Icekill
Apr 7, 04:44 AM
Really interesting thread for me, as i'm a "soon to be" switcher.
I ordered today a Macbook Pro from amazon.co.uk. They offer an 8% discount and i had also a 250€ gift coupon there, so i got it for around 1750€, 400€ less than in the Apple store. Probably will use that money saved to buy an SSD once it's more clear which ones will be fully supported and if it's worth it to buy the newer SATA ones or just go with old ones like Vertex II, etc.
It should arrive at my home in Spain on Monday/Tuesday and i'm so excited reading all that i can about Mac OS X.
I have been working with Msdos/Windows PCs for 20 years and in the past 5 years also with linux (mainly for work, admin web servers by command line). So i guess it's going to be an step learning curve at first, but it has me excited, not worried at all.
I have always been curious about mac, and tired of being told all the time by friends in my same biz sector (web design/online marketing) how much their productivity increased after switching to mac. So i decided to try it myself too.
Most if not all the software i use daily have Mac versions, so i shouldn't have issues with that (Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Firefox/Chrome, Thunderbird, Putty, Ultraedit, Filezilla, Trillian, MSOffice, ssh client).
I also play games from time to time, but for that i'll use Bootcamp with Windows 7.
For work i'll plug the macbook pro into my current 24" monitor, and i have also wireless Logitech mouse and keyboard, but i'm thinking about buying Mac ones to have a similar keyboard layout and fingers gestures than i will in the macbook pro.
My main questions are:
1) Is there any better mac software equivalent to the one i listed that i use daily?
2) Is the mac command line a full unix one, with same commands, etc? As i said i'm used to linux command line from managing my web servers, and if i can write shell scripts in mac, it could save me good time.
Thanks for this nice thread that was very informative about the main differences/issues i'll find when switching over to Mac.
I ordered today a Macbook Pro from amazon.co.uk. They offer an 8% discount and i had also a 250€ gift coupon there, so i got it for around 1750€, 400€ less than in the Apple store. Probably will use that money saved to buy an SSD once it's more clear which ones will be fully supported and if it's worth it to buy the newer SATA ones or just go with old ones like Vertex II, etc.
It should arrive at my home in Spain on Monday/Tuesday and i'm so excited reading all that i can about Mac OS X.
I have been working with Msdos/Windows PCs for 20 years and in the past 5 years also with linux (mainly for work, admin web servers by command line). So i guess it's going to be an step learning curve at first, but it has me excited, not worried at all.
I have always been curious about mac, and tired of being told all the time by friends in my same biz sector (web design/online marketing) how much their productivity increased after switching to mac. So i decided to try it myself too.
Most if not all the software i use daily have Mac versions, so i shouldn't have issues with that (Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Firefox/Chrome, Thunderbird, Putty, Ultraedit, Filezilla, Trillian, MSOffice, ssh client).
I also play games from time to time, but for that i'll use Bootcamp with Windows 7.
For work i'll plug the macbook pro into my current 24" monitor, and i have also wireless Logitech mouse and keyboard, but i'm thinking about buying Mac ones to have a similar keyboard layout and fingers gestures than i will in the macbook pro.
My main questions are:
1) Is there any better mac software equivalent to the one i listed that i use daily?
2) Is the mac command line a full unix one, with same commands, etc? As i said i'm used to linux command line from managing my web servers, and if i can write shell scripts in mac, it could save me good time.
Thanks for this nice thread that was very informative about the main differences/issues i'll find when switching over to Mac.
Drizzt
Oct 25, 10:21 PM
Intel is really making Apple quick with those revisions...
bigwig
Oct 27, 05:43 PM
That is simply false. The schedular in Mac OS X handles 8 cores just fine... what Applications do with them in a different story.
Scaling isn't really a product of your scheduler, it's a product of eliminating bottlenecks to multiple threads of execution. I'm glad that Apple is working on this. I didn't come up with this from whole cloth or animosity towards Apple, I saw several benchmarks showing how poorly OSX scaled, which I hope are now out of date.
I mentioned SGI several times here because I used to do kernel work for them, so I have a real good idea what it takes to scale performance on large (256-1024 CPU) systems. Btw, that's not a cluster, that's a single kernel being shared by all processors.
Scaling isn't really a product of your scheduler, it's a product of eliminating bottlenecks to multiple threads of execution. I'm glad that Apple is working on this. I didn't come up with this from whole cloth or animosity towards Apple, I saw several benchmarks showing how poorly OSX scaled, which I hope are now out of date.
I mentioned SGI several times here because I used to do kernel work for them, so I have a real good idea what it takes to scale performance on large (256-1024 CPU) systems. Btw, that's not a cluster, that's a single kernel being shared by all processors.
johnnyfiive
Sep 13, 12:53 PM
Add me to the excessive dropped call list, keep getting them randomly over the passed two weeks at my house. I'm going to call AT&T today, hopefully score a MicroCell.
bpaluzzi
Apr 28, 08:56 AM
And your point is?
I use dual Xeon setup at home on my desktop. Since it's a server chip does that mean what I have there is not a PC??
What's wrong with you people lol
It's all about what you can afford and what you use. It's still a PC dude. Some better some worse.
And to add more, do you know why they use specific thermal logic power supplies, management modules and etc? Find out and then post please.
I'm replying just so you don't get the slightest idea in your head that you've won, or that I'm retreating. I'm sitting with my entire office laughing at your naivete and misunderstanding of what modern computer hardware is. Keep digging your hole.
I use dual Xeon setup at home on my desktop. Since it's a server chip does that mean what I have there is not a PC??
What's wrong with you people lol
It's all about what you can afford and what you use. It's still a PC dude. Some better some worse.
And to add more, do you know why they use specific thermal logic power supplies, management modules and etc? Find out and then post please.
I'm replying just so you don't get the slightest idea in your head that you've won, or that I'm retreating. I'm sitting with my entire office laughing at your naivete and misunderstanding of what modern computer hardware is. Keep digging your hole.
dethmaShine
Apr 21, 05:03 PM
You're holding it wrong.
Come on, you were just asking for that :)
Isn't that the same thing google said with the nexus one?
I may be forgetting something. :rolleyes:
Come on, you were just asking for that :)
Isn't that the same thing google said with the nexus one?
I may be forgetting something. :rolleyes:
R.Perez
Mar 14, 02:17 AM
I understand your point abut Japan.
You're facts about solar and wind are both wrong, and I think you dismiss "bogus green technology" too quickly. That said, I still get what you are saying about Japan.
However, I think this thread applies more to Europe, and EVEN more so to the US. In the US we have 5% of the worlds population and use well over 30% of the worlds energy. We also have an abundance of space, and countless amounts of aging infrastructure that needs investment anyway. The US is actually in a very good position to switch towards much more renewable energy while at the same time, upgrading our aging infrastructure. That said, what we lack is the political will and political capital to actually push such initiatives.
Nuclear is not a necessity in the US like it MAY (I say may because I am skeptical but will take your word for it) be in Japan, and I think the current crisis going on there should make us seriously stop and think for a minute. The combination of wind, solar, tidal and geo-thermal could be quite effective here. Especially when you start consider the option of offshore wind farms which they have already approved in some parts of the NE.
You're facts about solar and wind are both wrong, and I think you dismiss "bogus green technology" too quickly. That said, I still get what you are saying about Japan.
However, I think this thread applies more to Europe, and EVEN more so to the US. In the US we have 5% of the worlds population and use well over 30% of the worlds energy. We also have an abundance of space, and countless amounts of aging infrastructure that needs investment anyway. The US is actually in a very good position to switch towards much more renewable energy while at the same time, upgrading our aging infrastructure. That said, what we lack is the political will and political capital to actually push such initiatives.
Nuclear is not a necessity in the US like it MAY (I say may because I am skeptical but will take your word for it) be in Japan, and I think the current crisis going on there should make us seriously stop and think for a minute. The combination of wind, solar, tidal and geo-thermal could be quite effective here. Especially when you start consider the option of offshore wind farms which they have already approved in some parts of the NE.
CaoCao
Mar 26, 01:04 AM
You are either knowingly full of it or being intentionally insulting. Likely both.
A church is entirely inconsequential to marriage. I know you believe you need the permission of a magic man in the sky to insert your penis into someone, but that is of no practical value to anyone. Including you; you just don't know it.
Marriage in the modern sense is the set of legal policies a society constructs in respect of a voluntary commitment between consenting adults. Homosexuals cannot take part in this status, for no rational reason, in part because people like you have been persuaded by the prejudiced teachings of your fairy tales that you have the right to force even non-Catholics to seek the approval of your magic buddy, to pretend that your religion owns the institution of marriage, and has the right to dictate that governments enforce it on your terms and behalf.
You seem to be going further, openly mocking gay people, compounding the insult of your support for illegitimately depriving them of equal standing in society by suggesting they should be grateful to you for the magnanimity of allowing them an ersatz costume wedding.
"church" is more like wherever-the-Hell-you-want.
The governments job is enforcing the will of the people because it derives its power from consent of the govered
A church is entirely inconsequential to marriage. I know you believe you need the permission of a magic man in the sky to insert your penis into someone, but that is of no practical value to anyone. Including you; you just don't know it.
Marriage in the modern sense is the set of legal policies a society constructs in respect of a voluntary commitment between consenting adults. Homosexuals cannot take part in this status, for no rational reason, in part because people like you have been persuaded by the prejudiced teachings of your fairy tales that you have the right to force even non-Catholics to seek the approval of your magic buddy, to pretend that your religion owns the institution of marriage, and has the right to dictate that governments enforce it on your terms and behalf.
You seem to be going further, openly mocking gay people, compounding the insult of your support for illegitimately depriving them of equal standing in society by suggesting they should be grateful to you for the magnanimity of allowing them an ersatz costume wedding.
"church" is more like wherever-the-Hell-you-want.
The governments job is enforcing the will of the people because it derives its power from consent of the govered
milozauckerman
Jul 12, 08:21 PM
Yeah mister 6" PeeCee, you must've missed where Steve Jobs said something along the lines of, "BMW and Mercedes have about a 14% market share. What's wrong with being a BMW or a Mercedes?"
This is my philosophy as well. I don't drive a Ford. I don't want XP. I don't want an HP. So suck your PC.
There's some irony about your penis envy reference and the rest of this post.
Just sayin'.
This is my philosophy as well. I don't drive a Ford. I don't want XP. I don't want an HP. So suck your PC.
There's some irony about your penis envy reference and the rest of this post.
Just sayin'.
steveza
Apr 6, 01:45 PM
All you have to do is press CMD+~ it's right above the tab key. I figured it out the other day. CMD+TAB to switch b/w apps, CMD+~ to switch b/w windows.Thanks for that one. Been using a Mac for 6 years and never found it. Saves a lot of F3 and click action :).
boncellis
Jul 12, 10:50 AM
...So IMO, while this low-end tower would fill a gap in apple's line up and be ideal for many on this board, I'm not sure it's a gap that many consumers fit in to, or that apple particularly cares about filling.
As much as I hate to say it, you're probably right. Apple seems to be doing rather well with their current lineup after all.
What gets me is why Apple wouldn't put Merom in the Mini? A redesigned Mini offering different processors might help close the gap for those who want a more robust solution than the current Mini but can't (or won't) shell out the money for the Mac Pro.
As much as I hate to say it, you're probably right. Apple seems to be doing rather well with their current lineup after all.
What gets me is why Apple wouldn't put Merom in the Mini? A redesigned Mini offering different processors might help close the gap for those who want a more robust solution than the current Mini but can't (or won't) shell out the money for the Mac Pro.
caity13cait
Sep 23, 07:31 AM
I've noticed a lot of people going on about the iTV being 802.11n compatible. What I want to know is how is this going to be incorporated into wireless networks that are currently supporting 802.11 a,b & g. If it is going to be 802.11n then we are all going to need new routers to accommodate the higher transfer rate, and what about all those individuals possessing an imac / mac mini with built in wireless with no way to upgrade to the new standard without getting new machines or additional hardware. its going to be an expensive upgrade on top of the $299 price for an iTV
IT is backwards compatable. Unfortunately if the iTv requires it for larger hd files in the future it may be a problem. I am not sure how far along Apple is on 802.11n but it seems to me if they are going to require it they better start putting it in computers soon. I know I would be pissed if I bought a computer and then had the iTv come out a month or two later and I owned an out of date computer already.
IT is backwards compatable. Unfortunately if the iTv requires it for larger hd files in the future it may be a problem. I am not sure how far along Apple is on 802.11n but it seems to me if they are going to require it they better start putting it in computers soon. I know I would be pissed if I bought a computer and then had the iTv come out a month or two later and I owned an out of date computer already.
milo
Sep 12, 03:33 PM
When this thing surpasses the capabilities of my Windows media center and Xbox 360 combo then I will be impressed. Until then Apple is playing catch up to MCE and playing it poorly.
Which cost what, five times what this will cost? The stuff you have will never go mainstream, it's way too expensive.
This is the same thing as having a mac mini connected to your TV...though I guess it has HDMI. This leads me to believe that they will release a Software Update for Front Row upon release of the "iTV".
Nope. This is nothing like a mini, other than the box. Looks like it doesn't even have a hard drive.
Why no computer with all of this functionality? this is kinda like front row, but not much extra?
Why can't we buy a mid sized tower (in stereo size) which can have HDMI 1080p output? with blu-ray drive built in?
Because that would be far more expensive, with little potential to get cheaper. Something based on a full computer would never get cheap enough to really catch on.
Which cost what, five times what this will cost? The stuff you have will never go mainstream, it's way too expensive.
This is the same thing as having a mac mini connected to your TV...though I guess it has HDMI. This leads me to believe that they will release a Software Update for Front Row upon release of the "iTV".
Nope. This is nothing like a mini, other than the box. Looks like it doesn't even have a hard drive.
Why no computer with all of this functionality? this is kinda like front row, but not much extra?
Why can't we buy a mid sized tower (in stereo size) which can have HDMI 1080p output? with blu-ray drive built in?
Because that would be far more expensive, with little potential to get cheaper. Something based on a full computer would never get cheap enough to really catch on.
sangre de toro
Mar 18, 03:04 PM
the more barriers there are the more we get used to them. Give us a break! You pay for it, you use it and if anybody restricts you ... Long live to the many dvd whatever!
Eidorian
Sep 26, 10:29 AM
Pardon Me But Would You Please Track Down The Link To That Card And IM Me and post it here? I need it NOW! Thanks.
I will be on this thread until the Mac Pro Clovertown option ships. :D
This is the Mac Pro I have been waiting for.http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2480
I know they're making a PCI Express, DDR2, SATA II version though. Old news to me...
I will be on this thread until the Mac Pro Clovertown option ships. :D
This is the Mac Pro I have been waiting for.http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2480
I know they're making a PCI Express, DDR2, SATA II version though. Old news to me...
TheRealTVGuy
Mar 18, 01:50 AM
Poor thing... he doesn't realize napster and limewire are history. Also, once the data hits my device, it's mine to do with as I please. Thank you very much.
>laughing_girls.jpg.tiff.
By the way, I agree with you. Once you buy something, you should be able to use said device to its maximum potential. NOT have to pay to unlock its built-in features.
And by the way AT&T, all I want from you is a large pipe full of 1s and 0s. What I choose do do with them, or how I use and distribute them should be of no concern... Just one flat rate for a big, fast, data pipe.
Until then I'm stuck because I believe in playing by the rules, no matter how F-d up they are...
>laughing_girls.jpg.tiff.
By the way, I agree with you. Once you buy something, you should be able to use said device to its maximum potential. NOT have to pay to unlock its built-in features.
And by the way AT&T, all I want from you is a large pipe full of 1s and 0s. What I choose do do with them, or how I use and distribute them should be of no concern... Just one flat rate for a big, fast, data pipe.
Until then I'm stuck because I believe in playing by the rules, no matter how F-d up they are...
dukebound85
Mar 15, 07:18 PM
I did a little reading and now am a one minute expert... :p
I've read these reactors did auto shut down when the earthquake hit. The problem is that the rods create tremendous persistent heat even after a shutdown, and it is the lack of cooling water that is causing the problem.
Yes, lack of cooing is the issue as it uncovers the core
Could it be considered a myth that any nuclear reactor can be expected to automatically safely shutdown when power to all safety systems are lost no matter how it is designed?
Not really. When all power is lost, the plant is still able to cool itself through other means
And who was saying this could not be like Chernobyl??
Chernobyl utilized a design that did not utilize many of the safety systems in place as today's plants, such as having multiple layers of containment for one...
I've read these reactors did auto shut down when the earthquake hit. The problem is that the rods create tremendous persistent heat even after a shutdown, and it is the lack of cooling water that is causing the problem.
Yes, lack of cooing is the issue as it uncovers the core
Could it be considered a myth that any nuclear reactor can be expected to automatically safely shutdown when power to all safety systems are lost no matter how it is designed?
Not really. When all power is lost, the plant is still able to cool itself through other means
And who was saying this could not be like Chernobyl??
Chernobyl utilized a design that did not utilize many of the safety systems in place as today's plants, such as having multiple layers of containment for one...
shawnce
Oct 25, 11:53 PM
Do either IBM or Motorola have a quad-core chip on the horizon? IBM has been shipping 8 core POWER5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POWER5) in a single MCM with 36 MiBs of L3 cache for a couple of years now. IBM (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_POWER) has a long history with these types of things. ...of course they cost far more then what Intel is putting out in the near future.
Bill McEnaney
Mar 27, 04:39 PM
Indeed sir, that is why I tried.
Deo favente
Pax
Thank you. That's very kind of you.
Deo favente
Pax
Thank you. That's very kind of you.
edifyingGerbil
Apr 22, 08:41 PM
In science when there is a dearth of evidence for something, you fail to reject the null hypothesis (which is that hypothesis x is incorrect).
If I wanted to make a claim about something, say that two bricks tied together will fall at the same rate as a single brick, I first have to make this my working hypothesis. The null hypothesis is that what I'm asserting is not true (in this case the null is that the bricks will fall at different rates). It's up to me to provide the evidence. If there isn't enough (or any) evidence, we fail to reject the null hypothesis.
When it comes to religion, it is the theologian who is making the claim. Thus, his working hypothesis is, "God exists." In searching for evidence, however, we come up with nothing. Thus we must fail to reject the null hypothesis, which is, "God does not exist."
Agnosticism is really the position that the an affirmative statement on the matter of deities is impossible to know. It doesn't have a rational basis in logic or science, thought it might make some people more comfortable with their skepticism.
Atheism is the position that, based on currently available evidence, there is no basis to consider any deity to be real. This could change as new evidence comes to light, of course. That is a quality you will not find in theism or agnosticism.
As I said in my first post, most atheists that I speak to don't put this much thought and care into their atheism. They just take it for granted that it won't be challenged.
How can you prove something's existence that exists outside of time and space? I don't think it's possible except through pure reason.
If I wanted to make a claim about something, say that two bricks tied together will fall at the same rate as a single brick, I first have to make this my working hypothesis. The null hypothesis is that what I'm asserting is not true (in this case the null is that the bricks will fall at different rates). It's up to me to provide the evidence. If there isn't enough (or any) evidence, we fail to reject the null hypothesis.
When it comes to religion, it is the theologian who is making the claim. Thus, his working hypothesis is, "God exists." In searching for evidence, however, we come up with nothing. Thus we must fail to reject the null hypothesis, which is, "God does not exist."
Agnosticism is really the position that the an affirmative statement on the matter of deities is impossible to know. It doesn't have a rational basis in logic or science, thought it might make some people more comfortable with their skepticism.
Atheism is the position that, based on currently available evidence, there is no basis to consider any deity to be real. This could change as new evidence comes to light, of course. That is a quality you will not find in theism or agnosticism.
As I said in my first post, most atheists that I speak to don't put this much thought and care into their atheism. They just take it for granted that it won't be challenged.
How can you prove something's existence that exists outside of time and space? I don't think it's possible except through pure reason.
ten-oak-druid
Apr 9, 12:01 PM
When Apple Buys Nintendo eventually, it will be a good merge.
Photics
Apr 9, 09:42 AM
I love how people are comparing an iOS device with a PS3 or Xbox..
That's where things are going.
I read that a new XBOX might not be released for another 5 years and that the PlayStation is on a 10 year schedule. If that's actually the schedule, then the consoles could face serious competition from iOS and Android games.
The graphics difference from the first iPhone to the iPhone 4 or iPad 2 is a great comparison. That's just four years. What if that advancement continues for the next four years � which is very likely � the graphics could be amazing on iOS devices.
If the Apple TV � basically an iOS device � starts playing games, or if the iPad 2 matures as a gaming console (as it already plugs into the TV), how is that not competition for Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo?
I think it makes sense to compare Apple to the XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3. I'm not impressed with what I see on the consoles. Infamous is one of the best looking games on the PS3. Is it worth $60 to me? Ha, no! Instead, I bought cheaper games like Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix and Pac Man Championship Edition DX. Those are two great games... and both could be moved to iOS, and it would likely be cheaper.
That's where things are going.
I read that a new XBOX might not be released for another 5 years and that the PlayStation is on a 10 year schedule. If that's actually the schedule, then the consoles could face serious competition from iOS and Android games.
The graphics difference from the first iPhone to the iPhone 4 or iPad 2 is a great comparison. That's just four years. What if that advancement continues for the next four years � which is very likely � the graphics could be amazing on iOS devices.
If the Apple TV � basically an iOS device � starts playing games, or if the iPad 2 matures as a gaming console (as it already plugs into the TV), how is that not competition for Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo?
I think it makes sense to compare Apple to the XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3. I'm not impressed with what I see on the consoles. Infamous is one of the best looking games on the PS3. Is it worth $60 to me? Ha, no! Instead, I bought cheaper games like Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix and Pac Man Championship Edition DX. Those are two great games... and both could be moved to iOS, and it would likely be cheaper.
manman
Mar 18, 01:56 PM
But that doesn't make it ok to be dishonest and steal things now does it?
I can maybe get behind the whole 'dishonest' thing, but... seriously. If I have an iphone and an ipad, and I decide to surf some sites or stream music through pandora on my ipad using tethering instead of doing those exact same actions on my phone, I'm now 'stealing' that data even though it would have been the exact same usage?
I realize there are other scenarios you could bring up that would be more like 'taking advantage' of the system, but me personally- if I'm using the data in a way I feel is no different than I would be using with my phone, I don't have any bad conscience about it whether it's allowed or not.
I can maybe get behind the whole 'dishonest' thing, but... seriously. If I have an iphone and an ipad, and I decide to surf some sites or stream music through pandora on my ipad using tethering instead of doing those exact same actions on my phone, I'm now 'stealing' that data even though it would have been the exact same usage?
I realize there are other scenarios you could bring up that would be more like 'taking advantage' of the system, but me personally- if I'm using the data in a way I feel is no different than I would be using with my phone, I don't have any bad conscience about it whether it's allowed or not.
TomSmithMacEd
Sep 20, 07:22 PM
I read most of the comments and I cannot believe anyone else talked about the wonderful little program known as handbrake.
Take your dvd's (or ones you rent... I know it's illegal) rip them.. put them on iTunes
Have a server full of dozens/hundreds of dvd's that you can access at anytime through your iTV.
I know it's not the most practicle way of doing this, but it is what I'll be doing if I purchase an iTV.
Take your dvd's (or ones you rent... I know it's illegal) rip them.. put them on iTunes
Have a server full of dozens/hundreds of dvd's that you can access at anytime through your iTV.
I know it's not the most practicle way of doing this, but it is what I'll be doing if I purchase an iTV.
