*** For details on how to be removed from this list visit the ***
*** CCP4 home page http://www.ccp4.ac.uk ***
One of the Apple reps suggested using the iLAP stand with the sizzling
hot Macbook Pro. One can supposedly get it from the Apple store. Checked
out a similar product for a bit at the store - I liked the incline on
the keyboard. Looks like the incline might give the wrist some rest and
help delay onset of Carpal Tunnel.
Disclaimer: Read this email and buy the product absolutely at your own
risk. I have no association with the iLAP manufacturer or Apple.
Raji
D. Eric Dollins wrote:
*** For details on how to be removed from this list visit the ***
*** CCP4 home page http://www.ccp4.ac.uk ***
One note on MacBook Pros....Although admittingly not designed for
number crunching, I've been refining structures on my new core 2 duo
MacBook Pro (again, thanks to Bill Scott and others...). If running
multiple jobs, my machine was running very hot (>80C). However, I
installed 2 things which seems to help:
1. Temperature monitor:
http://www.bresink.com/osx/TemperatureMonitor.html
2. Addin fan contol
http://www.lobotomo.com/products/FanControl/
The added items with the new fan controller and the monitor (which
shows the temp. at 11 different sensors), the temp. never gets above
~65-70. I've heard extended periods above 70 is getting dangerous for
your CPU lifetime. So running without those extras seems like asking
for trouble.
Also, I didn't want to buy a fancy stand (nor do I want to carry one
around), so I put my laptop up on modelling dice (~2-3cm) and that
seems to help cool things down a bit by getting some air flow.
Eric
On 11/30/06, Jeff Speir <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
*** For details on how to be removed from this list visit the ***
*** CCP4 home page http://www.ccp4.ac.uk ***
It was disappointing to hear of Bill's MacBook problem after all the
work he has done for getting our tools to run on OSX, he deserves
better! But I have to second Warren's recommendation for the Apple
MacBook Pro. Our labs (Johnson and Schneemann at Scripps) have 3,
and they are working very well. They are quite fast - preliminary
benchmarks show they are competitive with G5 workstations (number
crunching tests), and Coot, PyMol, Chimera run smoothly. No problems
so far (probably revision B models?).
I highly recommend extended warranties (at reasonable cost) for
notebooks. They are always packed with advanced technology in small
hots spaces that get jostled around, which invites trouble. The 3
year AppleCare for the MacBook lines is reasonable at the academic
price.
Apple's computers have been good for us (together our labs have 30+),
but with this many machines we of course have had assorted problems.
I would expect this from any computer manufacturer, not all of their
products are going to be perfect. A couple years ago we had one of
the legendary PowerBook G4's arrive for Jack Johnson. After
gathering all the disks, cables, and computers, Jack and I sat down
and powered it on to configure it and transfer data from his old
machine. It made a few strange noises for about 10 seconds and then
shut itself off. It wouldn't turn on again. We were pretty bent to
say the least. Must have been revision A! Apple replaced it
overnight without questions. One area where I think Apple excels is
their service - they have fixed everything quickly, even if it took a
couple phone calls to AppleCare to convince them.
Just thought I'd put our two labs worth of experience out there for
comparison.
Cheers,
Jeff
On Nov 30, 2006, at 8:22 AM, William Scott wrote:
> *** For details on how to be removed from this list visit the ***
> *** CCP4 home page http://www.ccp4.ac.uk ***
>
>
> Also it is good to check the repair statistics, in Consumer
> Reports, for
> example. Dell, Compac, and Apple typically get the best ratings.
> Here is
> something more up to date on the Apple line:
> http://macintouch.com/reliability/macbooks.html
>
>
>
> Andreas Forster wrote:
>> The good thing with a PC notebook is that you get a usable
>> touchpad and an
>> ALT key that lets you access menus without taking your hands off the
>> keyboard, the lack of both of which drives me up the wall every
>> time I sit
>> in front of a Mac portable.
>>
>> How to decide on a notebook? Sit in front of those you find
>> interesting
>> (all with dedicated graphics, obviously) and pick the one whose
>> keyboard
>> and
>> screen you like the most. The differences on the outside are
>> bigger than
>> those on the inside.
>>
>> Andreas
>>
>>
>>
>> On 11/30/06, William Scott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>>
>>> *** For details on how to be removed from this list visit the ***
>>> *** CCP4 home page http://www.ccp4.ac.uk ***
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Either a PC laptop or Apple would be fine. I just bought a new
>>> MacBook
>>> and after the salesman assured me it was the latest and greatest,
>>> it was
>>> obsolete 4 days later, has had serious battery problems, random
>>> shutdowns,
>>> and so forth. Meanwhile the new version allegedly corrected
>>> this. But
>>> this has put me in a pretty foul mood with respect to Apple
>>> recently, so
>>> I
>>> am going to recommend any good cheap PC laptop and install a good
>>> free
>>> Linux distribution that is pleasant to use and maintain, like Ubuntu
>>> Linux.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, 30 Nov 2006, shivesh kumar wrote:
>>>
>>>> Dear all,
>>>> For installing CCP4i and CNS and other graphics program which
>>>> laptop I
>>>> should buy.Whether it should be of linux operating system of any
>>>> other.Howabout HP
>>>> pavillion.Any suggestion is welcome.
>>>> Thanx in advance.
>>>> S
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
--
Raji Edayathumangalam
Postdoctoral Fellow
The Rockefeller University
Box 224. 1230 York Avenue
New York, NY 10021
