Re: The Macintoshes other people mentioned, a few suggestions: 1. As a general rule, don't bother buying hard disk and memory upgrades from Apple. Buy Apple's smallest RAM and hard disk configurations, then buy those upgrades separately elsewhere. Usually the price works out better that way, although some comparison shopping is obviously worthwhile. You can also buy a USB hard drive case and put the original Apple-supplied hard disk in that case to use for backup and other purposes.
Currently you can get a 250 GB 5400 RPM notebook hard disk for well under $200 on the open market, for example. 2. Apple offers refurbished Macintoshes at their online store. The warranty is the same, and I think they're a better value. You have to check back from time to time since stock varies. 3. The original Core Duo MacBooks run a bit hotter (though they're still perfectly safe). I would advise going with the Core 2 Duo processor instead. The Core 2 Duo MacBooks will expand up to 3 GB of RAM (4 GB maximum for the newest MacBook Pros) versus 2 GB for the original Core Duo models. RAM expansion is probably the first limiting factor in any notebook's useful design longevity. I wouldn't worry about processor speed at all. The differences are quite minor in the real world, and faster means hotter and shorter battery life, ceteris paribus. 4. VirtualBox for Mac OS X is one of several ways to run Windows and/or Linux on the Macintosh. That and Apple's Boot Camp are no extra charge. VirtualBox's features are more limited than Parallels Desktop and VMware, but it's adequate for many people. 5. You don't have to buy the AppleCare extended warranty until just before the standard one year warranty expires, and you don't have to buy it directly from Apple. Shop around. Some credit cards also offer extended warranties. The whole question of whether to get an extended warranty or not is an interesting one. 6. Apple's notebooks do not have a built-in modem. If you need one Apple sells a slick USB modem. Also, if you plan to use the Mac for presentations or with an external monitor, it's a good idea to buy the VGA-style cable adapter. 7. Apple.com's expedited shipping probably doesn't do any good, so don't bother. 8. There are various Web sites, like dealmac.com and lowendmac.com, which chronicle getting the best deals on Macintoshes. Re: Lenovo, the ThinkPads are still very nice indeed, though I tend to prefer the T and X models specifically. - - - - - Timothy Sipples IBM Consulting Enterprise Software Architect Specializing in Software Architectures Related to System z Based in Tokyo, Serving IBM Japan and IBM Asia-Pacific E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
