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Memory To Go Special: New 2008 iMac 2GB $42 / iMac Intel Core2 DUO & MacBook Pro 2GB $36 - 1GB $20.
MacPro 8 Core Memory 8GB kit $286 / 4GB kit $143 / 2GB kit $93 -- Free shipping available. LIfetime warranty.
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It's been some time since I've used Windows with any regularity. I
can't say I've missed it terribly. About the only time I need to go
near Windows is when my Dad needs a hand with his machine.
After a couple of years of using a Mac at home and at work, I
recently started using Windows at work once more. After so long an
absence, I figured I'd give Windows a chance.
After all, things have apparently improved considerably since I
used NT 4.0. My new machine had Windows 2000 Professional on it, so
how bad could it be?
Well, it seems the stability gap between Macs and PCs has grown
rather than diminished. Since I bought my PowerBook more than two
years ago, I've developed the habit of leaving my machine on all the
time. I'll occasionally reboot the machine, but that's usually only
after I've installed new software. The last time I had a kernel panic
was about a year ago.
Let's contrast this with the new Dell machine I was given at my
current workplace. It's a brand new machine with a fresh Windows 2000
Professional install.
My job requires a considerable number of applications that aren't
on the company's regular list, so I spent a little while kitting it
out to suit my requirements. Things went swimmingly for the first
couple of weeks.
Granted, Windows is an extremely ugly thing to look at all day
long, but it's not like it doesn't let you get al least some work
done. And if reviews are to be believed, Windows 2000 and XP are much
more stable than Windows 98 and NT.
Well, from personal experience, things haven't become a whole lot
better.
It all started pretty innocuously. Windows Explorer would
occasionally quit unexpectedly. Not a huge deal. Protected memory is
a wonderful thing, after all.
Last week this innocuous little problem became a serious one.
Consecutive crashes became the norm. System lockups also became a
problem.
A visit from the friendly tech support guy yielded exactly no
answers. Result: A new image was pushed onto my system, and I spent
half the day getting things back to normal.
Recall that this is a new machine with a reasonably modern
operating system. Also recall that my Mac workhorse is at least two
years older than the bundle of parts on my desk.
I'm not one to criticize people's choice of operating systems. I
personally think people should use whatever they feel comfortable
using.
For me that's a Mac.
Stephen Van
Esch is the founder and president of
the
E-learning Foundry, an online training
resource for Mac users. Steve loves the Mac and is doubly bilingual,
since he's also fluent in Windows and French.
Recently on Mac Scope
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"But beyond the very minor celebrity status that came with being published on Low End Mac, it gave me a real opportunity to participate in the Mac community."
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Macs are usually pretty reliable, but a hardware failure after just two-and-a-half years is still disappointing.
Mac of the Day: iMac G5 (iSight), Oct. 2005 -Apple built an iSight webcam into the last version of the G5 iMac.
List of the Day: Leopard List Low End Mac's email list covering Mac OS X 10.5.
October 12 in LEM history: 98: Beyond HFS+ nightmares - 99: iMacs for all - 00: The future of low-end gaming - 01: Tips on buying a new computer - 05: iMac G5 (iSight) - Simple backup strategies - 06: Bring back flexible, easy to upgrade 'Books - 07: Road Apple nominations - PB 150 boots from Compact Flash - Leopard to slow down PowerPC Macs?
Best Mac Pro Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.10.
Used 2.66 GHz 4-core, $1,799; new, $1,949 after rebate; 2.8 4-core, $2,099 shipped; 8-core, $2,599 shipped; 3.0 $3,399 shipped; 3.2, $4,099 shipped.
Best PowerBook G3 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.10.
Used 14" WallStreet G3/266 MHz, $90; Lombard G3/400 MHz, $150; Pismo G3/400 MHz, $300; 500 MHz, $350.
Best Time Capsule and AirPort Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.10.
Refurb 500 GB Time Capsule, $249; new, $294; refurb 1 TB, $419; new, $462; AirPort Extreme Card, $39; Base Station, $159; Express, $60.
Modding Your Old Mac to Make It More Useful, Phil Herlihy, The Usefulness Equation, 10.09.
If your old Mac is too slow, too noisy, too plain looking, or has too little room for expansion, you might want to mod it.
Best iMac G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.09.
Used 15" 700 MHz CD-RW, $269; 800 Combo, $300; 1 GHz, $390; 17" 1.25 GHz SuperDrive, $400; 20", $529.
Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.09.
Used 1.83 GHz Core Duo, $995; 2.16, $1,125; new, 2.2, $1,400 after rebate; refurb 2.4, $1,699; 2.5, $1,999; 2.6, $2,299; rebates on new.
Best Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.09.
DVD upgrade from 10.3, $75; upgrade bundle with 10.3, $118; full version, $129; family pack, $200; 10-user Server, $350; unlimited, $400.
Migrating My Law Office from Windows to Macintosh, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 10.08.
By switching to Leopard Server, everyone in the office will be able to move to a Mac - but which ones will best meet their needs?
Low End Mac Needs Help Moving to Joomla, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.08.
We've settled on Joomla as the content management system that should work very well for Low End Mac, but we're running stuck with templates.
