OTOTOT Laptops

Cindy, I figure people will see the OT (etc. ) and skip it if they don't want to read it. What would you like to know? I don't have the MacBook Air, but I have a MacBook and love it. Of course, I've been a Mac person for almost 25 years now. ;)

Those MB Air models are really neat-looking, but keep in mind that you can't replace the battery yourself, if yours wears out, and it also doesn't have a built-in optical drive for CDs or DVDs. You can, of course, hook up an external one.

YEah, I've done some more research this afternoon and I have about ruled it out.

I know that while Apple can't think of any reason why we shouldn't want to use ITunes for our music and movies, I want to be able to watch the movies I already own.

So that is a con. Not being able to change the battery is just weird. Only

1 USB port? What's up with that. I guess that's why it doesn't weigh anything.

My first 3 computers were Apple computers and I loved them. I've owned PC's since 1988 because of work programs. I want a new laptop not for work but for play. But I want to be able to put my quilting and embroidery software on it.

I wanted the Mac Air because it weighs 3 pounds. I found an IBM that weighs

3 pounds too. I own a Dell and have never had an ounce of trouble with it. But it's heavy.

If all I wanted it for was the internet, I tell you, I'd have it in a heartbeat. I don't want it to run the massive DB's and spreadsheets I need on my work computer. But not being able to watch a movie was a deal breaker for me. I know I can get an external drive. I don't want the baggage.

I'm going to look at a Sony Vaio. Someone said they are fairly light.

Cindy

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I don't want another 20 pound piece of luggage to haul. I don't know what I'm going to do.

Cindy

On Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:38:00 -0500, teleflora wrote (in article ):

I don't know much about the MacBook Air specifically, but I do have to Macs--an older iBook and a fairly new iMac. What would you like to know?

Maureen

Well, if you went for the MacBook (instead of the MB Air), you'd have a built-in optical disk and would be able to watch the movies you already own.

Exactly. And that's why most people say that the Air is really intended for people who already have a desktop computer.

I know that can be done very easily on Macs; it's like having the best of both worlds these days, with the ability to run Win when necessary and the ability to use the Mac OS for all of the other stuff. :) I use EQ6 on my Mac -- and it works just as well as on a Win machine.

I don't know what your Dell weighs, but my MacBook is five pounds, which isn't much more than the Air.

I don't blame you there.

Good luck! :)

I already have 3 desktops and 2 laptops. I wanted one just for fun stuff, no work. DD calls the Mac Air a very expensive MP3 player.

Cindy

Marion's thinking about getting a laptop, and we're leaning towards the Asus EEE - it's a cheap and very small Linux-based machine.

The advantages are:

- it's cheap

- it's secure, doesn't need endless hassle to keep malware out (no Microsoft anything)

- it's very portable

- it looks rather girly (this is an advantage, as Marion will be using it in consultations with patients who are intimidated enough by their situation without having to face The Machine That Goes Bleep as well).

The disadvantages:

- it isn't a Mac, so a lot of stuff we have won't work, and where there are equivalents they will take time to learn.

- it's designed to communicate wirelessly, and we don't have any wireless gubbins on our network yet.

The unknown:

- quilting software. Is there any worth having that runs on Linux? Is there any that does anything useful on the itsy-bitsy screen the Asus has?

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === ==== Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557 CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts