Ahh, but that's the advantage of dual-booting. The less things you install under windows the less of a chance you have of blowing up the system. That's why I boot windows to play games and then use Os/2 for everything else. That way when windows(Fillin which ever version Microsoft is currently shoving down our throats) blows up I don't lose anything important.

Re: Macs found to be 36% cheaper to operate than PC's
 

Windows became the dominant OS in a very interesting way. It was half because of bad decisions of Apple executives, and half because of Microsoft winning the famous court case, saying the GUI didn't belong to anyone. Apple thought the they were the only GUI that could ever exist. So they made all of their hardware and software so different that Windows. They also didn't license their OS to other computer companies. They also charged developers for "the privilege to write Macintosh Software." Which were all really bad decisions. After Windows 3.1 came out and Steve Jobs was fired, the Mac was left to rot by 3 really bad CEO's that did nothing to stabilize the Mac. In mid-1997 with Apple almost facing certain bankruptcy, Steve Jobs returned as CEO and completely re-amped the company. He joined the partnership with Microsoft, introduced the iMac, and completely new computers, and whole lot of new software that brought the company back to profitability. Over the past 5 years Apple completely redid its entire company plan, by using PC standards like USB, PCI, and so on, that stabilized the company. Mac OS X introduced almost 2 years ago was an OS that was based on standards, in response to Microsoft moving away from open standards, and inventing their own standards. Anyways, its a really intrusting OS battle out their. With the 2 OS's being Windows XP, Unix(Mac OS X)/Linux. Since Microsoft had their anti-trust law suit, they actually trying to loose market share, and make software for Mac, so Microsoft can remain a whole company. Microsoft and Apple will be around for a long time, how long, who knows, depends on what happens to market. In conclusion, both companies are completely different now, than what they were 10 years ago.

Just a side note on game side. At the recent E3 conference a month ago, a company has a product in the works that using its own graphical type programming language specially deigned for 3d games, and can be converted to PC, Mac OS X, PS2, X-box, and the Cube very easily. Which will considerably cut cost and make their product more widely available.

At one time, all the computer games ran on the Apple II. In other words, markets can shift over time. Sure, the PC will be the most popular gaming computer for a while. However did you happen to notice that Warcraft III, the biggest game release in history, was released on the Mac and PC simultaneously. In fact the same disk works on both operating systems. If the Mac gains market share (which I believe is occurring), more people will make games for it, and then more people will buy it, etc. In other words, there will be a rolling snow ball effect.

Basically the Mac has to crack the business market. If that happens in a big way, the Mac will take off.

With Mac OS X, Unix programmers finally have a way to create a program that your grandmother can use. And there are a lot of unix programmers who are very good at what they do.

Five years from now, I expect to see that the Mac/Unix world has gained a lot of market share from Windows, and we will have kick-%%% games coming out of our ears. Why? Because a lot of those unix programmers hate Microsoft (because of it's destruction of Netscape- the company, and it's tight licensing activities, to name just a couple of reasons) but those programmers need an outlet for their creativity. In fact, one of the reasons that unix programmers work on Linux for free is so that they don't have to use Microsofts products. (Linux is free.) Maybe Apple will be able to maintain a better relationship with those programmers, in which case the sky is the limit.

It could be a whole new ball game which makes me happy.

I remember a Windows 95 computer that crashed at our school. I went to reiinstall Windows 95 but the computer told me that it was the wrong Windows 95 disk. I tried every Windows 95 disk we had--about 5 of them, and I got the same message. So I erased the hard disk. But of course then the CD drive wouldn't work. So I had to find a CD driver to put on the floppy boot disk. When I finally got Windows installing, the computer asked for my OEM (original equipment manufacturer) number, which I didn't have because it was a donated computer. That was just the beginning of the saga. It took about 8 weeks to get that computer going again.

On a Mac, you hold down the "C" key and the computer boots off the CD. And I have never needed a OEM number to install the Mac OS.

Now with OS X, I expect that we won't have to worry about reinstalling the OS. OS X is unix with a pretty face, and unix was around before Windows was in diapers. The result is that OS X has all the bells and whistles of a modern operating system, with the bugs gotten out.

Like I said, it's going to be a whole new ball game.

Re: Re: Macs found to be 36% cheaper to operate than PC's
 

Have you ever taken a look at the Microsoft developer kit. The tools you need to produce commercial products is in the thousands.

I am also 95% sure that the new language your talking about is a set of new java instructions specifically designed for games.

Re: Re: Re: Macs found to be 36% cheaper to operate than PC's
 

I believe he's talking about Nvidia's newest thing, Cg, or C for Graphics...

You can read more about it at a few different places:
http://www.nvidia.com/view.asp?IO=IO_20020612_6724
http://developers.slashdot.org/artic...nested&tid=152

Too lazy to look up more stuff right now...

I was thinking it might have been this http://java.sun.com/products/java-media/3D/

Translating Games
 

I actually mean this

http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/...ingdetails.php

hmm, where to start...

dual boots, well, linux and windows dual boots dont' work all that well, unless you have a huge partitioned HD. so, in that case, i rebuilt an old PC to run linux, so i could learn it. i managed to get samba to work, but then forgot every command cause i'm a mornon. so, now i have a nice stable file server. the computer has been running for several weeks now, without a reboot. quite amazing, cause i usually had to reboot my windows PC at least once a day.

about the OS/2 / windows dual boot, that's an interesting idea, i may try to get a copy of OS/2, although my dad will probably laugh at me (he thinks that OS/2 is outdated, which, it sort of is)... :D

as to all the games, i wasn't aware that warcraft III came out for both mac and pc (i haven't gotten it). if macs start getting the larger share of computer games, i would gladly switch over to macs, and relearn the OS. that's another problem. many people have been 'brought up' on windows. i struggled with linux, even in the GUI, to learn where everything is. i still struggle with linux, because it's still completely new. the fact that each GUI is different doesn't help.

all in all, i'd love to see microsoft shot down, and for IBM and Apple to come back as the top players. their OS's are much better, and they have much longer lives. also, with the rumors i've heard about windows pallidan, well, i'm not too thrilled with microsoft.

another interesting disney tidbit....

this year during nats, me and my friends went to MGM. so, we go on tower of terror. of course, we all make crazy faces and such for the pic (i think that time we were all in the 'Rock On" pose :p). so, we get out, and rush to the moniters. instead of a picture, we see the windows 2000 server logo. we went to rocking roller coaster, same thing happened. we had a huge laugh about windows and it's instability. i wonder if they ever fixed the problem...

I sure hope 2K isnt running the actual ride! :confused:

haha
no way, they use PBASIC for all their rides...

check out www.ecomstation.com
ecomstation and Os/2 are the same for all intensive purposes and the newest version is scheduled to come out in the next month.

As to that ATM I'm sure people in Sweden don't like to see http://www.tricknology.org/fun/jpg/sparbanken1.jpg when they try and withdraw their money.

Since I would be a PC Tech. I know what would be the better choice.


Windows 95 and up
Windows NT and 2000 server


Macs are not the way to go Since if they break down you can't find spare parts in a Staples or Circuit City. You would have to order them straight from the manufacturer. Whereas PC's if you break it you can go to almost any electronics store and buy the part you need. The same thing with software. You can't buy much MAC software in a electronic / computer store. where as IBM/Compatible PC's you can go to even a toy store and pick up software for you PC. Basically you want a PC thats reliable has upgradable options and something where you can walk in any store and be able to pick up both hardware or software with no problem what so ever.


Mike

P.S.

DELL
COMPAQ
IBM
GATEWAY
HEWLETT PACKARD
EMACHINES
NEC
ETC. . .

are all very good pc's

pentium 4 / amd athlon xp version

I just want to clarify a few things on Macs.

First off, Macs now use standards both in hardware and software. Now in an extremely rare case that Macintosh Hardware breaks down, everything could be picked up at a standard hardware place, except for the motherboard I believe. Macs use SD RAM, DDR RAM, ATA, USB, etc. Well I can't say all the parts will be out in the open, you may have to do a little digging, but you will find out that you probably won't have to buy anything. And even if the system requirements says its for PC only, it will most likely work on a Mac. In the 5 years I have owned my Beige G3 233mhz, the only hardware failure I have had was my original hard drive, buts that’s because I forgot to defrag it. I also had to replace my system battery (at Radio Shack), but that was regular maintenance.

Plus their are several places in retail that you can buy parts and software like Apple own retail shows , Comp USA, and several other small stores.

Also Circuit City and Staples were once places where you could buy Macintosh Software and Hardware, but Apple didn't renew their contract because they wanted to sell their own stuff in their retail stores. Apple ended their relationship with Staples about a year ago, and they just ended their relationship with Circuit City a few months ago.

Maintenance should not be a considering issue when you are buying a computer. If you expect you expect a computer to break down, than you should consider getting a different computer. However reliability should be a considering factor. For example an E-machine is less reliable than say an IBM or a Dell. There was a whole thing on reliability in PCWORLD.com (I think)

I am not a salesman, but I don't want you to off with the wrong information.

I was agreeing with you until there. the only reputable companies there are dell (tech support, solid setups), and nec (only for their monitors).

I would highly suggest to anyone looking for a new computer to build it themselves. You save a lot of money, and learn a lot of troubleshooting along the way - so you dont ever need tech support. It is really not at all hard, and you get a lot of gratification out of it - knowing that you built it.

~my workstation is done now, honest