The college Macbook & iPhone

[ERD50]

Instead of bootcamp or parallels, I highly recommend VMFusion from VMWare. If you go to the Apple store and ask to test drive the three, you will see why.

But I think the first questions is - do you really need to run any Windows-only software at all?

When the Macs first switched to Intel processors, I was very interested in the various options to run Windows SW - I looked into installing some of the free/demo releases, then I realized - why bother? I really had no need to run any Windows SW. The Mac is also pretty well supported by the open source community, since Linux and OSX share the same Unix roots.

It's nice to know that you can if you need, but I'd really Q the need. My son has had his (non-Intel) MacBook going strong for 6 years now, daughter is in Junior year at college with no need to run Windows SW. It's probably a non-issue these days - with a few exceptions. If it is a very occasional need, there is the computer lab, or borrow a friends Wintel.

Conversely, when DD took a programming class, the Windows users had to install UNIX compatible compilers, her book said that everything they needed was pre-installed on a Mac, and it was.

Oh, and there is WINE, which is a free download, does not require Windows, and will run *some* Windows programs on a Mac /Linux. Since it is free, I've played with it, and then said "gee, that's nice, it says I have a "C" drive - whoopee".

-ERD50

 

[LOL!]

I'm running a Macbook in a Windows corporate environment.

It is true that one may not need any Windows software, but that's not my situation.

 

[ERD50]

I'm running a Macbook in a Windows corporate environment.

It is true that one may not need any Windows software, but that's not my situation.

Understood - but (at least in my experience) that is far less likely for a college student.

-ERD50

 

[Ronstar]

Understood - but (at least in my experience) that is far less likely for a college student.

-ERD50

True, but Nords daughter is studying civil engineering and will need Autocad, Microstation and possibly other PC friendly software. I dont know if these software packages run on the Mac OS.

Like LOL!, I'm running VMFusion. I just loaded it a few days ago, and I'm getting ready to add CAD software soon.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

DW needs to use Windoze when she accesses some real estate sites for the MLS.

She says her Mac running Fusion is faster than the dedicated Windows machines at her broker's office.

 

[Nords]

Thanks for the software suggestions, guys, I'll throw them over the wall to our kid and let her sort them out.

VMWare. I should've thought of that.

She came to me all excited the other day after reading Rice's website, full of the news that they had some newfangled computer system running a completely new type of OS called (phonetically, her pronunciation) "lie-noocks". She's remained largely impervious to my attempts to educate her on computer science, so it'll be interesting to see what the Rice crowd does to her knowledge level. Maybe next Christmas break we can swap computer geek jokes.

That backlit keyboard is most cool, true. But speaking as both a parent and a former teen, there are better things for a teen to be doing in bed in the dark. I had this conversation with her, at which point my commentary was greeted with an eye-rolling "Daaaaaaa--aad!"

 

[Leonidas]

The iPhone is an incredible product. Whenever oldest son is around and we are out on the town we constantly find ourselves asking him to use the iPhone for a lookup of info. It's great for comparison shopping. If I could justify the $30 a month data plan I would get one, but I'm too damn stingy.

I'm being tugged toward Macs more and more, and after a recent Windows laptop purchase that included Windows 7, and it's total lack of drivers to connect to the network printer I'm getting closer to becoming a total Apple customer.

All this from a guy who once would have rather been caught dead than have an Apple product.

On software purchases, check with the school, most of them have super discounted software for students. $10 a disc prices on operating systems, MS Office, etc.

 

[M Paquette]

VMWare. I should've thought of that.

Try this: VirtualBox

This is based on some open source projects, and has Sun's engineers behind it. The price is right for us FIRE types. Free.

I use is to run Windows 7 (for support of recalcitrant relatives) and Linux on top of a Mac OSX 10.6 installation.

 

[Nords]

Try this: VirtualBox
This is based on some open source projects, and has Sun's engineers behind it. The price is right for us FIRE types. Free.
I use is to run Windows 7 (for support of recalcitrant relatives) and Linux on top of a Mac OSX 10.6 installation.

Excellent, thanks.

I've told her the story of your spinning-basketball contribution to Mac lore...

 

[ikonomore]

One thing people forget about Macs is that they have resale value.

I've sold every mac i've had since 1998 for at least $500 after at least 2 years of use and up to $1100. I sold my old imac for $500 last year. I paid $899 for it in 1999.

Every PC that I've had since 1994, I've given away. We are talking $2500 machines here.

With vmware fusion I am done buying any more PCs.

You can use any usb external drive for time machine. I have a WD 320Gb that works like a charm.