is an apple macbook worth the extra

asininity

Marty_J wrote: »

The drivers (i.e. hardware support) for using Windows on a Mac are all supplied by Apple.

The drivers for graphics cards, motherboard,s and hardware from other vendors are provided by those vendors too, its nothing new.

Marty_J

asininity wrote: »

The drivers for graphics cards, motherboard,s and hardware from other vendors are provided by those vendors too, its nothing new.

So Apple writing and distributing Windows drivers for their computers, including allowing the non-destructive partitioning of the file system, and writing firmware that can emulate the antiquated BIOS using a compatibility support module, is a "plus point" for Microsoft's hardware support?

asininity

Marty_J wrote: »

So Apple writing and distributing Windows drivers for their computers, including allowing the non-destructive partitioning of the file system, and writing firmware that can emulate the antiquated BIOS using a compatibility support module, is a "plus point" for Microsoft's hardware support?

Lets all give apple a pat on the back. Well done for doing something every other hardware manufacturer does support windows. :T

I'm pretty sure you could install windows on a mac and its would run as win 7 just ran on my laptop what you're talking about is extra functionality.

The plus point is that windows is actually capable of running on a large range of hardware its not crippled to a small range like osx is and its very telling that apple have had to offer that support:rolleyes:.

Steve1982

vyle wrote: »

I wish my parents would spend £400+ on me for my birthday. All I got for my 11th birthday was themepark for the megadrive.

Now theres a classic game if ever there was one.....the amount of hours of my life spent playing that and Sim City I wouldnt like to know lol

tescodave

I have owned a Mac for three years and am currently writing this on it.

Only the thing is I'm using Windows 7 on it as last week I formatted OS X Leopard and installed windows back on it.

Forget the hype, macs were better in my opinion until windows 7 came along. Now I don't think they're worth the extra.

Oh, and my macbook white 13in, has splits in the plastic case all along the front due to plastic fatigue, and I've treated it well and carried it around in a padded case since I bought it.

For £500 you can get a decent Windows 7 laptop that will be a better spec than an £750-£800 mac.

Still its up to you at the end of the day:cool:

Marty_J

asininity wrote: »

Lets all give apple a pat on the back. Well done for doing something every other hardware manufacturer does support windows. :T

Who's giving Apple a pat on the back?

All I'm saying is that it isn't all down to Microsoft's greatness.

I'm pretty sure you could install windows on a mac and its would run as win 7 just ran on my laptop what you're talking about is extra functionality.

It won't boot without the BIOS emulation layer.

Though I suppose Microsoft can take credit for that too. :rolleyes:

The plus point is that windows is actually capable of running on a large range of hardware its not crippled to a small range like osx is

Yes, it's one of the best things about OS X.

and its very telling that apple have had to offer that support:rolleyes:.

Offer what support?

Marty_J

tescodave wrote: »

I have owned a Mac for three years and am currently writing this on it.

Only the thing is I'm using Windows 7 on it as last week I formatted OS X Leopard and installed windows back on it.

Forget the hype, macs were better in my opinion until windows 7 came along. Now I don't think they're worth the extra.

Oh, and my macbook white 13in, has splits in the plastic case all along the front due to plastic fatigue, and I've treated it well and carried it around in a padded case since I bought it.

For £500 you can get a decent Windows 7 laptop that will be a better spec than an £750-£800 mac.

Still its up to you at the end of the day:cool:

Windows 7 changes little in my opinion. It's an OK operating system, but it's basically a Vista service pack. Vista isn't as awful now as when it was first released, and Windows 7 is certainly an evolutionary upgrade (as is Mac OS X 10.6).

This chart sums it all up neatly:

michaelro

Marty_J wrote: »

This chart sums it all up neatly:

I particularly like the built in audience. :rolleyes:

Surely those that are paying the overpriced monthly payments for the iPhone can't afford a mac aswell....;):D

Scrilla

discodiva wrote: »

my daughter (aged 10 ) has been on an apple workshop with school and wants the macbook for xmas I origionally had a budget of £500 to spend on a laptop for her but don't mind spending the extra if it's worth it she will be going to high school sept'10 and the schools she has chosen all use apple comp. will this last until she leaves school ?

I think it's worth it. Although I must admit, Windows 7 brings the Mac and Windows OS very close together in terms of performance and user experience. My question would be: does it have to be a laptop? You would get a longer lasting computer if it were a desktop as they are of a higher specification than laptops for the same amount of money. The Apple Store would be a good starting point. There are educational discounts available. You don't say if you already own a computer in the home. If you do and have a monitor, keyboard and mouse you can reuse, the mac mini is a good option as already mentioned.

As a parent of a pupil, you will be entitled to a discount, such as those at http://www.software4students.co.uk/.

Just be aware, although there are few software and hardware incompatibilities, there are a couple of things to consider:
1) MS Office for Mac does not support Visual Basic. So if you need to use macros, this would be a problem. Since your daughter's school use Mac's, this shouldn't be an issue, at least when it comes to your daughter's school work. I'm talking about MS Office cause it's almost a universal must have in todays world. Check with the High School to see what your daughter may need. Open Office is an option, but I personally dislike it. As ICT is becoming an integral part of the curriculum and also of modern society, schools will soon expect pupils to have access to certain programs. (Schools currently must make computer facilities available to pupils outside of class times if work is expected to be completed using ICT.)
2) There are a wider range of software available for the PC. Arguably, the more 'important' pieces of software are available for both. There is a lot of educational software for the PC you will not find on the Mac. Installing Windows on Mac is an option as others have pointed out.

randomtask wrote: »

I find using spotlight's search to be an excellent app launcher for programs not kept in the dock - just type the name of the application (or the first few letters of it) and it finds it and you can quickly open it - very slick and convenient compared to hunting it down via a start menu or opening multiple directories. I wish Windows could implement something equally powerful and fast.

I use spotlight in exactly the same way. I have no application icons in my dock and always open them using spotlight. I try to stay away from using the mouse as much as possible and find this method efficient. Strangely, my preferred method on windows is pinning programs to the task bar and clicking on them. What I love about Spotlight is it's ability to search content and not just file names. With in excess of 100,000 work documents, it is very easy to use spotlight to find documents relating to "the three bears", even if the file name happens to be "Goldilocks.doc". I'm used to Spotlight (keyboard) navigation in Mac OS and using the mouse to navigate in Windows. Different environments, different habits.

asininity

Marty_J wrote: »

Who's giving Apple a pat on the back?

All I'm saying is that it isn't all down to Microsoft's greatness.

Trust neither am I.

It won't boot without the BIOS emulation layer.

Seems that some are able to run it natively: http://adurstewitz.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/running-windows-7-nativity-on-a-macbook-pro/

However apple do like the dictatorship they have,

Though I suppose Microsoft can take credit for that too. :rolleyes:

No apple are to blame for making it difficult.

Yes, it's one of the best things about OS X.

No its not, it a dictatorship and osx isn't worth the overpriced hardware. Win 7 dispite what you want it to be isnt a vista service pack, and I'm speaking from experience.

Offer what support?

You just mentioned it as a major good point about apple:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: now you dont know anything about it.