My Macbook Pro 13 Died.......

[minaret]

Originally Posted by DotDun

Apparently you missed the 12-core Mac Pro ....

I should have known this would be more contentious than an anchor thread!
The 12 core Mac Pro costs over 5k. And then you can't shoehorn in all the GPU's I have, the processor is just one component. Not any where near the same selection of after market components for a home build with Apple. Not even close. If you asked Apple to build you what I built myself it would cost 10k or more...

[SailFastTri]

If you want a reliable computer, choose one with solid-state disk (SSD) and patch it at least monthly with security updates. Beware of free software. Free isn't. Say no toolbars, download managers, etc and don't click links that advise you of problems, updates needed to accounts, e-greetings etc. Create a separate admin account that is used to load/update software and reduce the rights of your user account so you don't have the ability to install software (or viruses). When you put it away, cover it so it doesn't draw salt air into the case as it cools (that air later condenses inside when it hits the dew point and corrodes the circuits). Finally, **** happens so use cloud backup often for data, and monthly local "disk image" backup to a second drive for system recovery in event of virus/disk failure.

Edit: also use different passwords everywhere (I use Datavault password manager) and encrypt your drive/smart phone. Your digital life is not something you want to lose control over.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by minaret

I should have known this would be more contentious than an anchor thread!

Not contentious, I enjoy watching the testosterone effect!

[Tar34]

I would pay the $660, and you will get back a virtually new machine form Apple. They will give you a warranty and if you pay by Visa, that will double your warranty. In fact if you paid by Visa when you bought the Machine you may still be covered ( 2 years with receipt ) Buy an Inland Marine insurance policy on the machine ($50 bucks from State Farm ) which will cover accidents like spilled coffee or dropped overboard.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

HA I was just thinking this was another anchor thread.

Being a budget cruiser (read: cheap crazy blonde singlehand woman sailor) I just purchased the cheapest netbook I could fine. $200. Woo Hoo.. While a faster computer would be nice. Charging that puppy on the hook with limited power would be a Royal pain.

As it is, it gets 8 hours usage on a charge. My most important criteria in selecting it was amps used when charging. Well and price. And ability to run OpenCPN, google earth, etc...

I disable auto updates on everything as its too much bandwidth in the boonies.

Got to figure that computers may fail anytime after 2 years. They are pretty much disposable nowadays... well when they are on boats and salt air anyway...

Mind if I ask what brand?

[cheoah]

My work bought me a Macbook Pro a couple of years ago and it has been the most stable machine I have ever worked with. I was a long time PC user, some Linux, managed a computer service department for a while, built machines, fixed them, etc. No expert by any means, but handy with a PC, windows, drivers, hard drives, networks, and so on. That's what it took to keep them running. I ran Windows 2000 pro forever it seems, but had good experience with the newer versions.

I don't know jack about this Mac, but I don't have to. It is very well designed, has a very good screen, battery, charging interface. Swipe features are awesome, and once you get them down, it is much easier to do a variety of functions. It is out of my personal price range, but has definitely made me more productive on the go.

It is probably true that having several PC's might be the way to go for long term voyaging. Plus there's the PACTOR thing, don't know if they run on a Mac. I do limited computing while I'm out cruising, but last cruise to Chesapeake I did use my iPhone hot spot and stayed connected more. Very helpful for weather info/imagery, cruising info, movies. Pulled 7+ amps when the battery got down, not something I'm really geared up to provide all the time.

I'm a little embarrassed to say that I don't think I've rebooted this machine more than ten times since I've owned it.

Up to you what you want and need in a computer. If it were me I would fix the Mac, and just see if I could get five years out of it.

[xymotic]

I should mention that the new Macs do not emulate a PC environment, they run Windows natively on their Intel processors.

So Pactor (or any other windows app) is definitely doable.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by xymotic

I should mention that the new Macs do not emulate a PC environment, they run Windows natively on their Intel processors.

So Pactor (or any other windows app) is definitely doable.

I run Windows XP and Windows 7 in virtual machines for the apps I use that require those environments. I prefer Parallels over VMWare, but both have fantastic integration with OSx. I normally run Windows in a second/third desktop and 3-finger swipe back and forth. Or you can integrate directly to the main desktop and each app will appear as a native OSx window.

I run Airmail, OpenCPN, Maxsea, WeatherCaster, Visio, and Actisense NMEAReader all without problem in a VM. Once you assign the USB device to the VM, you simply use the native drivers for that environment. Switching a USB device to the other environment is a simple click.

And, I swear Windows runs better in a VM than natively on the hardware.

IMO, Apple offers the best experience with email, contacts, calendar, web browsing, photo/video management, music/movies, all integrated between laptop, iPad, iPhone. Office tools, word processor, spreadsheet, presentation are equal, but why fight it, just buy Office for Mac. All other apps that require Windose, run 'em in VM.

Bottom line, I run the applications that best suit my needs/desires, regardless of the OS required. You can't do that on a Windows PC.

[maytrix]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

That chart is interesting.

that's actually not what I meant to post, I meant to post a link to a windows 8 laptop

[maytrix]

Originally Posted by DotDun

Applications are the reason to buy Apple. Application integration is second to none, plus iPhone/iPad integration. Ever use Time Machine? It by itself is a reason to own a Mac.

Interesting as that is really the reason to use windows. With Apple, they do make good software, but you get one choice and have to do things their way.

With Windows, you get far more choices on what you want to use and can easily find a program that works the way you want it to.

While I can agree the integration with iPad and iPhone is good, the integration with Windows 8, surface and Windows phone 8 and even now the Xbox will be just as good when released next week. Perhaps even better as you will have more control over how things integrate.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by SailFastTri

Finally, **** happens so use cloud backup often for data

While that may be good advice at home with a big pipe, it is literally impossible to do while cruising in many places.

The best thing about backing up a Mac is that one can simply image the drive with full boot capability and have a fully functioning computer from it. By that, I mean if the main drive goes, you simply plug in the backup drive and start using your computer again. No rebuilding the system or reinstalling software or recovering anything or reactivating the OS - the backup drive is bootable and identical to the main drive.

And this bootable drive can be taken to questionable places, used for a while as the main drive and simply wiped afterwards and reimaged again from your main drive. The main drive is never exposed to any potential harm.

Running Windows on a Mac using a virtual machine has similar advantages. I just keep a known clean copy of the virtual machine and run windows at will without much regard to safety. If there ever is a problem, I simply replace the virtual machine with the clean copy, make another clean copy and take off again. Everything is sandboxed and nothing bad can get out.

With our actual PC's, I have to be much more careful and the whole process is painful. A disk crash can take days to recover from. A disk crash on a Mac literally takes 5 seconds to recover (plug the drive in the USB port and press the power button) and you are running an identical system as to before the crash. Then when you have a convenient time, you just open up the backup drive enclosure, take out the drive and stick it in the computer for good (and get another backup drive).

Mark

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by maytrix

With Windows, you get far more choices on what you want to use and can easily find a program that works the way you want it to.

But that's not the point. I don't want a program that works like I want, I want a group of programs that work like I want AND integrate with each other. Just the integration that Spotlight and Time Machine offers with apps and data are alone worth switching to OSx.

No doubt MS/Win8 is trying to catch-up with Apple's application integration. MS doesn't have choice but to play me-too.

I've switched to OSx >5 years ago. I've yet to have to re-image an OSx system due to creeping crud. With Windows XP that was an annual event, I switched before the large uptake to Win7, hence other than the strangeness of the UI, I don't have that much experience with it as a mainstream OS.

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Mind if I ask what brand?

I'm not sailorchick (the pipe gives it away) but we went all out and
dropped $275 on an Acer Aspire that we use as our main source of navigation running OpenCPN. Panning and zooming in OpenCPN is slow with the Atom processor but the power draw using the included 12v adapter is almost negligible.

[maytrix]

Originally Posted by DotDun

But that's not the point. I don't want a program that works like I want, I want a group of programs that work like I want AND integrate with each other. Just the integration that Spotlight and Time Machine offers with apps and data are alone worth switching to OSx.

I understand that completely. The problem is that you have one choice with Apple, and while their apps may work the way you want, they dont for everyone. So if you want to do it a different way you can't, because you have to do it the apple way.

I dont know all the benefits of time machine, but apple always has had the advantage of easy reloading. I myself just dont see it as a big advantage because it's not something that needs to be done frequently. I much prefer the choice of using any number of applications that run on windows. And they can still integrate with one another and various devices, the only difference is I have more control over it.

Not everyone cares about choice though and/or the apple way of doing it works. If that's the case then apple can be a good choice.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by maytrix

I understand that completely. The problem is that you have one choice with Apple, and while their apps may work the way you want, they dont for everyone. So if you want to do it a different way you can't, because you have to do it the apple way.

Hence, I run the Windows apps I desire in a VM. Difference is I can't run the Apple apps I want on a Windows PC. I still get all the benefits Apple delivers and the choice of Windows apps I desire.

I switched as I was getting really tired of the care and feeding Windows OS requires to keep it running.

IMO, there is more choice with Apple, not less.

Originally Posted by maytrix

I dont know all the benefits of time machine, but apple always has had the advantage of easy reloading. I myself just dont see it as a big advantage because it's not something that needs to be done frequently. I much prefer the choice of using any number of applications that run on windows. And they can still integrate with one another and various devices, the only difference is I have more control over it.

Not everyone cares about choice though and/or the apple way of doing it works. If that's the case then apple can be a good choice.

That's why MS, Apple, and the variants of Linux all have a share of the pie!