Apple Options

[JRoberts]

I just recently bought an Apple laptop for School. I have been a PC user all my life, and since a very early age was taught that Apple was the "other computer" that we didn't buy. However, I have a few friends who have Apples and was also offered a great deal if I bought it. So I did.

What struck me at first (and has for awhile) is the esthetic beauty of Apple. Their love of simplicity and whiteness makes their computers very elegant. It turns out that this idea is the Theme of Apple: Simplicity, Integration, Harmony, and thus...Power. PC's have always seemed cluttered to me. They were like buying a car engine and frame, and then everything else is seperate and must be added. The result? A weird looking, multi-colored, odd-shaped car. But when using my apple, I feel like every single thing was done for a purpose. Every program relies upon and builds upon the other. Thus every program is nicely connected, purposeful, and destinguishably Apple. There is a nice ease-of-mind when using an Apple, one that makes me want to shout, "But of course!"

I am also impressed by Apple's ingenuity. There are many features in both their laptop and Operating System that blow my mind (and I'm still discovering many of them!). Some examples:

-Hot Corners: move your mouse to a corner of the screen, and an action will happen (such as automatically start your Screen Saver)

-Stickies: for all those tiny notes you take (such as a telephone number), stickies are basically virtual post-it notesin multiple colors. Much better than using MSword/Notepad

-Expose: allows you to focus on one application, or multiple. Great program when you have multiple windows/programs open.

-iChat: AOL Instant Messenger with upgrades. It includes an automatic LAN feature that allows you to see/communicate with anybody in your network. CNN has just started using it to conduct interviews via its powerful audio/video chat software.

-Spellcheck: Many programs have spellcheck built in. iChat, for example, spellchecks everything you type. Why hasn't somebody thought of this before?

All in all, I'm converted. It reminds me of what Howard Roark stated about Architecture; and believe me, I feel like I'm using a computer that has integrity.

[Carlos]

Watching you open up your (JRobert's) Apple reminded me of when I first got mine:

When I first looked at my powerbook it struck me as radiantly clean simplicity, carried to the point of extreme aesthetic and functional elegance, in a way as if there should never be a divergence in life between the two.

With time I forgot to appreciate how much I enjoyed my Powerbook, then after using a Windows computer, the sharp contrast struck me again.


I agree with you when you said that if Howard Roark made a computer, he would make an Apple.

[Carlos]

"Spellcheck: Many programs have spellcheck built in. iChat, for example, spellchecks everything you type. Why hasn't somebody thought of this before?"

Don't forget your Safari web-browser also has spellcheck built into it, what I'm typing on the forum is being checked now.

My favorite application has to be Sherlock, with one application I can:
use an online Yellow Pages to find virtually any business, nearly anywhere;

use a program to search literally over a hundred airlines, checking their arrival times, departure times, status, etc;

use a pictures application to search for pictures on the internet;

use Stocks to keep track of companies on the stock market;

use Movies which allows me to search for theaters by zip-code, see what movies they are showing, what time, and watch previews;

use a dictionary;

use a language translator;

and use the program AppleCare.


When I was going to a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament in Dallas Texas, I was looking for a Hotel as close to the location of the event as possible.
Using Yellow Pages on Sherlock, for some reason I could find the school the event was happening at on a map, get directions to it, then use Yellow Pages to find the nearest Hotel along with its phone-number

Apple

[Carlos]

Oh, and Windows comes with games like Solitaire.

Apples come with Chess--

enough said.

[JRoberts]

I agree with you when you said that if Howard Roark made a computer, he would make an Apple.
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Jordan,

I did not say that if Howard Roark made a computer, he would have made an Apple. What I said was that I feel for Apple how Roark described a building: (paraphrasing since I don't have TF with me) free of ornaments, every part designed and added for a purpose. Clear, clean, whole; not a jumbled mess of composite parts, but a unified whole built because it makes sense. Beautiful in its simplicity. Not hiding behind false decorations, but radiating in its own glory. That is how I feel about Apple.

[Guest_Dan Edge_*]

Hey Guys,

I've got about 100 Macs at home and I love them all, because that's how I make $$$.

--Dan Edge

[Thoyd Loki]

I am really, really interested in jumping on the mac bus. My most important consideration is the word processing programs. Are they any good? Don't mention MS Office comes for Mac as I'll not be using that.

I don't do complex documents, just stories. But the program has to feel right as well as being dependable.

The only one I found that I got to tinker with at the store for a minute was something called Pages in iWorks. It seemed rather unintuitive and may have been frame based; kind of like kword for koffice in KDE. k..k..k..

I like to go to CompUSA and play look at the Apples. I cheat on my PC all the time. But, I really want to hand her the walking papers and get a Mac.

[JRoberts]

Hey Guys,

I've got about 100 Macs at home and I love them all, because that's how I make $$$. 

--Dan Edge
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You have a whole treasure mine at your house! It's heaven

I recently went out and bought the newest Mac OS, Tiger. The features on it are even more amazing! Which OS do you use?

And you say that you use it for work...do you use the Automater?

[JRoberts]

I am really, really interested in jumping on the mac bus. My most important consideration is the word processing programs. Are they any good? Don't mention MS Office comes for Mac as I'll not be using that. 
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You're right...Pages is the Apple-based word program, and it can be found
here. I personally got MSOffice...but only because it was free via my University!

There are many choices out there...what are you currently using? Have you checked the availability on Apple? I wouldn't limit your choice for a better Computer to just the Word Program!

[Oakes]

You're right...Pages is the Apple-based word program, and it can be found 
here.  I personally got MSOffice...but only because it was free via my University!

What's the difference between Pages and AppleWorks? My iMac has AppleWorks so that's what I use...

[Thoyd Loki]

You're right...Pages is the Apple-based word program, and it can be found 
here.  I personally got MSOffice...but only because it was free via my University!

There are many choices out there...what are you currently using?  Have you checked the availability on Apple?  I wouldn't limit your choice for a better Computer to just the Word Program! 
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Oh, I'm sold on Apple for the same reasons that your thread opening post outlined. But a word processing program is the deal breaker, that is the most important piece for me.

Right now I am using OpenOffice2.0 (but I have also used Atlantis Ocean Mind (freaking great program) kword, AbiWord (puke), Word, WordPerfect, BookWriter, Prestwood, EasyWord, Thinkfree, 602PC, and some others I'll never remember).

The best word processor I've used (for normal use, not 200MB does everything but call your mother program) is absolutely Atlantis Ocean Mind (it even can make cartoon noises while you're typing), but they only make it for Windows, and I don't even use that!

I took a look at your link, and I had been to the Apple store before. It doesn't let me see the program, not even in their product overview pdf.). It shows me what it can do, but not what it is. Even at the store when I got the program up I didn't know what I was looking at.

I think I am going to have to go back to the CompUsa, and spend some more time with it.

Functionally, I only need it to be able to print out regular size sheets, black text, minimal formating for a literary agent without too much trouble. This thing looks charged and ready to get out the next addition of People magazine.

[Guest_Dan Edge_*]

You have a whole treasure mine at your house!  It's heaven 

I recently went out and bought the newest Mac OS, Tiger.  The features on it are even more amazing! Which OS do you use?

And you say that you use it for work...do you use the Automater?
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Hello,

Actually I sell used Macs over the internet. Mostly brokering, but I have a decent amount of retail inventory at my house.

What is the Automator? Haven't heard of it...

--Dan Edge

[JRoberts]

What's the difference between Pages and AppleWorks? My iMac has AppleWorks so that's what I use...
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I honestly don't know; I haven't delved too deeply into alternate Word Processors. I still use Office! Look on the Apple Website...the only difference might be version.

[JRoberts]

What is the Automator?  Haven't heard of it...

--Dan Edge
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The automater is a macro tool that repeatstasks you do regularly. Let's say you were creating a graphic, and you had to create one pixel per block for 100 blocks. You could do it by hand...or you could get automater to do it while you do something else .

From the website:

Accomplish all of your time-consuming, repetitive manual tasks quickly, efficiently and effortlessly with Automator Workflows. It’s simple to create custom Workflows just by dragging items, pointing and clicking. Perform the task once using your Automator Workflow or many times — even share Workflows with friends.


You can easily automate tasks such as renaming a large group of files, resizing dozens of images to fit an iPhoto slideshow or creating iCal birthday events using Address Book contacts, then repeat those tasks again and again. Simple and easy-to-understand application Actions are the building blocks, so you don’t have to write any code. Each Action has all of the options and settings you need. You don’t have to work hard to figure out how to make it work.

You can even incorporate Tiger’s new Spotlight search into Workflows to identify items automatically. Simply drag the Finder Action into your Workflow, click “Run” and powerful Spotlight search technology takes over to find files, disks, folders or items that match whatever criteria you choose.

[Thoyd Loki]

All in all, I'm converted.  It reminds me of what Howard Roark stated about Architecture; and believe me, I feel like I'm using a computer that has integrity.
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You are not kidding. I just converted last Saturday. eMac G4, it is simply a monitor with the computer in it and a CD/DVD writer drive in the front where the monitor power button usually is.

The integration and thought that goes into these is just incredible. Today I listened to an e-mail from my mother through the text to speech function (which is integrated to several other programs) while I set up my News feeds from Safari RSS (you can get sources such as New York Times and the Washington Post among many others).

I followed that with checking on the show times for a movie I want to see this weekend through Sherlock which automatically gives me theaters within a certain radius of my home because it is integrated with my own entry in the program Address Book. You can also track flights, stocks, yellow pages, eBay, and look up translations and defitions all within Sherlock.

The purchasing and burning of music is all done within a single program.

You export the music you make through Garageband into iTunes for burning.

For kicks I am also keeping a not-too-close eye on the leading stories for Sasquatch and Bigfoot that comes in Dashboard!

It is not that these things can't be done in Windows (although none of them by the same company), they can. But, as has been said, you end up with a bunch of disparate pieces that are mushed against each other. This system is streamlined and integrated.

Their systems are also simply beautiful, aesthetically.

Signed,
Dedicated, Converted Mac User

[Thoyd Loki]

Also there is a word processor alternative for Mac called NeoOfficeJ found here. It is the Mac version of OpenOffice.org.

I thought the Apple ones were a little awkward, but now that I have a Mac, I really don't like anything in there that isn't a part of the architecture. Although NeoOffice works fine, it has the feel of a Windows/Linux machine. I don't think I can go for that sort of thing.

[Cbaoth]

I bought the new iPod nano the other day. Truely a feat of engineering.

[JRoberts]

Thoyd,

Welcome to the family! Everyday my love for my Mac grows. And now, as the very lucky Cbaoth can stand witness to, the iPod Nano is making me consider giving up my 20g iPod...that I bought last November!

I wish you the best of times with your beautiful new system .

[JRoberts]

By the way, I too purchased the iPod Nano and will post pictures soon of this amazing device (I love it much more than my 20g iPod!). The size is amazing, of course, as well as the aesthetic value. It also has an incredible sound, a decent capacity (2 gigs is large enough for me), and I'm glad that I can add my pictures to it . Are you enjoying yours Cbaoth?

[Cbaoth]

Am I enjoying it? You bet!

Only problem being is that it is so sleek I cant stop messing with it and looking at it while playing music hehe. For such a small screen the LCD is amazingly sharp and good looking.

And what about the marketing guts it takes to supersede one of your best selling products while it is still a very good seller. I am betting the Nano's will run out the door between now and the holiday season.