Mac Users-Few questions

David Calson · September 4, 2006

Hi, I'm thinking about buying a G5, but want the least inflated price. Would you buy one from ebay under any circumstances? Also, did you adjust to the one buttom mouse or did you keep the two button? Do Macs even have right button options? And another thing, where's the button to open the disc tray?? Maybe I didn't look hard enough. Thanks in advance.

Edited September 4, 2006 by Blade Borge

Patrick McGowan · September 4, 2006

I would most certainly get it from the online Apple store, and I would definately get the Apple Care protection plan. Don't buy any expensive Apple without that whether it be from ebay, B+H etc. If your ebay mac dies on you, you're screwed.

darrin p nim · September 4, 2006

Hi, I'm thinking about buying a G5, but want the least inflated price. Would you buy one from ebay under any circumstances? Also, did you adjust to the one buttom mouse or did you keep the two button? Do Macs even have right button options? And another thing, where's the button to open the disc tray?? Maybe I didn't look hard enough. Thanks in advance.

yes there are right click options. One button mice arent that difficult, you can use the control+click method to "right click", or you can hold the button. two button mice work with macs aswell. the eject/open disc tray button is on the keyboard.

as far as G5 pricing, it depends i think. but i havent looked aorund enough lately on pricing for them. i have a G4 powerbook btw.

EDIT: i second Apple Care, its great!

Edited September 4, 2006 by Darrin P Nim

Tim Brown · September 4, 2006

Do Macs even have right button options?

It's called the "Mighty Mouse" and has a smooth surface, a scroll "ball", and a squeeze function where you gently squeeze the mouse for a third button option http://www.apple.com/mightymouse/.

Also, the key to open the DVD tray is the upper most right button on the keyboard.

With regard to buying, definitely check out the refurbished section of Apple's online store. You'll find huge bargains that are warrantied as if they were new product and every thing's eligible for AppleCare as the others have suggested.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebO...1.0.8.7.1.0.1.1

Edited September 4, 2006 by tim brown

timHealy · September 4, 2006

To eject a disk you can always drag the CD or DVD icon to the trash and it will eject. Some particular models may have a keyboard shortcut while starting up if it should ever get stuck. You'll have to read up on your particular model and OS. To use your eject button you have to click on the icon first to highlight/select it (if your mac has an eject button on the keyboard.

I work with PC's and Mac's and I find them not that much different in many cases. You just have to look somewhere a little different. I know that right click on a PC = control click on a mac with a single mouse button.

These are basis mac issues you can read about in any intro to mac book or website.

About the inflated price. Apple is very shrewd. They own the hardware and software so you really only have one choice. Not like PC box makers. So generally they will be very close in price for a particular model. Less competition means less bargains for the consumer. www.pbcentral.com keeps tabs on prices. Some try to make they offerings better than competitors by giving away RAM of rebates. be careful about companies like club mac when it ocmes to rebates. It takes months and you haev to stay on top of them to get your rebates back.

I bought a used Mac once on ebay and everything was fine for what I needed a G4 chip at the time and I only had a G3. Apples used web page above is worth checking out too.

Best

Tim

Edited September 4, 2006 by timHealy

David Calson · September 4, 2006

Great responses guys, thanks. Also, how reliable are the new macs when it comes to freezing, crashing, and other mishaps? Have you ever had to use your applecare?

timHealy · September 4, 2006

The new Macs have been great. Switching to Intel chips have unlocked some speed especially in the laptops where the power pc chips from motorola had topped out.

I think it is a great innovation to be able to boot windows too. I am dying to get a new Intel machine just for that purpose. But I believe Boot Camp softare is still in a beta mode and becomes full grade with the next OS upgrade. A report from a friend loves it and works like a real PC as opposed to using an emulation software like Guest PC and Virtual PC(which microsoft has stopped developing). Another friend is in the process of selling his PC laptop and Mac 15 inch Aluminum power PC chip, to get an MacIntel 15 inch laptop. He is a dimmer board guy and uses software that works on both and is tired or carrying two computers to work.

There are plenty of Apple rumor websites and the like that keep up on possible new products and issues with current models. Just seach the web. I think you'll find many Mac users a passionate and dedicated bunch.

Apple Care can be worth it if you are new to Macs and if you want to extend your warranty on the machine. I have used it and had some issues. The worst being the white spots a few years ago on an 15 inch laptop. It was repaired and all was well.

If you are familair with PC's already, getting familiar with a Mac will enhance your ability to intelligenty discuss the differences with each system, without getting crazy about the PC/Mac war.

Good luck and enjoy.

Best

Tim

PS yeah an Apple can freeze up or a program can crash but it is rare. All computers will crash sooner or later. If I can recall a program in OS ten can crash without affecting the whole system so you can just start the program again. In OS 9 I think it was better to restart the whole machine after a program crashed. It has to do with how memory is shared amongst programs.

PPS If you are really interested in some Mac reviews try searching for stories written by Walt Mossberg. He is the technology writer for the Wall Street Journal and is a big fan of Macs. And he writes for a newspaper that services the financial industry - which is a very PC world.

Chris Burke · September 4, 2006

Great responses guys, thanks. Also, how reliable are the new macs when it comes to freezing, crashing, and other mishaps? Have you ever had to use your applecare?

In terms of reliability, Macs are much more so than you typical PC. I know that this may insite all sorts of vitriolic response, but it is true. Forget about all the spyware and viri that plague PC users. I have owned several macs over the years and they are very reliable. I am not saying they will never break down, it is just that they don't do it that often and their tech support is very good. I am selling my G5 Dual 2 for cheap with all kinds of software you might need for editing and such. It will come with a 30 day or so guarantee. PM me for more details.

Rik Andino · September 8, 2006

Great responses guys, thanks.
Also, how reliable are the new macs when it comes to freezing, crashing, and other mishaps?

Have you ever had to use your applecare?

Well the commercials won't tell you this...

But there are some software issue with the new Intel Macs...

Basically OS-X is having some problems adapting to Intel Chips

(since it wasn't created for Intel machines)

This is basically because Apple fears PC users will hack their programs.

The problem will relate to you in that

Some of the software hasn't still be updated to work on Intel chip...

So you might find software out there that can't be used on Intel Macs.

I think till a couple of months FCP couldn't run on the Intel Macs

That has changed but there is still software out there you can't used on the Intel Macs.

Eitherways if you need a Mac you need a mac...

If you could afford it get the new Desktop with Intel Core Duo 2

From the specs it looks like it'll be a kickass machine.

David Calson · September 13, 2006

I have a linksys cable modem/router. Will this be compatible with a mac?

David Calson · September 14, 2006

Oh one more thing. Toast titanium, does it take DVD + Rs or am I thinking of dvd studio that only take minus r's. Thanks again.

Seamus Mulligan-Ferry · September 14, 2006

Oh one more thing. Toast titanium, does it take DVD + Rs or am I thinking of dvd studio that only take minus r's. Thanks again.

Not sure with Toast specifically, but I do know Macs generally are friendlier with DVD-R's rather than DVD+R's. I'm guessing Toast would be consistent with that.

Posted September 14, 2006 · September 14, 2006

I always suggest that Mac people buy from a local Mac store, then you will get first rate customer support. Mac store owners support their product themselves and most have a lot of training to do so.

I've always had very good experience with local Mac store owners.

This is one of the big advantages of Mac over PC, you buy a PC from some 16 year old at Circuit City, and Circuit City washes their hands of you. Have a problem? Call IBM or Microbrain. Dell is the worst, you can spend hours on the phone with them.

Definately the virus free environment of the Mac is a HUGE plus over PC. I've used Mac since 1984, never once had a virus issue, not once. Right now we have three Macs in the house. The Mac Classic still runs perfectly, 100% Y2K compliant!

R,

Daniel Smith · September 14, 2006

I think Richard speaks a lot of truth in that Macs have less trouble with viruses and also customer support.

Macs tend to be a lot more user friendly and have a lot less to go wrong with them. If you don't have an interest in computers, and just want to use them for certain tasks (i.e. video editing, e-mail e.t.c.) then Mac is probably the way to go.

I'm a PC user myself. But that's because I've found that trying to do anything technical with a Mac is like trying to hack MI6 with a Playstation.

But for gods sake don't buy one off eBay... You never know what's wrong with the hardware inside. Even if it works fine to begin with, it could just be waiting to crash.

Hard drives in particular. Corrupted sectors may not seem a problem as the computer will skip them, but it's a sign of a hard drive waiting to die. Not to mention all the other parts.

Atleast with a new Mac, you know all the components are brand new and they've got a full life in them.

Edited September 14, 2006 by Daniel Ashley-Smith

Matt Graff · September 19, 2006

I just purchased all new Mac Pro desktops and 2 MacBook Pro computers and man they can move, I have owned over 30 macs in my studios in the past 8 years and in my oppinon they are amazing, the are up %99.999 percent of the time and I only restart them about every month! Yes that is right we are constanly working them and they are great, I even leave the entire adobe suite open 24/7. I have heard that its a bad idea to leave programs open and to not shut them down every day but I have no problem with it.

I also have ONLY had to take one of my computers to the apple store for repair and that was the g4 power book and it was because I purchase NON apple memory and a HD and they went bad, even without the service plan they have a $300 cap on replacing any of their components that have been corrupt.

I do highly recoment a nice rollerball with 2 buttons and also Disk Warrior is a must, the HDs seem to frag farly quick, but I am moving moster files around constantly. I Disk Warrior the HDs about every 3-5 months and it cleans them up and they run flawlessly.

I hope you get a new mac, go for the intel ones even though there are very minor bugs left, its great to use bootcamp and run ANY program on the market on your one computer.

Rik Andino · September 20, 2006

I just purchased all new Mac Pro desktops and 2 MacBook Pro computers and man they can move, I have owned over 30 macs in my studios in the past 8 years and in my oppinon they are amazing, the are up %99.999 percent of the time and I only restart them about every month! Yes that is right we are constanly working them and they are great, I even leave the entire adobe suite open 24/7. I have heard that its a bad idea to leave programs open and to not shut them down every day but I have no problem with it.

I also have ONLY had to take one of my computers to the apple store for repair and that was the g4 power book and it was because I purchase NON apple memory and a HD and they went bad, even without the service plan they have a $300 cap on replacing any of their components that have been corrupt.

I do highly recoment a nice rollerball with 2 buttons and also Disk Warrior is a must, the HDs seem to frag farly quick, but I am moving moster files around constantly. I Disk Warrior the HDs about every 3-5 months and it cleans them up and they run flawlessly.

I hope you get a new mac, go for the intel ones even though there are very minor bugs left, its great to use bootcamp and run ANY program on the market on your one computer.

What are you working on commission?

Or are you really Steve Jobs relative hoping for a piece of the apple pie? :D

Matt Graff · September 20, 2006

What are you working on commission?
Or are you really Steve Jobs relative hoping for a piece of the apple pie? :D

No we just work them into the 'budget' so we can purchase a new computer/lights/camera equip. every time we do a big job. Hey if its going to cost $4200 to rent the equip wouldnt you rather pay another 1k and buy it?

Edited September 20, 2006 by Matt Graff