what did you end up getting? On Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 6:18 PM, Nathan England<nat...@paysonlinux.org> wrote: > On Wednesday 19 August 2009 02:24:49 pm Josef Lowder wrote: >> Based on the very positive and enthusiastic comments from so many >> people (including several of my good plug friends), I recently >> purchased a 15" Macbook, thinking that it might be "the way to go." >> >> While the Mac is a very appealing product in many ways with many >> outstanding features, I have finally come to the conclusion that the >> disadvantages (to me) far outweigh the positives. So I am now >> thinking of selling it and looking for something more sensible in the >> real world. Therefore, once again, I am seeking input from the >> collective wisdom of this esteemed group. >> >> The simple, but (to me) major drawbacks of the Mac (not to mention >> their proprietary impositions that seem to be even worse than M$), are >> as follows: >> >> 1. The keyboard layout that forces that screwy Mac/Apple X key on >> users in lieu of simply using the CTRL key ... and then positioning >> that weird mac key in such a terribly awkward place. >> >> 2. Putting the "FN" key where the "CTRL" key should be (and is on >> every other computer keyboard) is really stupid. Bottom-farthest left >> is the *only* place (from an anatomically logical standpoint) where >> the CTRL key should be (imho). >> >> 3. Failure to totally eliminate the "caps-lock" key (of course I guess >> all keyboard mfrs still remain guilty of this ridiculous failing, at >> this point). However, I seem to accidentally hit it more on the mac >> than on my other keyboards ... I guess because on the mac it seems to >> be slightly oversized. Why? Duh! >> >> 4. The absolutely ridiculous limitation of being forced to the bottom >> right corner of every window as the *only* way to resize windows. >> That might be the most stupid of all Mac contrary-to-all-common-sense >> "features." And apparently no way that I can find to "maximize" a >> window. >> >> 5. The needlessly glitzy but cumbersome "dock." >> >> 6. The lack of a simple text editor ... one that doesn't force the use >> of html or rtf. >> >> 7. Most of the *nix command-line commands and utilities that I am used >> to using do not seem to work on Mac OS-X >> >> 8. While I like the slot drive rather than a DVD drive that slides >> open, I do (not) like having it on the front. Has that changed on >> newer models? >> >> 9. And as for being "intuitive" ... I've tried for a week to get the >> hang of using a Mac and almost everything that I am used to doing on >> my "normal" computers, I find almost impossible to figure out on a >> mac. The 529-page "How to do everything Mac" doesn't ... and if mac >> is so "intuitive" why should it need a 529-page book to explain how to >> use it? >> >> In any case, I am now looking for a new (or used) laptop to replace >> this mac and get back to the real world. >> >> One that intrigues me is a new, single-core, lower-powered Asus that >> claims to have 8+ hours of battery life. It is also the only one I >> have seen so far that has lighted keys (the letters light up on the >> keys like the mac -- one of mac's truly great features). That seems >> to me to be a very desirable feature. Only problem is that that >> feature seems to be available only in a larger format Asus unit with a >> number keypad (that I do not want). >> >> So what do y'all recommend? >> >> I like the slot drive (on the right side), built-in camera, lighted >> keys, lightest and thinnest possible, a "normal" keyboard (no 10- >> pad), at least a 15" screen, preferrably matte not glossy, and long >> battery life. I want to install Linux as the base OS and use whatever >> virtual ware will allow me to install win98 (I do *not* want the >> all-intrusive, pop-up crazy winXP). >> >> PS: Anyone interested in trading for or buying a 15" macbook with 4-gig of >> ram? >> --------------------------------------------------- >> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >> > > > When I bought my current laptop I went to Best Buy and Fry's and asked to try > out their machines with a Ubuntu disc and no one had a problem with it. In > the end I tried a bunch of laptops and bought the one with the best support > in the store. I do not run Ubuntu, but it was a great trial run to see what > could be made to work! > > nathan > -- > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Nathan England > (928) 951-5116 > nat...@paysonlinux.org > http://www.paysonlinux.org/ > > Information Security Consulting > Software and Web Development > Systems Administration > > > > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >
-- A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button. Stephen --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
