maybe not right to have this convo on this thread but do you guys really think it's worth it to pay that much for the mac vs. how much you save for similar (as similar as they can be) specs on a pc?

I will be getting a new laptop before school starts and just can't make up my mind. I want the mac but I wonder if its just the kid in me that wants the beautiful new shiny toy or if it is really worth it. Also, i haven't used a mac since jr. high (except for a couple things) is it a tough transition, or does the dual interface make it easy? i know macs are more intuitive than pc's, but I'm just so familiar with my shortcuts.

I've heard people have had trouble running bootleg (pc) software on these- is that true? I can't afford to go out and buy all new software. I've also heard that cad runs slowly- any truth to that?

I want to continue using my desktop in grad school...what is the transition like now from pc to mac (file wise)? back in the day it was a nightmare- but I think it's better now.

i wonder if it worth waiting until oct. (wondering if some kinks will be worked out by then) because this release is the beta test...


blah...that's my ramble...

tonight, I will spend some time reading the ___vs____ threads.

WhatToDo - With a Mac you are essentially getting 2 computers, a Windows machine and a Mac. The new Intel Macs run Windows natively so there are no problems with running any Windows CAD programs or any other Windows programs because it is a PC and a Mac at the same time.

Mac's are certainly expensive but if you were to buy a PC with the same quality of components it would cost you the same if not more. If you look at some bench tests you'll see that the Mac Book Pro's run with the same kind of power as the most high-end PC's you can get (Alienware, etc.), which aren't cheap.

Bootcamp is still a beta program but its been around for a while now and I haven't heard anything negative about it all. If you bought a comp now you can always upgrade your OS in October when it comes out...

In the end though it really doesn't matter what you get. All that matters is what you do with it and what you are comfortable with.

thanks cp!

it just seems i need (or want) and new computer every year...so it seems like a lot of money....but...oooh how I love them!

going mac is an easy choice for me... as a graphic designer, I'm expected to work on mac! The fact that I'll have used pc in my 'former life' will just be a bonus to any company that uses both. So if I can come up with the money for it, I'll definitely be getting a mac.

Speaking of coming up with the money for it, I should hear back about the WorldStudio scholarship sometime this month. Mailbox anxiety returns!

oh this is just like old times! i've missed this thread! well, i bought a 17" macbook pro last year and am in love with it! i've had pc's in the past but they just never compare to a mac (in my opinion).

rationalist: i got the free nano when i purchased mine and gave it to my mom as a present. i think she hardly uses it, but it does make a nice gift for someone.

are there other discounts available through retailers...or is the 10%(?) student mac discount as good as it gets?

oh and rationalist, i wouldnt' worry too much about carrying the laptop around (if you decided to go with the 17"). Crumpler makes some pretty nice (though a bit pricey) bags. I bought "The Dreadful Embarassment".....yeah, they have funny names too.

Kalyani- I plan to continue to sport my Axiom Typhoons. I have a pair in grey that have been commuting with to work and they work great so far, but then I haven't had anything so valuable on the back of my bike yet. They work for everything from commuting to grocery shopping, so I'm not going to get a different bag for the laptop beyond one of the incase briefcase/sleeve type things. But I will look into insurance.

WhatToDo - The student discount is probably as good as its gonna get. But you can also check this website for current deals at a bunch of different places. They are all usually pretty close to the normal listed price but they'll probably throw something free in with it, like RAM or a printer or something.

pretty cool rationalist, they're like saddlebags for bikes.....even better!

yeah, the cashier at Trader Joe's today was pretty impressed as well. ; P

So I've been looking up bike insurance... apparently in the UK you can get it just like car insurance, but over here you've got to try to patch something together, usually through renters insurance, health insurance, and car insurance. But since I won't have car insurance, I'm going to look into a general liability policy.

Have any of you guys started the process of deferring your undergrad loans yet? I called Sallie Mae yesterday and they claimed that since UW was "in network" (whatever that means), my loans would be AUTOMATICALLY deferred once it showed that I was enrolled fulltime, and there was no paperwork I had to fill out. I don't really trust that.... I feel like if I don't do anything, come September Sallie Mae will probably turn around and deny any knowledge of such a conversation. I may just try calling back a few times and see whether I keep getting the same answer, or different ones...

This is why I love my Mac.



Windows on the left, Mac on the right. Same computer. Different screens.



So rationalist, those Axiom things are big enough to hold a computer? Hmmmm. Very interesting.

WonderK - Are you using Parallels?

cpnorris, why yes, I am :o)

ahhh....thats a beautiful thing WonderK.

it's sad....but that might have convinced me. man, I'm marketers dream of a consumer.

WonderK - Just out of curiosity, why did you choose Parallels over Bootcamp? I am about to get a new laptop and I was gonna get Bootcamp cause it's free but Parallels allows you to run Windows and OS at the same time, which is pretty sweet.

As I understand it, you can now use Parallels and Boot Camp on the same machine with the same Windows installation, so it's no longer an either/or question. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

rationalist: it's true that your undergrad loans will automatically be deferred when you enroll in grad school. i actually found this out a while back when i was taking physics and calc at a local community college. i recieved a notice in the mail from sallie mae (my lender for undergrad) saying that because i was enrolled my loans were being deferred (although i still had the choice to continue paying them if i wished). i was kind of surprised because i was only taking those 2 classes while working full-time (i thought you had to be enrolled full-time for deferrement). anyway, the same thing happened when i enrolled at UT last fall (and somehow they remained deferred even after i withdrew early).
to be safe, just call them a couple of weeks after you start classes to make sure that they are definately being deferred and there should be no problems.

also i just got a letter from one of my loans telling me that if i was killed in 9/11 my loans will be forgiven????

i've heard the same thing LIG (i think the newest version of parallels makes this possible). cpnorris: i think the main benefit of bootcamp is that your computer will run faster. This page has some really helpful information on the subject.

Parallels also supports OpenGL 3d apps now.

look here

cpnorris, and everyone.....

I chose to go with Parallels over Bootcamp because when I bought my Mac, I went through that phase where you're so excited about your new machine, you just start piling everything on your computer randomly. Well when I went to install Bootcamp, it said it couldn't partition my harddrive unless I backed it up and erased it, so it could do a fresh partitioning. Having just installed a whole slew of programs on there, I certainly didn't feel like redoing that whole process, so I installed Parallels. I am quite glad that I did because I really love being able to have both operating systems running at the same time, so I can go back and forth between programs with no trouble at all. I don't have to "choose" a system when I turn on my computer. Also I have no interest in getting online in the Windows OS because I don't want to open myself up to viruses and what not, and I wasn't about to attempt to work on CAD without having constant access to Archinect for breaks!

So, one could say that I am "having my cake and eating it too".

Damn, it wanted you to erase everything on your harddrive??? Was that because you had Parallels on it already? (bootcamp never asked me to erase anything, thank god)

I'm building a PC. Wondering about the video card though. Any opinions on ATI vs. Nvidia? Also, how about gaming cards vs. workstation graphics cards (e.g. Crossfire vs. FireGL)? Is there really that big a difference?

Maybe I'm embarrasing myself here, but I don't know sh*t about this stuff.

Thanks.

boomba, my guideline for graphics cards is simple. More RAM = better. RAM dedicated to the graphics card is one of the best indicators of performance in my experience. Chipsets and all that.... no clue, sorry. But if one of them has 128MB dedicated RAM and the other has 256 MB, then the choice is clear in my opinion.

Thanks, Rationalist. I figured that was the case when comparing cards of the same type, but not sure about the rest. I'll just keep reading and will hopefully figure it out.

One thing I think I have learned is that if you want a high-end PC, it's better to build it yourself. Low-to-mid performance probably better to buy pre-built from HP, Dell, etc.

I don't know enough about Macs to have an opinion. Sounds like they are more stable and better machines overall, but that PCs are better for heavy computational stuff.

And since I'm going to use my PC to control my army of cybernetic clones...

= (

no scholarship for me.... got informed by email.

That may mean no macbook pro for me. I'll have to re-evaluate. To be honest, I was kind of counting on getting some money from that scholarship, even though I knew I shouldn't. I looked at the work from last year's winners, and could honestly say that my stuff was as good as theirs, so I thought I had an excellent chance.

Off to re-calculate finances...

baboomba-

If you're gonna do HEAVY rendering, get a low-end Quadro or FireGL(as opposed to a high-end gaming card), they make a world of difference...Most high-end rendering programs are optimized for use with these cards. Downside? Not as game friendly, haha. But you can always add a cheap gaming card if you want.

sorry to bring this thread back, but i actually read through some of these old comments and I know for a fact that I cannot be anywhere near archinect during my application process or i'll have an anxiety attack.

bojangles, it worked the opposite for me. I came here when I was ALREADY having anxiety attacks, and these guys helped me put everything in perspective.

i posted this in the pratt thread, but thought i'd put it in here as well -

i was accpeted for fall 2007 to pratt's grad program and declined (lack of funds, 3 yr. program, etc.).

well, oddly enough - pratt emailed me yesterday telling me there were spots still available. to which i asked them (in a much more polite way) - so what's in it for me?

they told me they would give me advanced placement (2 yrs. now). i haven't asked them about money yet...

did anyone try to do some negotiating with them as far as money goes (or work study or anything like that)? any success? anything at all?

i can't decide if they really want me or if they're trying really hard to just fill up spots. it's all a little bizarre to me.

i've really been thrown a loop here. i've already got a high debt load and i'm really not looking to increase it significantly, but it's so tempting to drop everything and move up to brooklyn... and there's this idea if i reapply for grad schools next year and don't get in, well that would really suck!

Yeah thats a tough situation. Could be they didn't get enough people to commit to going there or they really want you. Who knows. Either way if I were you I would use this to your advantage and get them to give you some funding. They already cut off a year, so that just saved you $30K in tuition plus a year of paying rent and living in Brooklyn. So maybe that saved you around $50K. Tell them your situation and why you declined in the first place and see what they offer you. It never hurts to ask. If you don't like there offer then just don't go. You already decided to wait till next year anyway so if you don't go then nothings changed.

I'd say it's some combination of having too small a class and wanting you. They wouldn't have called you if they had enough butts in seats, but I bet there are some people that rejected them that they aren't bothering to call.

bump

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