Should I help a loved one buy a Mac?

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
My fiance is going back to school in a few weeks. Her dad wants her to get a laptop and is willing to spend up to $700 to help her. He is a teacher and can get a Toshiba notebook for around $679 (model A135). The specs on it are ok but I know people who have had terrible luck with Toshibas. I'd like to see her get a Macbook but I'd have to help put in the other $300 (with student discount). I can afford to put in the extra cash, but am kinda on the fence as to whether it's really necessary. She's not a computer person in the sense that she just wants her email to work, surf the web, use her word processors and play the occasional Sims game. I figured the base model 2.0Ghz Macbook would be good for her to get but I also think a cheaper notebook will fit her needs. I'm unfamiliar with Vista, which comes with most newer computers, but I know OS X very well. Some of her classes will require XP or Vista, but I figured we could just get Parallels, Boot Camp and an older version of XP.



My plan thus far is to just take her to the Apple retail store to see if she likes it. We tried going shopping for a notebook the other day, but she got bored and we left. She doesn't care to know how a computer works or what it's specs are. She just wants it to work.



Would you shell out some extra money for your significant other to get on the Mac train?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    gargar Posts: 1,201member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jgbx View Post


    Would you shell out some extra money for your significant other to get on the Mac train?



    No, not if she doesn't care.

    If she isn't the person who makes the choice, don't choose for her because she will blame you for everything she dislikes about the Mac.



    If she wants a Mac herself because she knows the difference between a Mac and a Windows PC and she chooses a Mac, but can't afford it (yet), it's a different story.

    I would pay up, but in that case she is on the Mac train already, isn't she.
  • Reply 2 of 15
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    ^^^



    Good advice.
  • Reply 3 of 15
    jgbxjgbx Posts: 33member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gar View Post


    No, not if she doesn't care.

    If she isn't the person who makes the choice, don't choose for her because she will blame you for everything she dislikes about the Mac.



    If she wants a Mac herself because she knows the difference between a Mac and a Windows PC and she chooses a Mac, but can't afford it (yet), it's a different story.

    I would pay up, but in that case she is on the Mac train already, isn't she.



    That is good advice, gar.



    I don't want to force her into a decision that she may not like, which is why I really want her to interact with each computer to see how she feels about them. But the problem with that is that she doesn't really know what to look for.
  • Reply 4 of 15
    How much is she worth to you?
  • Reply 5 of 15
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    One thing to keep in mind, however, is that if she's not a computer person, and wants it to 'just work'... there's really only one choice. \



    Definitely get her in front of each. Show off iLife a bit, etc, etc. Let her play with them both.
  • Reply 6 of 15
    jgbxjgbx Posts: 33member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpinDrift View Post


    How much is she worth to you?



    why? Are you looking to buy?
  • Reply 7 of 15
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Kickaha View Post


    One thing to keep in mind, however, is that if she's not a computer person, and wants it to 'just work'... there's really only one choice. \



    Exactly. I find this better advice than gar's.



    If she doesn't really care, how can encouraging her to get a Mac be "forcing" her?



    Given that the O/P knows a lot about OS X and not much about Windows, and that by the sounds of it his fiancé knows nothing about computers, it makes far more sense to get a Mac. If she needs advice, help or assistance, the O/P can offer it for OS X but not for Windows.
  • Reply 8 of 15
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    I essentially 'forced' my in-laws to get a Mac this way. My father-in-law is an econ prof. He wanted to get a $500 Dell. I pointed him to the (then) $950 (edu price) iBook. He balked at the price.



    I said "With the Mac, I can set it up once, and deal with any issues that pop up quickly and easily. With the Dell, I can set it up once, then help you maintain it, but it will take quite a bit more time and effort, and in the long run, I don't think it will save you any money to speak of." Since I was finishing my dissertation, he was *very* reluctant to take up any of my time, so they got the iBook, and have used it constantly ever since. They love the thing. I think I've had to trouble-shoot it maybe three times in three years.
  • Reply 9 of 15
    dudditsduddits Posts: 260member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jgbx View Post


    Would you shell out some extra money for your significant other to get on the Mac train?



    Yes!



    At first I just typed in "Yes" and nothing else, but got the following error message from the forum:



    "The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 5 characters."



    That kind of error message is very un-mac. If you want your gf to not have to deal with that kind of error message, she should get a mac!
  • Reply 10 of 15
    jgbxjgbx Posts: 33member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    Exactly. I find this better advice than gar's.



    If she doesn't really care, how can encouraging her to get a Mac be "forcing" her?



    Given that the O/P knows a lot about OS X and not much about Windows, and that by the sounds of it his fiancé knows nothing about computers, it makes far more sense to get a Mac. If she needs advice, help or assistance, the O/P can offer it for OS X but not for Windows.



    This is true as well. I could help with XP, but not Vista. I'm pretty good at troubleshooting, so I'm sure I could figure out if she needed anything on a PC notebook. Some of her school stuff may require Windows, but I have an extra copy of XP lying around should we need to install it with Boot Camp or Parallels.
  • Reply 11 of 15
    cosmonutcosmonut Posts: 4,872member
    Remember that when you get married, it'll become your computer too.
  • Reply 12 of 15
    icibaquicibaqu Posts: 278member
    first reply is good advice, but on the flip side knowing that you could have saved her endless heartache by paying the extra $300 might come and bite you in the ass if you let her just the the toshiba



    i had a toshiba and it bit the dust like a cartoon character that runs off a cliff. i would advise against going that route.



    but take her to the store and let her get her questions answered and make sure she knows its not a big deal at all for you to help her.
  • Reply 13 of 15
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jgbx View Post


    My fiance is going back to school in a few weeks. Her dad wants her to get a laptop and is willing to spend up to $700 to help her. He is a teacher and can get a Toshiba notebook for around $679 (model A135). The specs on it are ok but I know people who have had terrible luck with Toshibas. I'd like to see her get a Macbook but I'd have to help put in the other $300 (with student discount). I can afford to put in the extra cash, but am kinda on the fence as to whether it's really necessary. She's not a computer person in the sense that she just wants her email to work, surf the web, use her word processors and play the occasional Sims game. I figured the base model 2.0Ghz Macbook would be good for her to get but I also think a cheaper notebook will fit her needs. I'm unfamiliar with Vista, which comes with most newer computers, but I know OS X very well. Some of her classes will require XP or Vista, but I figured we could just get Parallels, Boot Camp and an older version of XP.



    My plan thus far is to just take her to the Apple retail store to see if she likes it. We tried going shopping for a notebook the other day, but she got bored and we left. She doesn't care to know how a computer works or what it's specs are. She just wants it to work.



    Would you shell out some extra money for your significant other to get on the Mac train?



    Have her try your Macs for a bit. My gf was the same way until she used a computer that could actually DO something, then she started to DO more than use the net and type up assignments. Now she's a mac fan and won't go back. And if you're gonna marry her 300 bucks is nothing, I'm sure it'll get a lot worse.



    Plus the mac will last her longer for basics. The toshiba will be toast in like 3 yrs(at leas that was my experience with every win laptop I've ever owned.)
  • Reply 14 of 15
    jgbxjgbx Posts: 33member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ecking View Post


    Have her try your Macs for a bit. My gf was the same way until she used a computer that could actually DO something, then she started to DO more than use the net and type up assignments. Now she's a mac fan and won't go back.



    She's been using my G5 desktop for a little while now and likes it ok. She gets flustered with some of the techinical differences in the OS like using Command instead of Control in Windows to do certain functions, but I'm sure she'll get used to it.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ecking View Post


    And if you're gonna marry her 300 bucks is nothing, I'm sure it'll get a lot worse.



    Trust me, I've already spent alot of the "worse"





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ecking View Post


    Plus the mac will last her longer for basics. The toshiba will be toast in like 3 yrs(at leas that was my experience with every win laptop I've ever owned.)



    This is really where I believe spending the extra cash will make the difference. My dad bought a Toshiba notebook and has had nothing but problems. Of coarse I've come across blogs who are Toshiba honks (didn't know they existed, but there you go) and love em.



    But I did end up taking her to the Apple store yesterday and she did seem alot more receptive to the Macbook than to any other laptops we've come across. We're going to go ahead and get it for her this weekend. I'm actually pretty excited.



    She likes playing the Sims alot. How do the Macbooks fare in playing those types of games?
  • Reply 15 of 15
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jgbx View Post


    My fiance is going back to school in a few weeks. Her dad wants her to get a laptop and is willing to spend up to $700 to help her. He is a teacher and can get a Toshiba notebook for around $679 (model A135). The specs on it are ok but I know people who have had terrible luck with Toshibas. I'd like to see her get a Macbook but I'd have to help put in the other $300 (with student discount). I can afford to put in the extra cash, but am kinda on the fence as to whether it's really necessary. She's not a computer person in the sense that she just wants her email to work, surf the web, use her word processors and play the occasional Sims game. I figured the base model 2.0Ghz Macbook would be good for her to get but I also think a cheaper notebook will fit her needs. I'm unfamiliar with Vista, which comes with most newer computers, but I know OS X very well. Some of her classes will require XP or Vista, but I figured we could just get Parallels, Boot Camp and an older version of XP.



    My plan thus far is to just take her to the Apple retail store to see if she likes it. We tried going shopping for a notebook the other day, but she got bored and we left. She doesn't care to know how a computer works or what it's specs are. She just wants it to work.



    Would you shell out some extra money for your significant other to get on the Mac train?



    YES! Without question



    I have done this several times and each time found it very rewarding, its worth the outlay for the constant thanks you get.



    A few of the people I have advised to get macs (and contributed towards the funding of) "just want it to work" and were NOT interested in HOW it works or what chips, RAM or lable was inside it, they just wanted it to WORK, their experiance of windows had left them in fear of computers.



    Not any more! comments range from "I can't believe its so easy" to "how could I have been so stupid (using windows) all these years"



    If its worth it for you to spend the money on her, then go right ahead.





    -

    I have an old PC sitting around gathering dust, I had half promised it to a friend of mine who has no computer at all, they are rather poor, but after thinking about it for a while I just couldn't justify inflicting windows on them. I felt I wouldn't be a friend if i did such a cruel thing. So I'm looking into a cheap G4 mini for them instead. A computer is a computer to them and I'm sure either way they will be greatful, but my feeling is, its better to get it right to start with
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