Article:		Mac Mini Eye for the Linux-Windows Guy
Subject:		Have fun
Date:		2005-04-20 16:36:00
From:		ghiebert
I hope you enjoy your upgrade. Having a solid Unix/Linux background really helps to appreciate the Mac's advantages. (I always have at least three Terminal windows open, because I'm too lazy to use the Finder for most things. ;^) I have to say, though, that I find your complaints about the cost to be a little misleading. Why waste your money on an LCD and Microsoft Office when you have perfectly good CRTs and existing Windows systems (presumably with Office) around? And is .Mac really a necessity? I've been using Macs for close to twenty years now, and have never felt the need/desire to pay for .Mac.

Showing messages 1 through 1 of 1.

• Have fun
  2005-04-21 02:08:16  Todd Ogasawara | [View]
  
  
  Hi, ghiebert: Yep, having fun with the Mac mini so far. And, yes, I find myself leaving a terminal screen or X11 up quite often too!
  
  Regarding my mentioning cost. If people are thinking about buying anything new, but especially if they are thinking of switching, total switching cost will be an important consideration. So, I thought it was important to point that out. The cost of the Mac hardware is a premium compared to Intel based PCs. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, the $773 I spent on my Mac mini hardware would have gotten 160GB HD vs. 80GB, dual-layer DVD+-RW vs. CD-RW/DVD-ROM, and either CRT or maybe even a small LCD display. So, there has to be something more a Mac mini has to offer than price (and I think it does having owned one for a little while now).
  
  Why an LCD instead of CRT? Space in my home is a premium. The space the Mac mini now occupies is where my notebook used to get thrown for shared use in a common area. It would not comfortably fit a deep CRT.
  
  Is .Mac necessary? No more so than the Mac mini itself. I was curious. And, as I said, the Windows user side of me is paranoid (re: getting Virex as part of the package) even though most people tell me viruses are a non-issue for Mac OS X :-)