On Feb 29, 2008, at 11:22 AM, bilbo0211 wrote: > --- In [email protected], Dennis Brown <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> However, you can build your own PC for less. > > I've been building my own computers as a hobby for years. Except for > high end 'enthusiast' models you cannot build a computer for less than > you can buy a comparable mass produced model. > > There are several advantages to building your own. You can put exactly > the hardware you want in it; you can upgrade piece meal so you save > money over time; you have spare parts you can use in case of a > hardware malfunction; and there is the fun factor.
Good points. However, after decades of designing my own computer systems (from the instruction set up) and peripherals from scratch, there is no fun factor for me in researching and plugging boards together. I really appreciate when a manufacturer can create a whole system experience that gets all the UI details right. My test is if I think I should be able to do something in a certain way (without reading the specific program manual) and it just works, I am happy. That is an intuitively rich interface. I want all my applications to behave in the same intuitive way, so I can run many programs without having to read any manuals. Manuals are something I read *after* I have run the program for a few hours (to see how intuitive it is) just to pick up the finer points and shortcuts. For spare parts, I have two systems running side by side. In trading, I can not afford to take more than a couple of minutes to continue where I left off. Of course, I have never had an Apple computer fail on me in decades of ownership, so it is only a theoretical backup solution at this point. I have had a program crash on me though. In the middle of a trade, it sure helps to just jump over to the other computer to be able to close it out quickly if needed. > >> I like the close integration between the two OSes that make them > seem >like one. VMWare falls short on this --my most important UI > feature. > > Are you sure it was VMWare and not VMPlayer you tried? VMWare comes > with tools you have to install that gives you the integration you are > talking about (so dies VirtualBox). > Bill Yes, it is VMWare. They are trying to catch up to Parallels, but Parallels keeps pulling ahead of them in this area with each release. Competition is great! It really has Parallels scrambling to stay ahead. The thing that VMWare has over Parallels right now is 64 bit. However, I can't run AB realtime in 64 bit yet, so I am waiting on that. Dennis
