BS: Apple Computer Question???

Subject: BS: Apple Computer Question???
From: Bobert
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 09:00 AM

Well, seems that the very old pudder that the P-Vine uses to keep books and nuthin' else has bought the farm so...

...it makes sense (to me) to give her my 2 year old e-machine pudder an' let it live out its days keepin' books and tax stuff and upgrade to an Apple for me to wrestle 'round with my my cyber-buds but, for some reason, my pudder won't pull up the Apple website 'cause -- danged if I know-- so I don't know nuthin' about cost and what I need or even where to get one???

So, fir you Mac-Apple-ies, how much do they cost??? Will they work with my existing keyboard and moniter and printer??? And, other comments related to Apple computers???

Thank you in advance,

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Apple Computer Question???
From: JudyB
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 11:40 AM

You can check out prices at places like MacConnection or MacMall. The less expensive Macs are probably the iMac (starting around $1000 - it's an all-in-one unit with built-in monitor and comes with mouse and keyboard) and the Mac Mini, which is just the computer CPU and needs you to add monitor, keyboard and mouse.

If your current keyboard is a fairly recent USB type, it will probably work. Same for the printer (though you'll probably need to download the Mac driver for it). If your monitor is fairly recent and has a VGA connector, it should work. (So I'm probably saying the gear from your 2-year old eMachine will probably work, but the the gear from P-Vine's ancient beast probably won't - though it might work on your eMachine - don't know what sorts of connectors they have.)

I am curious - I like Macs, but they are different than PCs, and there are a number of fairly affordable PCs out there - are you sure you want to switch?

All the best,
JudyB

Subject: RE: BS: Apple Computer Question???
From: Bobert
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 05:06 PM

Well, if I don't switch I'll have two son-in-laws callin' me an idiot until the end of time as both have gone with Apples and say that...

...once you go Mac you'll never go back...

Actually, I made up that last part... Thay aren't all the clever...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Apple Computer Question???
From: Amos
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 05:33 PM

Well, they'regreat machines, and a great OS. You might put down about $1700 or so,, but you stay happy. My brother was just in town and my wife who is the Wizard of all Macs Things helped him buy one, transferred all his Windows documents to it, and had him clicking and humming in no time. 20-inch 2.1 gigaherz iMac with 1 gig of RAM and 3 years warranty all parts and labour, the complete iLife suite of software included.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Apple Computer Question???
From: Nickhere
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 06:04 PM

I have to say my vote goes to Mac - you won't regret it. PC are dinosaurs by comparison, clunky interface etc., The downside is that it can be difficult to get software for Mac, but that situation is changing thankfully. Most modern peripherals work quite well with various versions of Mac OSX, but compatability is always something you should check carefully. It's taken me a while to get even big companies like Argos to include compatability info in their catalogues - it's as if it never occured to these large companies that anyone might be using anything other than a PC. Thankfully, this too is slowly changing. I'd always check a new toy is Mac-compatible before splashing out though. Mac is also FAR better for graphics. There is a programme called 'Virtual PC' that allows you to run PC programmes on your Mac, but with so much now available for Mac it hardly seems worth bothering with. The layout / interface is a bit different, but once you get used to it it makes a lot more sense.

Somone once said (I don't know who) that if computers were cars, a PC would drive on any road but break down constantly and use a gallon a mile. A Mac would give you 1,000 miles to the gallon, never break down but only drive on 10 percent of the roads....

Well, that one's a bit out of date!

Subject: RE: BS: Apple Computer Question???
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 07:21 PM

iMac 4 ever!

my PC using friend set it up for me & I love it. I use Mozilla - Firefox & Thunderbird - with it & life is perfect.

Apart from occasional stupidities perpetrated by my ISP

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Apple Computer Question???
From: JudyB
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 07:29 PM

We have both PCs and Macs, and they both have strengths and weaknesses. As long as you've got someone to call during the first week or so when things don't work the way they did on the old computer and you can't figure where Apple hid them, you'll be fine. Enjoy!

Subject: RE: BS: Apple Computer Question???
From: Bobert
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 07:47 PM

I just got off the phone with a newbee Mudcatter that I'bve known form another joint an' he has convinced me that the Mac-Mini will do everything I need to do and that Apple's teck support folks actually give a danged... Thta's all I needed and it interfaces with my existing worn out keyboard and monitor and printer...

$599 after rebate... Okay, I think I can handle that...