What is your OS -- windows, mac, linux?

[marshmat]

Well, for sheer power, it's hard to top a Unix-based SunFire....
Running XPP now on my Toshiba laptop, it does the job but soooo inefficient. All this automated crap that's near impossible to turn off and decides to take up 700 MB of pagefile at the least convenient time.
Vista reportedly takes up over 12 GB of HDD once it's installed and configured. Anyone with the beta confirm this? I'm almost scared to see memory and pagefile stats on that thing....
Overall, I think a bit of competition's a good thing... get Linux in the ring with some good CAD programs. Apples aren't as customizable as other systems, yes... but that's not the point of a Mac; the point of a Mac is to have a system that's blazing fast and does what you want it to do right out of the box. They're meant to be easy to use, to let the user be creative without worrying about the computer. For those who like fussing around with system internals, well, that's what the others are good for.

[Tim B]

Vista is very pretty, but is hideously in-efficient, can't survive without connection to the net, and picks up viruses faster than a prostitute.

All in all, the new linux distributions (particularly with KDE 3.5) are nicer, faster and more reliable than XP or Vista. When I did Beta-test vista, within about two weeks it had become so slow to surf the web that it was faster to use a RISC-PC built in 1996.

Tim B.

[Jeff]

the point of a Mac is to have a system that's blazing fast and does what you want it to do right out of the box.

As long as your needs are exactly like the other 250,000 people that buy that same model. Otherwise, they're designed to lighten your wallet by several hundred to several thousand more than equivalently fast PC hardware. On the other hand, compared to everything else in life, the cost isn't that great so possibly I am simply too frugal. Also a bit fearful of vista bloat at this point but haven't had the time (cough)courage(cough) to give it a look yet.

[l_boyle]

Originally Posted by Tim B

Why on earth did you think that?

Evidently you subscribe to the idiom that anything from outside the US must be evil. There's a whole world out there, but you can't be afraid to learn.

Tim B.

Who? Me? What are you talking about here?

[Tim B]

It is dangerous (and moreover, foolish) to believe that there is only one way to do things. Whatever system you use, there is no harm in being well informed about other systems.

If you want a good example of the afore-mentioned attitude, check the responses about the french government changing to Linux. it makes interesting reading.

Tim B.

[l_boyle]

Tim B,

That may be different... Like different stroke for different people... Just like anythng else, automobiles, soaps, food, televisions, video games systems.. Everyone has their preferences... For the value, quaility, looks, and ease of using a product...

[marshmat]

Otherwise, they're designed to lighten your wallet by several hundred to several thousand more than equivalently fast PC hardware. On the other hand, compared to everything else in life, the cost isn't that great so possibly I am simply too frugal.

I'd have to dispute that, to be honest.... my sister's MacBook cost about $200-$300 less than my Toshiba, but does a lot of comparable tasks- booting up, loading the file browser, opening a word processor- in half the time or less. I haven't got around to actually benchmarking them yet but I was amazed just how fast this apparently low-end Mac really was.

It is dangerous (and moreover, foolish) to believe that there is only one way to do things. Whatever system you use, there is no harm in being well informed about other systems.

Agreed 100%. I use Windows because the software my department and team use is mostly Windows-based. I used to do a lot of graphics and publishing, and so worked with Macs a lot there. Now I'm having to learn Unix to work with things like multi-processor Fluent runs on high-end machinery. Friends are going gung-ho on Linux. Much more dangerous to get stuck thinking one OS is good for everything, than to learn a bit about all of them and pick the right one for the job.

[charmc]

Windows XP with SP2. I haven't considered alternates; found XP to be a huge improvement over 98, although a memory and HD capacity hog. I'm pretty happy with XP; I've tried OS X on a friend's EMAC, found it easy, quick to boot, but lacking in applications for my industry.

My biggest beef is with Norton. Since being sold, Norton has changed from a helpful security system to a bloated, slow, annoying group of programs with enough annoyingly automatic and hard to delete features to qualify it as spyware, spyware that slows down all other applications while the price just keeps on growing.... I've tried AVG antivirus freeware on another computer with broadband access and found the protection superb and ease of use superior. Norton may just not be renewed by me.

[Tim B]

I have recently installed Kubuntu 6.10 (Edgy Eft). I have to say, it's rather nice, but I think that the advantage of Linux is that you can choose the system that works for you.

Tim B.

[Raggi_Thor]

Originally Posted by Tim B

Vista is very pretty, but is hideously in-efficient, can't survive without connection to the net, and picks up viruses faster than a prostitute.
All in all, the new linux distributions (particularly with KDE 3.5) are nicer, faster and more reliable than XP or Vista. When I did Beta-test vista, within about two weeks it had become so slow to surf the web that it was faster to use a RISC-PC built in 1996.
Tim B.

And all cad programs that use OpenGL run at half the speed or less compared to xp...

[Bergalia]

I still have that truism sticker on my bumper: 'Windows 98 = Mac '88.'
I run four Macs in the family, two desk top - two laptop - trouble-free. And one PC (for kids homework - bloody schools still insist on their use) but have had nothing but trouble with it despite a fortune in 'spyware' - 'anti-virus ware' etc etc.
When the kids leave school I'll probably use it as base for a mooring bouy.

[Tim B]

Just run Linux instead of Windows, how much can they need? Word-processing, pdf, and internet? That's wrapped up in ANY standard distro these days.

Tim B.

[Raggi_Thor]

It should be illegal for schools and other public services to insist on one specific OS or one specific "Office" package. In Norway OpenOffice is translated to Norwegian and I hope that will be the platform for most schools. We also had an organization called "SkoleLinux" who translated a popular Linux distribution to Norwegian and made a simple installer on a CD. I think this was available for all schools four or five years ago. BUT still you may find public documents saved as ms word docs...

[Mychael]

I use to build up my own Pc's. It was fun and I learned a bit.. Setting up SCSI drives etc. SATA/Raid now almost as fast as SCSI.
I might be wrong but I think SCSI was an Apple/Mac invention?? Very good stuff in it's day.
Anyway I'm past that now and when budget allows I want to go MAC, I've posted elsewhere that my mate with his 5yr old Mac has never/ever had any system freezes or crashes. From a home use perspective a Mac will fit my needs.

AVG free is a great anti virus program, Best I've found so far, it works and does not seem to cause problems with anything else.

Microsoft force upgrading by stopping support for older stuff after a few years. I have a perfectly functional 8 yo old keyboard that I cannot get drivers for but I refuse to be forced to buy a new one so I put up with it in basic function mode.

I wonder why Win98 which was stable when new now has become shakey, I feel it's because Microsoft write their new stuff to favour their latest OS and as we download updates etc it puts more and more strain on the older OS. I run XP pro service pack 2, it's not perfect, I've had freezes and crashes and after a few months it just gets slower and it accumulates it's own self written crap.

I think Microsoft writes programs that are bigger as opposed to smarter, they rely on technology making memory etc bigger/faster and cheaper to buy.

I also think one of the reason Pc's get viruses is because a lot of people dislike Bill Gates way of doing things, apart from him being rich and the tall poppy syndrome I think a lot of people aknowledge the way Microsoft operates is not really good but are forced into PC's by market saturation.

Mychael

[Bergalia]

Originally Posted by Raggi_Thor

It should be illegal for schools and other public services to insist on one specific OS or one specific "Office" package.

With you all the way Raggi.
I fell in love with Apple/Mac virtually at the dawn of mankind (it being so simple a system that even an old fart like me could understand - one - or at most two clicks and my programme opens...) Consequently I've acquired a series of Macs - upgrading when the cash came to hand. From Mac Classic (a whole 2mb of memory), through 575, eMac, to a G4 (my current machine) and a couple of laptops - blackberry and an ibook, all in working order and not one having experienced any problems. I love 'em.
Unfortunately the colleges my girls attend dish out all their homework on PCs - hence my whimpering excuse for purchasing one. (And jeez - haven't we had problems...viruses galore (thank god my wife is a nurse) and more trojans than you can wave a spear at...)
On questioning the college about their choice of system I was told - Microsoft makes all schools and colleges an offer they can't refuse...