A week with Mac OS X... a CAG review

pumbaa

pumbaa

CAGiversary!
About a week ago now, I got my Brand Spanking Used iBook 500 in the mail. I paid $420 for it shipped (with airport, OS X 10.3, the DVD/CD non-burning combo and a 256mb stick included). I also bought a Tucano 2nd skin and a new Apple battery for the iBook, bringing the entire purchase total to around $560. This is some of the best money I've ever spent.

I was worried about speed while considering this iBook, after all from a PC users perspective... a 500 hz computer is essentially worthless, especially while trying to run the most current OS. Luckily, those speed worries were for nothing. The machine does exactly what I want it to do, and while it is slower than my PC (a 2.4 P4 w/ 512mb) it is most definitly in the realm of useability. A surprising testament to the uselessness of Mhz numbers...

Mac OS X is AMAZING. Everything just WORKS. Airport just works, my iPod just works. I plugged in my USB hub (which had my Microsoft wireless mouse and my HP printer in it) just to see what would happen. It just worked. I was amazed. In fact, coming from a PC world... OS X was very confusing to me it first... simply because its so damn simple yet powerful. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to install or delete programs... I researched and realized there WAS no uninstall menu. There WAS no installer program. Just drag and drop. Friken amazing. No crazy rouge files to delete... the system just makes sense. The whole purpose of the OS seems different. When you maximize a window... it doesn't fill the entire screen. This puzzled me at first, but it makes sense. On a 12" screen, I still have enough desktop space to see mutiple programs. I LOVE STICKIES. They are amazing... why can't Windows have small touches like this? Battery life... is shockingly good. Full screen brightness? Airport on? 4 HOURS +. Playing a DVD with full screen brightness? Still around 3 hours. I actually put it to the lowest screen brightness and turned off Airport, and it estimated 7 hours of battery life. Simply amazing.

Most importantly, the thing is SLICK. This is technically a 5 year old computer, yet its smaller and lighter than most Windows machines out there now. The size and weight of a medium textbook (I'm in college). People see me with it and can't believe I got it for the price I did. Apple design is truly amazing, and despite a few surface scuffs... my iBook is still a beautiful thing. I love how it sleeps. No exterior lights, but a small little breathing light magically appears. Hell, even the AC adapter makes sense (I got the "yoyo" model i suppose). Small enough to just stuff in my bookbag.

I've been coming to grips with the system, and I'm sure I'll learn a lot more in the future. I'm using shortcut keys a lot more than I do on my Windows machine. Control-Click is a switchers best friend (and made me realize that the only thing a mouse needs is one button and a scroll wheel). Anybody out there who thinks Macs are too expensive, get a used one. It's not the same, 500mhz on a Mac isn't 500mhz on the PC. Needless to say, my next computer is going to be a Mac. Apple caught me early. I'm 19 and in college, always liked Macs but never got one, and the iPod Halo effect got me in. My 4 year old system runs like a charm, I can only imagine what a brand new one is like. Thank you Apple, thanks a lot.
 
I'd have to agree with you, Macs are a fun machine to use. I've grown to love them. I have to use one in one of my classes, and I've been impressed. If I had a lot of extra money, I'd get a mac laptop.

On the other hand, I could never get rid of my PC. I think everyone knows why....... Games! (and another mouse button to click when i get bored)
 
this will be go to know when my Mac Mini finally ships.

although that one mouse button thing is blasphemy. how the hell am I supposed to throw a grenade using one of those?
 
That's a pretty good deal for a Mac. I tried to buy a used iBook or PowerBook a while ago, but prices were astronomical, even for 2-3 year old machines. For a while I was between building a new Shuttle PC or buying a Mac mini, but I decided firmly on a Mac mini, which I'll be purchasing soon.
 
[quote name='pumbaa']About a week ago now, I got my Brand Spanking Used iBook 500 in the mail. I paid $420 for it shipped (with airport, OS X 10.3, the DVD/CD non-burning combo and a 256mb stick included). I also bought a Tucano 2nd skin and a new Apple battery for the iBook, bringing the entire purchase total to around $560. This is some of the best money I've ever spent.

I was worried about speed while considering this iBook, after all from a PC users perspective... a 500 hz computer is essentially worthless, especially while trying to run the most current OS. Luckily, those speed worries were for nothing. The machine does exactly what I want it to do, and while it is slower than my PC (a 2.4 P4 w/ 512mb) it is most definitly in the realm of useability. A surprising testament to the uselessness of Mhz numbers...

Mac OS X is AMAZING. Everything just WORKS. Airport just works, my iPod just works. I plugged in my USB hub (which had my Microsoft wireless mouse and my HP printer in it) just to see what would happen. It just worked. I was amazed. In fact, coming from a PC world... OS X was very confusing to me it first... simply because its so damn simple yet powerful. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to install or delete programs... I researched and realized there WAS no uninstall menu. There WAS no installer program. Just drag and drop. Friken amazing. No crazy rouge files to delete... the system just makes sense. The whole purpose of the OS seems different. When you maximize a window... it doesn't fill the entire screen. This puzzled me at first, but it makes sense. On a 12" screen, I still have enough desktop space to see mutiple programs. I LOVE STICKIES. They are amazing... why can't Windows have small touches like this? Battery life... is shockingly good. Full screen brightness? Airport on? 4 HOURS +. Playing a DVD with full screen brightness? Still around 3 hours. I actually put it to the lowest screen brightness and turned off Airport, and it estimated 7 hours of battery life. Simply amazing.

Most importantly, the thing is SLICK. This is technically a 5 year old computer, yet its smaller and lighter than most Windows machines out there now. The size and weight of a medium textbook (I'm in college). People see me with it and can't believe I got it for the price I did. Apple design is truly amazing, and despite a few surface scuffs... my iBook is still a beautiful thing. I love how it sleeps. No exterior lights, but a small little breathing light magically appears. Hell, even the AC adapter makes sense (I got the "yoyo" model i suppose). Small enough to just stuff in my bookbag.

I've been coming to grips with the system, and I'm sure I'll learn a lot more in the future. I'm using shortcut keys a lot more than I do on my Windows machine. Control-Click is a switchers best friend (and made me realize that the only thing a mouse needs is one button and a scroll wheel). Anybody out there who thinks Macs are too expensive, get a used one. It's not the same, 500mhz on a Mac isn't 500mhz on the PC. Needless to say, my next computer is going to be a Mac. Apple caught me early. I'm 19 and in college, always liked Macs but never got one, and the iPod Halo effect got me in. My 4 year old system runs like a charm, I can only imagine what a brand new one is like. Thank you Apple, thanks a lot.[/quote]

Where'd you get it?
 
1 button? ONE BUTTON!? I have six and it isn't enough! MORE BUTTONS!

I really don't like how people are so amazed that macs work. They only need to program the os the be compatible with 6 programs. Theres also no hardware issues because it all comes from Apple. Limited software pool + Single party hardware = smaller chance for imcompatibility.

There are more developers for pc parts than there are programs for the MAC. There have got to be a million and some odd programmers. If apple was as diverse as the PC market, they'd have the same conflicts. Thankfully, they continue to be a minior trend fashion that people buy because they're cute.
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[quote name='jalu6']this will be go to know when my Mac Mini finally ships.

although that one mouse button thing is blasphemy. how the hell am I supposed to throw a grenade using one of those?[/quote]

You don't throw grenades with macs. :twisted:
 
[quote name='Kayden']1 button? ONE BUTTON!? I have six and it isn't enough! MORE BUTTONS!

I really don't like how people are so amazed that macs work. They only need to program the os the be compatible with 6 programs. Theres also no hardware issues because it all comes from Apple. Limited software pool + Single party hardware = smaller chance for imcompatibility.

There are more developers for pc parts than there are programs for the MAC. There have got to be a million and some odd programmers. If apple was as diverse as the PC market, they'd have the same conflicts. Thankfully, they continue to be a minior trend fashion that people buy because they're cute.[/quote]

Erm... my mouse was a Microsoft one, and my printer was an HP.

And I actually got it through a Mac forum (macrumors.com). I just posted on their selling forums and ended up getting really lucky. The guy gave me an awesome price, WAITED a month until I had the money and then when he shipped it packed in an extra AC adapter and an Apple Pro Mouse. Craziness.
 
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