Why would it cost >$1k++? We have the 2.5 Ghz dual core i5 ($599 new) which we upgraded to 16GB ($131.99 via Crucial.com - no doubt there are cheaper alternatives). Runs Windows fine in a VM (although, like you, I really only use it for IE testing).
Certainly this doesn't account for keyboards, mice or monitors, but that's the nice part of the mini: many libraries have those things lying around anyway. If all you want are web browsing machines (or suspect that that is all they will be used for), I absolutely agree this is probably a waste of money. But if you want to get the most versatility in a machine, it's a pretty good bargain, I think. -Ross. On Aug 12, 2013, at 1:37 PM, Cary Gordon <[email protected]> wrote: > Aside from the aforementioned support hell issue, a Mac Mini that would run > Windows 8 and Mountain Lion or Mavericks with decent speed would cost over > $1k ++. I run them both on my fairly maxed-out two year old MacBook Pro, and > while the results on the PC side are acceptable for what I need — mostly site > testing in versions of IE — they are by no means spectacular. > > Someone should try setting up something like this as a science project. > Please report back. > > Thanks, > > Cary > > On Aug 12, 2013, at 10:13 AM, Ross Singer <[email protected]> wrote: > >> If you want to go with Mac Minis (which, having had to use one as my primary >> work machine for the last two weeks while my Macbook was in the shop, seems >> like a perfectly inexpensive and awesome choice), I would probably just max >> out the RAM on them and opt for putting Windows in VirtualBox (or its ilk) >> rather than worry about Bootcamp. >> >> It would give you more options (Windows 7/8, Linux, etc.) and wouldn't >> require rebooting. >> >> I do like the idea of more versatile public computers, although I'm not sure >> how much real use they would get beyond web browsing, in practice. I would >> imagine that probably depends a lot on what you make available and how you >> promote them (for example, offering iMovie and making firewire cables >> available, etc.). >> >> Also, I can't comment on what the maintenance overhead would be. Obviously >> in the library world, there's probably a lot more acquired knowledge on >> imaging and locking down Windows than alternatives. >> >> -Ross. >> >> On Aug 12, 2013, at 11:57 AM, Nate Hill <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Is anyone on the list using mac computers and bootcamp or some other >>> partition to offer public access to either a mac or windows environment for >>> their users? This seems like ti could be a pretty cool option to present >>> folks with. >>> >>> Any thoughts on the matter? I'm trying to figure out what to replace our >>> public computers with here in Chattanooga. Obviously I want them to be >>> both inexpensive and awesome. >>> >>> -- >>> Nate Hill >>> [email protected] >>> http://4thfloor.chattlibrary.org/ >>> http://www.natehill.net
