My first Mac - A switchers story.
I write this not because you guys don't know this, but just as a little reminder to how good Mac really is.
About a week ago now, I got my Brand Spanking Used iBook 500 in the mail. I paid $420 for it shipped (with airport, OS X 10.3, the DVD/CD non-burning combo and a 256mb stick included). I also bought a Tucano 2nd skin and a new Apple battery for the iBook, bringing the entire purchase total to around $560. This is some of the best money I've ever spent.
I was worried about speed while considering this iBook, after all from a PC users perspective... a 500 hz computer is essentially worthless, especially while trying to run the most current OS. Luckily, those speed worries were for nothing. The machine does exactly what I want it to do, and while it is slower than my PC (a 2.4 P4 w/ 512mb) it is most definitly in the realm of useability. A surprising testament to the uselessness of Mhz numbers...
Mac OS X is AMAZING. Although you mac vets know this, I just thought you should maybe get a little reminder. Everything just WORKS. Airport just works, my iPod just works. I plugged in my USB hub (which had my Microsoft wireless mouse and my HP printer in it) just to see what would happen. It just worked. I was amazed. In fact, coming from a PC world... OS X was very confusing to me it first... simply because its so damn simple yet powerful. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to install or delete programs... I researched and realized there WAS no uninstall menu. There WAS no installer program. Just drag and drop. Friken amazing. No crazy rouge files to delete... the system just makes sense. The whole purpose of the OS seems different. When you maximize a window... it doesn't fill the entire screen. This puzzled me at first, but it makes sense. On a 12" screen, I still have enough desktop space to see mutiple programs. I LOVE STICKIES. They are amazing... why can't Windows have small touches like this? Battery life... is shockingly good. Full screen brightness? Airport on? 4 HOURS +. Playing a DVD with full screen brightness? Still around 3 hours. I actually put it to the lowest screen brightness and turned off Airport, and it estimated 7 hours of battery life. Simply amazing.
Most importantly, the thing is SLICK. This is technically a 5 year old computer, yet its smaller and lighter than most Windows machines out there now. The size and weight of a medium textbook (I'm in college). People see me with it and can't believe I got it for the price I did. Apple design is truly amazing, and despite a few surface scuffs... my iBook is still a beautiful thing. I love how it sleeps. No exterior lights, but a small little breathing light magically appears. Hell, even the AC adapter makes sense (I got the "yoyo" model i suppose). Small enough to just stuff in my bookbag.
I've been coming to grips with the system, and I'm sure I'll learn a lot more in the future. I'm using shortcut keys a lot more than I do on my Windows machine. Control-Click is a switchers best friend (and made me realize that the only thing a mouse needs is one button and a scroll wheel). Anybody out there who thinks Macs are too expensive, get a used one. It's not the same, 500mhz on a Mac isn't 500mhz on the PC. Needless to say, my next computer is going to be a Mac. Apple caught me early. I'm 19 and in college, always liked Macs but never got one, and the iPod Halo effect got me in. My 4 year old system runs like a charm, I can only imagine what a brand new one is like. Thank you Apple, thanks a lot.
About a week ago now, I got my Brand Spanking Used iBook 500 in the mail. I paid $420 for it shipped (with airport, OS X 10.3, the DVD/CD non-burning combo and a 256mb stick included). I also bought a Tucano 2nd skin and a new Apple battery for the iBook, bringing the entire purchase total to around $560. This is some of the best money I've ever spent.
I was worried about speed while considering this iBook, after all from a PC users perspective... a 500 hz computer is essentially worthless, especially while trying to run the most current OS. Luckily, those speed worries were for nothing. The machine does exactly what I want it to do, and while it is slower than my PC (a 2.4 P4 w/ 512mb) it is most definitly in the realm of useability. A surprising testament to the uselessness of Mhz numbers...
Mac OS X is AMAZING. Although you mac vets know this, I just thought you should maybe get a little reminder. Everything just WORKS. Airport just works, my iPod just works. I plugged in my USB hub (which had my Microsoft wireless mouse and my HP printer in it) just to see what would happen. It just worked. I was amazed. In fact, coming from a PC world... OS X was very confusing to me it first... simply because its so damn simple yet powerful. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to install or delete programs... I researched and realized there WAS no uninstall menu. There WAS no installer program. Just drag and drop. Friken amazing. No crazy rouge files to delete... the system just makes sense. The whole purpose of the OS seems different. When you maximize a window... it doesn't fill the entire screen. This puzzled me at first, but it makes sense. On a 12" screen, I still have enough desktop space to see mutiple programs. I LOVE STICKIES. They are amazing... why can't Windows have small touches like this? Battery life... is shockingly good. Full screen brightness? Airport on? 4 HOURS +. Playing a DVD with full screen brightness? Still around 3 hours. I actually put it to the lowest screen brightness and turned off Airport, and it estimated 7 hours of battery life. Simply amazing.
Most importantly, the thing is SLICK. This is technically a 5 year old computer, yet its smaller and lighter than most Windows machines out there now. The size and weight of a medium textbook (I'm in college). People see me with it and can't believe I got it for the price I did. Apple design is truly amazing, and despite a few surface scuffs... my iBook is still a beautiful thing. I love how it sleeps. No exterior lights, but a small little breathing light magically appears. Hell, even the AC adapter makes sense (I got the "yoyo" model i suppose). Small enough to just stuff in my bookbag.
I've been coming to grips with the system, and I'm sure I'll learn a lot more in the future. I'm using shortcut keys a lot more than I do on my Windows machine. Control-Click is a switchers best friend (and made me realize that the only thing a mouse needs is one button and a scroll wheel). Anybody out there who thinks Macs are too expensive, get a used one. It's not the same, 500mhz on a Mac isn't 500mhz on the PC. Needless to say, my next computer is going to be a Mac. Apple caught me early. I'm 19 and in college, always liked Macs but never got one, and the iPod Halo effect got me in. My 4 year old system runs like a charm, I can only imagine what a brand new one is like. Thank you Apple, thanks a lot.
Comments
Originally posted by adiliegro
Would it be safe to say that you are a fullblown, 100% convert? I love that feeling of the new Mac to the newbie. It was not that long ago that I felt that same excitement and amazement at what I had wrapped my fingers around. I immediately disassembled all of my PC's and bought two more macs (a Powermac for me and a iBook laptop for travel). Like you and countless others have said...it just WORKS! Congrats on the purchase. Make sure you get soemone to show you the secret handshake before too long.
I know for sure that my next computer (in a couple of years most likely... after college) will be a Mac. I'll have to ween myself off of my Windows machine though (I'm typing on it right now). 500mhz G3 power is great on the go... not so much for home computing power. I figure I'll probably get a mac desktop next though... can you say G6?