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Currently shopping for a college Laptop. Any Advice (Mac vs PC)?

In the 15 years since I first used a Mac, I've sent text and photographs in every concievable file format from Macs to print services, large CMYK presses, individual end users with bubblejets, et - and I've never had a rejection issue because of a platform incapatability.

That's a piss-poor printing service if they can't accommodate the industry-standard platform for most graphic arts and imaging fields.

What kind of a creative/ design firm doesn't run primarily on Macs in the first place? :vulcan:

Are they run by the Texas school board?
 
Random question regarding Apple laptops, do they come (standard) with either a VGA, DVI or HDMI ports?
I once worked with a MacBook once, and I couldnt find any. Maybe it was just this model, but I was wondering how to hookup a beamer...

OK, now don't quote me as my Mac Mini is older, but I was under the impression that all new Macs only support Mini Display Port for external monitors...

Edited to add: Yep... as per the Apple store any new mac will only have Mini DisplayPort for external video... so you'd have to buy an adapter to hook up a DVI-only monitor.
 
I second that, and repeat my warning about maggot infested leg infections. But Windows isn't clean either, which is why I recommended the AS/400.

Among other reasons, having an AS/400 will help you get a good job in a COBOL shop, plus prepair you for married life as an adult. With the AS/400 you can come back to your dorm room and beat your head against the wall as its emotionless monochrome screen insisitently repeats "CANNOT SERVICE YOUR REQUEST."

ETA: I was seconding something buried on page 2. :(
 
In the 15 years since I first used a Mac, I've sent text and photographs in every concievable file format from Macs to print services, large CMYK presses, individual end users with bubblejets, et - and I've never had a rejection issue because of a platform incapatability.

That's a piss-poor printing service if they can't accommodate the industry-standard platform for most graphic arts and imaging fields.

What kind of a creative/ design firm doesn't run primarily on Macs in the first place? :vulcan:

Are they run by the Texas school board?

I'm totally slumming. My boss makes me work on a PC. :wah:Windows 7 and Photoshop CS4 do not get along well (takes forever to open and save files, poor support of brush and pattern palates), although that may be an idiosyncrasy of my workstation.
 
I'm totally slumming. My boss makes me work on a PC. :wah:Windows 7 and Photoshop CS4 do not get along well (takes forever to open and save files, poor support of brush and pattern palates), although that may be an idiosyncrasy of my workstation.


Oh. Sweet. Lord. I had no idea it was that bad over there. Talk about cutting themselves at the knees. :wtf:
 
Wow, looks like the Mac brigade marched in here, iPods in hand, their silhouettes dancing to jazzy upbeat indie songs seemingly written specifically to cause my ears to bleed...

Anyway, thought I'd pop in and vote PC. You get more hardware for the money in PC land...but if MacOS is what makes you happy then good luck.
 
Wow, looks like the Mac brigade marched in here...Anyway, thought I'd pop in and vote PC.

Ahem.

4458939727_8108539c0e_o.jpg
 
Wow, looks like the Mac brigade marched in here, iPods in hand, their silhouettes dancing to jazzy upbeat indie songs seemingly written specifically to cause my ears to bleed...

Anyway, thought I'd pop in and vote PC. You get more hardware for the money in PC land...but if MacOS is what makes you happy then good luck.

I'll turn down my iPod long enough to admit you're right - for the price of a Mac you can buy more powerful hardware. However, unless you want to play with Linux you're going to be stuck using Microsoft Windows. There goes your hardware advantage. ;)
 
Anyway, thought I'd pop in and vote PC. You get more hardware for the money in PC land...but if MacOS is what makes you happy then good luck.

Prove it.

And remember, the multitouch trackpad and unibody construction are both strong hardware advantages. Don't just ingnore those and find something with the same processor and claim it's the same thing.

I'm being pushy here because this isn't actually about OS X at all. If someone wants to run Windows I'd say "fine" but would STILL suggest running it in Boot Camp on a Macbook Pro. Quite simply, Apple's laptops are their best product by a mile. I can argue the merits of Android over iPhone if you want, but I simply can't think of another laptop I'd suggest over Apple's. It's not about the OS...the hardware is just really that much better if you're talking about laptops. (I can't defend the Mac Mini as strongly, for example, and wouldn't be saying this if that's what the OP wanted.)
 
For what you need, both a Windows 7 Laptop or a Macbook in the $1000 will fill your needs just fine.

In your case, just make sure that the programs you like to use are available on Mac as well. There is less software available for it period. However, for all the major functions there are Mac alternatives, you just have to go through the extra step of searching and researching the mac alternative instead of just going with the PC one you already know and own.

At this point, I'd suggest going into Best Buy or an Apple store and spend 15 minutes doing "typical" stuff on the Macs there. Make sure to go web browsing, to browse the installed apps, try and play a video, navigate the UI, etc etc. I think 15 mins should be enough time to get a "feel" for whether you're getting annoyed and frustrated or not.

The other thing to keep in mind is if you want to 'futureproof' it or not. Meaning, the things you listed as the only things you need it for... any chance that list could expand in 6 months? Is there some game coming in a year you might get curious to try out? Been entertaining thoughts of graphic design and you might not get motivated to try it until a year or two later? Just random things to think about.
 
^Well, until I move out of the house in 4-5 years, my use for it really won't expand much, as we have a pretty powerful shared PC in the basement, running Vista currently. If there's anything really intensive that I need to do, I can always do it on that, as I'll still have access to it. Still, you raise a good point. When I drop by the Mac Store, I'll have to be sure to bring up a lot of the points you guys have mentioned.
 
Do you have any idea what your major might be? If you were planning on going into design fields, a Mac would be great. If not, as long as you're comfortable with both platforms you should be fine.
 
If price is really a huge consideration, you could even opt for the more portable netbook option... you could get a netbook, an external USB DVD-R drive and MS Word or Office, and still come out under a grand... and you can store music on it, use Photoshop Elements, and surf the web as well as just writing papers. The major downside is really the smaller screen, but with a netbook you still have a choice of Windows XP or Windows 7.
 
Do you have any idea what your major might be? If you were planning on going into design fields, a Mac would be great. If not, as long as you're comfortable with both platforms you should be fine.

Social Studies Education. I plan on being a history teacher. Probably going to minor in French, that way I could eventually become certified and teach that too, should I need to
 
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