Shopping for a laptop

Office alternative

Curt Harms

>Hi Lee

If you go the Mac route, OpenOffice.org has a Mac version. It apparently works very much like MS Office and is very good about opening and saving MS Office files. I have no first hand experience with Mac, I do have Open Office 2.0 for windows for MS documents that won't open properly in WordPerfect Office. Most MS documents open fine in WP Office unless they have a bunch of screwball formatting or macros, a few don't. I detest MS Word.

Curt

Word's the word

Lee Grindinger

>Sometimes you have to play with the other guy's marbles. Word is the program of choice for most of the organizations I exchange documents with. Thanks for the input.

Lee

Re: Apple Vs. PC- Pros and Cons

wilbur

>First of all, I'll be upfront in saying that I like the Mac far better than Windows PCs. Having said that, if you are looking to switch, here are the things to consider.

1. Your current hardware. The bottom line is that most older hardware will have support for the Mac that is poor to nonexistant. Be sure to check to see if your printers, scanners, PDAs, cellphones, and other devices that you may be connecting to your PC will work with Mac. When we switched to using a Mac at home 5 years ago, we wound up having to buy a new printer and scanner for this reason. When I replaced my cellphone, I was somewhat limited with the models of cellphones that will sync up phone numbers with my Mac. The situation is better nowadays, but double check your hardware.

2. Your current software. You should make a list of all the software you use and make sure that there is an equivalent for the Mac. It does not have to be the same software, just something that does the same task. For me, I needed MS Office, Quicken, and a newsgroup reader. MS Office and Quicken existed in Mac versions, and I found a different newsgroup reader program that works well, once I made the transition. You had mentioned previously that you used Hotmetal for web page editing. Hotmetal doesn't exist for the Mac, but there are other HTML editors that do. (In fact, as far as I can tell, Hotmetal doesn't really exist anymore.)

3. Games. There are more games for Windows than for Mac. That's a fact of life.

4. Logging into other networks. If you use your Windows computer to securely log into a work network, trying to do so on a Mac may be complicated.

5. Memory. OS X runs better the more memory you have. You'll need at least 1 GB. Most Macs come configured with that much RAM these days. (Although Windows certainly does better with lots of RAM, too.)

6. Some websites. There are some websites that don't do well with Safari, the web browser for the Mac. This is really an issue of poor website design such as assuming that everyone uses Internet Explorer, poor use of Java, or nonstandard HTML. Firefox exists for the Mac, and this has been a good backup web browser. Having said that, I need to use Firefox very very very rarely.

Now, for the pluses for a Mac:

1. Document exchange. Files sent to and from other people will be just fine on a Mac, including, but not limited to MS Word files, pictures, music files, movies, and PDF files. In fact, on a Mac, you can print to a PDF file, making it very easy to generate PDF files if you need to. On Windows, you would need to buy software to do so. I was able to migrate 6 years worth of documents and files without any problem.

2. Software design. Subjective to some extent, but I think that the photo, music, email, and even MS Office are nicer and easier to use on the Mac than on Windows. You'll have to see whether you agree by trying the software out yourself.

3. Security. I know that you can lock down a Windows computer with antispyware and antivirus programs and firewalls, but it takes much less work to do so on a Mac. Part of this is due to the fact that the Mac, as configured out of the box, is inherently more secure than a Windows machine. One of the keys is that programs (read: viruses) can't be installed or run on Mac OS X without you approving it with a password. My iMac at home has been hooked up to a cable internet connection 24/7 since 2002. It has never been hacked, and I didn't buy any additional security software.

4. Performance over time. Windows keeps lots of information that it uses in the Windows registry. Over time, the registry gets bigger and more unwieldy, and ultimately your Windows PC will start to get sluggish. In OS X, this type of information is kept in separate files for each software/hardware component. (This is a common strategy for Unix based systems.) So you won't get this type of increased sluggishness over time. Again, I was able to tune up my old Windows machines with programs like Norton Utilities, and registry cleaner type programs, but with OS X it's just a lot less work. My iMac that we bought in 2002 still feels like it runs as fast as it did when we first brought it home.

5. Ability to run Windows if you need to. One thing you should be aware of is that with the current crop of Intel based Macs, you can run Windows if you really need to either by dual booting or by using Parallels, which opens a window from OS X that looks like a small Windows desktop. Parallels is a bit of a memory hog, but it does work well. Of course, this means buying a copy of Windows for your Mac. I still start up Windows on my Mac for this one MP3 tag editing program that I use on occasion.

6. Networking. If you are trying to set up a network at home, doing so from the Mac side is much easier than doing so on the Windows side.

I think that's a pretty fair assessment. Bottom line, at home we made the switch to using a Mac in 2002, and have never looked back. Nowadays, it's probably easier to switch, now that hardware support for Mac OS X is better than it was.

Wow Wilbur, thanks

Lee Grindinger

>That is a belly full of information, just exactly whay I was looking for. I really appreciate you taking the time to put it all down.

A pediatric oncologist, it just amazes me when I see the people that frequent this site. Ruthie's an RN and loved the NICU and peds.

Thanks again,

Lee

Re: Apple Vs. PC- Pros and Cons

John in Calgary

>I don't own a mac laptop but do own a mac desktop at home and use Windows computers at work. We used to own a Dell at home, but I got tired of it not running consistently and not having the time to try to figure out why or what to fix - when I have time to use the computer at home, I just need it to work.

The pros (from my experience):

1) rock stable (its always worked for me and I can count on one hand the number of crashes I've had)

2) while different than Windows, once you figure it out its very intuitive (I actually got a phone call from my wife one day asking how to open the cd drive, just press the button in the corner of the keyboard, right beside the volume/mute controls)

3) the Mac Word & Excel programs are very close to their Window's cousins, but better (that intuitive thing creeps in again)

4) we have a 20" display, but its 16:9, so you can actually layer windows across it, much better than even the multidisplay set-ups I've seen the geologists use here at work

5) its very good at the multimedia stuff - photos, videos, music, internet, etc.

the cons:

1) you will be ostrasized by your peers (but, with a little bit of self confidence, you can ignore them since you'll know they would never understand)

2) you can't download any software and have it run, you have to search out Mac versions, if they are available

Owning a Mac really is an emotional thing - I liken it to owning a VW, with a VW you have to have the passion to put up with the small stuff, but boy is it worth it (and there isn't any real small staff with a Mac).

Re: Apple Vs. PC- Pros and Cons

David Harker

>Lee,

1) regarding Word on Mac, see the FAQ at:

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/default.aspx?pid=macIntelQA

2) I'm typing this on a PowerBook G4, the pre-intel 17" screen version. I love it, and it never, ever, ever crashes.

3) I've extensively used Linux and Windows XP (at work, software engineer) and vastly prefer OS X, as a user. Automatic security updates from Apple are brainless (just say 'yes' when it asks if you want to upgrade, or wait til later and say 'yes' then). The interface is wonderful.

4) OpenOffice has enabled me to open, view and change any Word doc and Excel spreadsheet I've downloaded. This is a FREE suite of software that emulates Office. Read more here:

http://www.openoffice.org/press/2.0/index.html

I worked at IBM for 16 years, and have never personally owned an ibm-compatible pc, only Macs.

Good luck,

Dave

More mud in the water.....way too long

Bob Entwisle in NJ

>Hey cousin

I've been using a Dell Inspiron 5100, running XP Pro for the past 3? years. In that time the hard drive failed once on me, early on, and the scuttlebutt was that Dell was in the midst of a plethora of HD failures, I forget the brand of hard drive that was causing them/me grief, maybe Hitachi?, stuff happens. Since then, no problems. I started out with 512M and went to 1G about a year and a half ago, mostly because I do several different things all at once all day long on it and adding the RAM helps move things along a little faster.

I have the luxury of having direct �walk across the room� access, to some serious computer experts (Software design engineers, Software Developers, IT support, etc) if I have any problems, but I really can't recall any problems since the dreaded hard drive failure mentioned above, that were related to the laptop hardware itself.

The Inspiron 5100 has at least one built in problem, that being the cooling system, so I would not recommend that you look for an antique 5100.

If I was going to buy a new laptop for personal use I think I would take a serious look at the HP machines.

Being a tech geek I�m OK with the Dell stuff, and there are plenty of spare parts and tech info on the web for the Dells, but my suspicions are that the HP is a better machine. One of my co-workers, a seriously logical hardware/software design engineer who tends to be very methodical in his design and development processes, bought a laptop for himself last year, and he chose an HP machine, and has not had any problems with it.

I would recommend running XP Pro for now, but if you can get one with a Vista upgrade coupon or whatever, that would be good in a few months or years etc. Microsoft is scheduled to cut support for w2000 shortly, and I�m sure will do the same for XP in a year or two.

Most of the laptop power supplies I�m familiar with are dual/multi voltage frequency compatible, so that should not be a problem. You might want to consider a multi-input power adapter (not sure what they call it exactly) but it will let you run off of airline power, car (12VDC) as well as 95-250 VAC 50-60Hz., for only a couple bucks more.

As to Batteries, they are (for the Dells anyway) usually available in a couple of sizes, I would recommend one smaller (cheaper) lower capacity to use most of the time,when you are connected to the AC/car/plane adapter, and one larger extended capacity battery that you only charge up and use when you are away from the AC adapter/traveling etc.

I use a Logitech wired USB mouse at home and a MS wireless USB keyboard and mouse at work. When I travel I take a wired USB mouse. I hate the touchpad and only use it under duress. If I were getting one today, I would look at some of the currently available wireless USB optical mice or even Bluetooth mice and or keyboards. At work I use a 19� flat panel LCD display with the laptop, in a dual display mode with the built in laptop display. I do a lot of multitasking/several application at once type of things, reading info off a spreadsheet while typing an email, or looking at a drawing etc., so the dual displays let me see a lot of stuff all at once. That is probably not an issue if you are using the laptop for one thing at a time, though for reading documents the larger display is really nice.

Jackie has an eMAC that she got a few years ago because she was using MAC�s at work for graphics and such. Probably fine at work with an IT support staff etc. The eMAC she got came with OSX version .0, which I am told for a mere 125 bucks or so, I can upgrade/change to Panther or Jaguar or whatever, and then all it�s problems will go away��.sounds strangely the same as Microsoft to me! Though I am obviously a PC sort of guy��For me, I understand PC�s better than I understand MAC�s, I �think� that because there are more PC�s in the world than MAC�s, that there is a larger base of technical support and information and spare parts available for PC�s than there is for MAC�s

If I needed to take a computer with me into the great big wide open world, I would prefer to take a PC platform, for the simple reason that even if I had a problem with it that I could not solve myself, I would have a better chance of running into someone who knew PC�s, than I would have of running into someone who knew MAC�s

Seriously though, I do think the HP laptops are a good piece of hardware, and are worth a serious look. Another guy at work swears by IBM Thinkpads, and is on his second one, but��His wife works for IBM, so he gets a discount�.. The IBM thinkpads are good machines, or at least were, but now that IBM no longer makes them, I�m not so sure.

HP makes a lot of computers, so spares/technical help for them should be readily available. Obviously the same goes for the Dell equipment, there�s lots of it out there, so there�s lots of info, parts and support.

No, it's just long enough

Lee Grindinger

>Hey Bob, I was hoping you'd weigh in on this. I really appreciate your input. Frankly, we're a bit "off" HP right now, recent experience with a computer and all-in-one printer have left a bad taste in our mouths.

We're going for a MacBook..., over to the dark side. I've been curious about them for years and years and since compatability with files I've jammed into our PC is no longer a problem this seems like a good time to make the change. We have a really crummy tower we'll delegate to backup.

Ruthie says "Hi" and give our best to Jackie,

Lee

Well, THANKS EVERYONE!

Lee Grindinger

>I really appreciate the input you have all given me. We have decided on a MacBook and I feel really informed about this decision because of all of you incredibly helpful people.

Thanks again, now let me pay the debt by helping you guys with making sawdust.

Lee

carrying case recommendation

Ron in College Station, TX

>Just in case you haven't ordered a case for your new notebook yet, you may want to consider this one.

I got a new macbook pro in Nov. and I bought one of these cases. It's no thrills but well made, and it travels very well. I've carried mine on a few cross-country plane rides already. Extra storage is very limited in it, but it suffices for your power brick and a couple of small things like cables or a mouse if you're so inclined. And since they come in nonblack colors, they're a little easier to keep your eye on -- thieves are everywhere, especially when you're carrying a better brand of hardware.

ron