My thoughts on my Mac Mini and OSX
Despite the excellent releases in my previous post both working, there were a number of issues with the installations. Despite the community, there is a certain amount of luck when it comes to osx86 and it is down the architecture of how a PC is put together. There are numerous configs and countless peripherals - both the PC's biggest strength and weakness. The PC is slated by many a (mac) user because it crashes often, but compared to the Mac it is so much more versatile. Windows can run thousands of different components and in nearly every case it runs them well. There are some conflicts, but Windows 7 is so close to getting this right I have to say that the OS is almost perfect. The second part of this is that most Mac users make the incorrect assumption when they make their face of disgust when it talking about PCs that all PCs = Windows. I am also a very heavy Linux user. I have to be, I'm a PHP developer and the language runs best when it runs on a Linux Machine (but it can run on Windows ;-))
The reason I mention all this is because I tried everything that I could before purchasing my Mac-Mini. I also want to show that I have a reasonable background to give an honest and frank review of my new piece of equipment.
Anyway, down to my first thoughts of the Mac. Well it cost £592 for a machine with a Intel core 2 duo CPU, 320gb hard drive and 1gb of RAM. Quite expensive for that range of kit, but the little box that encompasses it is very, very well built and is very, very quiet. Not to mention that it uses very little power at all. Perfect for the greenies out there that want to save the planet and still be able to use a computer. My one [tiny] problem with the hardware is that Apple supplies a Mini DVI to DVI adapter but it is only DVI-D. Most adapters that PC monitor owners have are DVI-I and the two will not fit together, I had to buy one from Amazon. Other than that Iwas very happy with it.
Down to Mac OSX - it's a good system and owes much of its existence to Unix/BSD and this can be seen in many areas of the OS. If you are a seasoned Linux/Unix user then you should have no problem using Mac OSX and you can probably do more with the system than most Mac OSX users. I have to say it works pretty well and it does everything it should do, you can customise most of the OS and you can do it with very little fuss. The one major advantage that MAC OS has over Windows is when it comes to system settings. Apple pretty much knows what components are going to be found in the box and therefore its drivers should be perfect, this shows. I think this is where most Mac users get the notion 'my Mac just works'. Can you imagine buying a PC, unpacking it and it 'not working', no me neither. I like the OS, the dock and a number of other things, but it is no better than Windows. It does 'work', but so do my Windows and Linux Machines, funny that!
Whenever you talk to any Mac owner they say they would never go to back to using Windows. When it comes to the Apple brand it has some of the most loyal customers of any company I know of and I think I have found out why this is so. Apple spoil their customers. They make them feel special, they make them feel like they are a cut above the rest and that paying a premium for a service is perfectly fine. I have to admit that when I first opened the system I felt that little bit of Apple magic, the box and packaging was flawless, you even get a little message saying telling you that you and your product are one. The way they spoil the customer doesn't just stop with the packaging, it runs through the system, brushed aluminium is everywhere from the keyboard to the way that it is part of your desktop programs.
This is not a rant against Apple, they make some great products and they are perfect for certain functions, but it is more a discussions urging users to remain pragmatic and to use the right tool for the job and that there are (nearly always) alternatives.
Anyway, down to my first thoughts of the Mac. Well it cost £592 for a machine with a Intel core 2 duo CPU, 320gb hard drive and 1gb of RAM. Quite expensive for that range of kit, but the little box that encompasses it is very, very well built and is very, very quiet. Not to mention that it uses very little power at all. Perfect for the greenies out there that want to save the planet and still be able to use a computer. My one [tiny] problem with the hardware is that Apple supplies a Mini DVI to DVI adapter but it is only DVI-D. Most adapters that PC monitor owners have are DVI-I and the two will not fit together, I had to buy one from Amazon. Other than that Iwas very happy with it.
Down to Mac OSX - it's a good system and owes much of its existence to Unix/BSD and this can be seen in many areas of the OS. If you are a seasoned Linux/Unix user then you should have no problem using Mac OSX and you can probably do more with the system than most Mac OSX users. I have to say it works pretty well and it does everything it should do, you can customise most of the OS and you can do it with very little fuss. The one major advantage that MAC OS has over Windows is when it comes to system settings. Apple pretty much knows what components are going to be found in the box and therefore its drivers should be perfect, this shows. I think this is where most Mac users get the notion 'my Mac just works'. Can you imagine buying a PC, unpacking it and it 'not working', no me neither. I like the OS, the dock and a number of other things, but it is no better than Windows. It does 'work', but so do my Windows and Linux Machines, funny that!
Whenever you talk to any Mac owner they say they would never go to back to using Windows. When it comes to the Apple brand it has some of the most loyal customers of any company I know of and I think I have found out why this is so. Apple spoil their customers. They make them feel special, they make them feel like they are a cut above the rest and that paying a premium for a service is perfectly fine. I have to admit that when I first opened the system I felt that little bit of Apple magic, the box and packaging was flawless, you even get a little message saying telling you that you and your product are one. The way they spoil the customer doesn't just stop with the packaging, it runs through the system, brushed aluminium is everywhere from the keyboard to the way that it is part of your desktop programs.
This is not a rant against Apple, they make some great products and they are perfect for certain functions, but it is more a discussions urging users to remain pragmatic and to use the right tool for the job and that there are (nearly always) alternatives.
posted by firmy007 at
10:09 PM
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