behind because it was a munition. The DMCA and its international equivalents is boneheaded. The Linux network stack is years behind where it could be due to a lawsuit forcing them to reinvent the wheel. NT could've looked a lot more like VMS if Dave Cutler could've had his way. And there's the infamous look-and-feel lawsuits of days past. The end result is a stupid lack of innovation and integration, a bunch of arbitrary divisions that don't make sense. So much of the crap we bitch about with our computers, why we don't get what we want, is rooted in legal stupidity.

BTW, it appears that Amir Johnson has a Mac. But, he's taking classes online that will probably require him to get a Windows box.
bRTzraBWlUE

interesting, cuz right now im also looking at upgrading my laptop... which has devolved into a paper weight with wireless capabilities.

i cant imagine getting a mac, but you say theyre easier to do repairs on? my sis's boyfriend might like that, cuz im hard as hell on my stuff (and he'll be doing the fixing).

but sadly, im thinking i want to get a highpowered top of the line, way more expensive than i can afford beast. it depends on how i do sports gambling over the next 3 days. by my estimations, if i do well, i'll have the computer of my dreams by thursday, with enough left over to leave in and to parlay into.. the second computer of my dreams? or something. top of the world, regardless.

if things dont go well, i'll be a sad, broken man with nothing left to live for.

or something in between.

well, as anyone may have figured out (if they cared), things didnt go well, and i lost it all. i had built up a tidy little number off a $100 dollar start, but i lost all of it. wasnt broken, but i swore off gambling (since i had fallen into the whole more than i wanted. not 4 figures, but more than i wanted).

anyway, today i broke that vow, when i saw that i could bet +250 on the money line when lebron was down 10 to the bulls (midway through second quarter). anyway, i won in ot. parlayed that on osu. parlayed that on florida (but they didnt take my F'ing bet for some reason. bastards. litigation to follow maybe. i sent them an irate email, so hopefully i'll get something). but since i didnt get action on florida, i took la clips giving 2 to portland (blowout).

so anyway, i've cashed out so i dont make that horrible mistake again, even though the wiz giving 2 to the bucks tomorrow is SOOOOOOOOOO tempting. ive more than covered my losses, and i have enough left over to get a high end laptop, which is what i shall do tomorrow. yee ha.

(i dont know if i should be thrilled that i made more than 1 paycheck in one day of sports gambling or rediculously pissed at myself for making so little money. probably both.)

Amir needs him some http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/

Is that Rick Rickert sighting on that vid?

Congrats diddy. Of your concluding question, I'd be more worried at how flimsy your swearing off gambling.

Classes are over Come Wednesday. I hope to get into some projects that will really try out my Macbook. Between last update and this one I've only found out that iTunes (which my wife uses) is TEH SUK for locking their tunez making me find a work around to burn them on a cd for her.

Oh and this.
6sABxm7txUk
I've always found Maddox funny.

Still haven't gotten around to making pretty graphics and videos and stuff. But I just d/l'ed Boot Camp and bought Windows XP Pro from school for $15 and am posting this in Windows. $15 to dual boot Mac and Windows is pretty aight.