Disagreeing with many

Post #61,777 by wharris2 11/7/02 11:23:59 PM Reply	Disagreeing with many You still get more bang for a buck with a Wintel thingee than a Mac thingee. Me, I'd go for a Windows XP system with Office 97, if you can get it. I'm none too confident in Office whatever-later. (As an aside, I've found Open Office seems to work with all the documents and spreadsheets I've tried it with. Maybe saving $400 on Office would help? - on the other hand, I'm a compugeek and try to spend my money on the important things, like Heroes of Might and Magic and Morrowind.)
Post #61,802 by Steve Lowe 11/8/02 3:06:56 AM Reply	Depends how you count your bucks You still get more bang for a buck with a Wintel thingee than a Mac thingee That ain't necessarily so, especially when you factor in things like downtime, security problems, and the generally frustrating experience using `doze. And, the cost differential isn't as bad as CW suggests. For a quick comparison, I just jumped to Gateway's sight (first name that popped into my head) and looked at a 'home' computer. The cheap stuff, including a monitor, and similar memory/hdd size is $499, whereas the cheapest iMac is $799, and comes with TONS more software out of the box. To get the 'all-in-one' Gateway that's similar in form to an iMac starts at $999. [link\|http://gateway.com/home/products/hm_dtp_300.shtml\|http://gateway.com/h.../hm_dtp_300.shtml] [link\|http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/232/wo/xXmSO00AGMzDLom7hh2/0.3.0.3.27.39.3.3.1.1.0?216,33\|http://store.apple.c....3.3.1.1.0?216,33] [link\|http://gateway.com/home/products/hm_dtp_prf4.shtml\|http://gateway.com/h...hm_dtp_prf4.shtml] Add to the Gateway the cost of Software to get it up to what the iMac comes with: iTunes, iMovie, iPhoto, and Appleworks, and you're looking at cost probably EXCEEDING that of the iMac. Plus you get Apple's far superior working environment and the stability of the underlying UNIX OS. I don't think the bang-for-the buck argument holds water until you start talking Linux or even *BSD on the intel hardware, all things considered. And I don't even own a Mac...yet. ----- Steve
Post #61,821 by drewk 11/8/02 8:44:35 AM Reply	Also, re: software I also suspect once we get past Office and anyn other work-mandated must-haves, I'll have much better luck finding OSS versions of anything else I want to put on her system for a *nix than for a Windows box. === Microsoft offers them the one thing most business people will pay any price for - the ability to say "we had no choice - everyone's doing it that way." -- [link\|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/content/show?contentid=38978\|Andrew Grygus]
Post #61,843 by deSitter 11/8/02 10:12:26 AM Reply	Agreed And peripherals will be cheaper and more readily available. But, I'd try to get it sans XP and with 2000. You can get a ThinkPad with a 2000 preload still. -drl
Post #61,920 by Ashton 11/8/02 6:33:24 PM Reply	What $-val are you placing upon freedom from the spyware (never mind the back-doors) you Must accept with >=XP -- and even with W2K if you allow SP-3? How much is it worth to be free of that massive negative and the legions of ongoing other negatives - and that list is never complete! as 'improvements' are inescapable from this supplier. Apple is still easier for the masses, less prone to bite them on ass for the inevitable stupid errors and -thus far- not intent upon world domination via any means possible - like spyware, for merely one. I know what I tell newbies (starting from scratch) when they ask my advice. I ask next, What is your sanity worth? Then I mention the BIG cost down the line: maintenance. (Only later on do I get near to mentioning how the name, The Beast - came about. In some cases I mention this, if it doesn't seem redundant.) Ashton

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