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General discussion

Switching from Windows 95: which Mac fits needs & budget?

Aug 25, 2005 3:02PM PDT

I'm finally ready to switch from my Windows 95 to a Mac. Don't laugh, I do occasional hand spinning and blacksmithing too, so I guess I'm doomed to be centuries behind the technological curve on average. Happy

Question is, which model is the best choice for me in terms of my funds and use?

I think it's got to be a desktop rather than a laptop right now. I'll be putting thousands of photos on it, doing a lot of Photoshop work on them. Have about 15 years of home videos to start editing. I expect my daughters will be fighting to have time to do Garageband, probably no serious gaming.

My car is on its last legs at the moment too, so finances are going to be real tight for a while.

Would I be okay loading up a Mini with as much memory as I can? Or do I really need to be looking at a G5 with a 20 inch screen, which is probably more than I can sensibly afford?

Discussion is locked

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Choices
Aug 25, 2005 9:51PM PDT

I would suggest the 17" iMac with the Superdrive.
The G5 processor is fast and more powerful than the G4 in the mini, HD size is greater and faster. (The mini uses a laptop hard drive)
Memory expandability is greater, 2 slots v 1 slot, 2Gb v 1Gb.
A beautiful 17" LCD. Apples monitors have always been very good.
Overall, this iMac has more legs to do what you, and your daughters, are proposing and will, in my opinion, serve you better than the mini.

Welcome to the Mac world

P

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Financing tips?
Aug 30, 2005 7:55AM PDT

Thanks for the advice. Yes, that does sound like it would better suit my needs than the mini would.

Anyone have any suggestions as to what sort of financing is better (my credit card? mail order source's special financing deals?), and whether there are any particularly good sources who would be a better choice for buying the system because of the financing?

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switching to Mac
Aug 26, 2005 5:28AM PDT

This may not be for everybody, but I'm watching Ebay sales closely on used Emacs...17" screens, very powerful specs all 'round, and the wonderful OSX. I've seen them sold recently from $350 - $400; very reasonable considering the all-in-one setup and ease of features. Good Luck

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Ebay Macs, and pronunciation
Aug 30, 2005 8:06AM PDT

I'm not up for Ebay purchases of anything with more working parts than a book has, at least not yet. Maybe one of these days when I want to add a notebook I'll go for it.

Here's a classic newbie question:

is it pronounced OH ESS ECKS, or is it OH ESS TEN?

(Or OH ESS DECIO as occasionally slips through from some long dormant part of my brain recalling high school decades ago, when we were learning about the medieval Spanish King Alfonso X ?)

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It's pronounced
Aug 30, 2005 8:19AM PDT

OS TEN and is usually followed by the name.
For example, OS Ten, (Tiger) which is 10.4.x, or you could just use the code name as in, "I'm running Tiger"
Panther is 10.3
Jaguar is 10.2
Puma is 10.1
Cheetah is 10.0
Anything below Jaguar is not considered to be worth the effort of installation and certainly not worth buying.
Next one up, 2006 in time to beat M$ Hasta La Vista, will be Leopard, 10.5
How's that?
You might want to check out the Apple financing options at the web site

P

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Switching (OFF SUBJECT)
Aug 31, 2005 2:22PM PDT

Podkayne, send me email where I can find out about your crafts. My wife does hand spinning also. I am interested in hand-made wrought iron things.
All you have to do is list your email address. This will be a personal message to me and no one else can view your post to me. A nice feature of the CNET forums.
Go to my profile name and send email to me. Safe and simple.
Ask Peter how to send him an email also.

-Kevin Smith

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DO NOT PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDREESS HERE!
Aug 31, 2005 9:52PM PDT

If a member want you to email then their profile should contain a link to email.
By putting your email address in this text box, you are opening yourself up to a bunch of spam.
Bots troll forums just looking for email addresses to use


P

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(NT) (NT) Make that "Email Addressess"
Aug 31, 2005 10:57PM PDT
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Email on the new interface does not show up
Sep 2, 2005 2:35PM PDT

Peter, I agree with you posting your email.
I do not see a place that shows email any longer. It used to before the NEW LOOK!
Am I missing something here with the new look?

Figure a way to send me email without me posting it?
What ever happened to the CNET (see profile) that would show: Send this member an email or something to that effect. Now, we have a green backround and no place for me to send email to a member. What gives with this new interface look with CNET??
Please explain on how we can send an email to members? Check it out for me. Very confusing.
Thanks,

-Kevin

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Bob Proffitt & Email with the new interface
Sep 2, 2005 2:45PM PDT

Bob, any solutions?
Thanks,
-Kevin

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It's still there...
Sep 2, 2005 3:43PM PDT

It just blends into the new design instead of sticking out like it did before. Look to the right of ''username's profile'' and you'll see ''E-mail this member'' in smaller yellow letters with a small white envelope next to it. Initially there were a few glitches where a couple users' preferences didn't quite carry over, but it was cleared up quickly.

Hope this helps,
Bob


Er, uh,
John Happy

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Seek and ye shall find
Sep 2, 2005 11:47PM PDT

It's still there, as noted by mousearoma.

P