Computer guys, please help.

Tim Baxter wrote: You Windows users put up with a lot of crap.

Yeah, but some Mac users are tolerable despite their technical handicaps, so it's worth putting up with their crap.

DrBoost wrote: Now I haven't done the math in a long time but the last time I spec'd out a mac vs. PC the price difference was only about 10%....

I got a dell for $499, although the one I wanted was more $599, but it probably doesn't even matter.

The cheapest Mac I could get was $999, and the one I wanted was $1150. Seems pretty darned close to 2x.

All I was looking for was a basic computer with no real power- I don't do anything with them- no games, movies, etc. Although the movies I do watch are fine with the low end.

late edit- I also really wanted to have the mac, so it's not like I have anything against them, especially the really light ones. Just so tough to pull the trigger. Same thing with me and a smart phone- I want one, but just can't find the need.

... I think a lot of the MAC folks forget that a 7 year old (puts that in g4 territory right?) is going on obsolete now also...

just sayin...

(my associated pastor is a Mac-er... he HAS to upgrade as all 3 of his computers are power PC powered... his tax software won't work on them anymore... has to have intel chip... did I mention he had his laptop motherboard replaced about a year ago... for the same price that I paid for my brand new laptop?....) not that i'm anti mac... just a geek and know what I need and what will do it for less $$$... speaking of I think I need to look into doing a hackontosh on my old dell XPS (p4 3.4ghz 10lb) machine...

Alfa, for your purposes you should've looked at the Mac mini. $699. Less for a refurb.

In reply to Tim Baxter:

Looks to be a real computer, not a laptop- http://www.apple.com/macmini/

Possible, but not quite yet- that computer is still "ok". But that would be hard to sit on my lap and type with- which is what I'm doing now.

But for this purpose- this was the high target- http://www.apple.com/macbookair/ This was more realistic http://www.apple.com/macbook/

Both were quite a bit more than what I got- http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-14r-combo-mod/pd?oc=dndom01b&model_id=inspiron-14r-combo-mod

Much better than the old dell, which was having problems just like Boost was having.

Ah, laptop. Sorry, missed that.

It's possible an ipad would've worked well for you. Maybe.

alfadriver wrote: The cheapest Mac I could get was $999, and the one I wanted was $1150. Seems pretty darned close to 2x.

What I'm saying is, if you would have outfitted the windows pc to match the mac (processing power, memory, software and hardware) I dont think it would have been much of a difference. I may be wrong, like I said, I haven't crunched the #'s in a while. Honestly, I dont' care about the numbers anymore. I just want a stable, reliable computer.

alfadriver wrote:

All I was looking for was a basic computer with no real power- I don't do anything with them- no games, movies, etc. Although the movies I do watch are fine with the low end.

I don't think you were looking for a mac then. It's like saying "I'm looking for a car to go to church on Sundays, don't care how well it handles or how fast it is, just want it to be red" and looking at a Lamborghini dealership.

Tim Baxter wrote: Ah, laptop. Sorry, missed that. It's possible an ipad would've worked well for you. Maybe.

With a wireless keyboard and case and maybe a video out connector to interface with a larger monitor if you need it.

Tim Baxter wrote: Ah, laptop. Sorry, missed that. It's possible an ipad would've worked well for you. Maybe.

Considered that, too. Not yet sold on the virtual keyboard kind of things. May change in the future, but there seem to be a lot of pad type of options now.

The biggest real thing was the want of a disk I/O- since it does just a little more than a netbook does.

Boost- I'll respectfully disagree- it's not as if the basic macbooks are all that powerful. Speed, memory, etc- very similar to the bottom line laptops one can get. Maybe a basic BMW 3 series over a loaded Fusion- but I don't see Macs as SO much better that there's any comparison with a lambo.

turboswede wrote:

Tim Baxter wrote: Ah, laptop. Sorry, missed that. It's possible an ipad would've worked well for you. Maybe.

With a wireless keyboard and case and maybe a video out connector to interface with a larger monitor if you need it.

Which is errily similar to many netbooks that are available- keyboard, good processor, and good outputs, portability....

Yep and a Netbook with OSX can be pretty cool as well.

The thing about the iPad is the ease of use due to the multi-touch, touchscreen and the OS optimized to use it. Also it is smaller and easier to carry than a netbook (not by much, but it is)

If I hadn't gotten an iPad for xmas, I'd have bought an Android powered tablet and/or a Netbook just for browsing the web on my couch or on road trips (thanks to the unlimited 3G data plan, which I'm leveraging off my jailbroken iPhone now)

If by next winter, there isn't a serial or bluetooth interface developed for iOS and MegaSquirt, I'll likely look at building one myself as it is the only reason I'll occasionally need a laptop in my car and the iPad/iPhone already can record g-force data from the car, so adding in the capability of logging the data from the EFI system would be ice cream to go with my cake so I can eat it too :)