looking to buy a laptop for college

[Moxie]

not many people in the real world running those Apple Xservs anymore.

Xservs don't exist, anymore. But plenty of people still use OS X Server, if that's what you mean. Lots of people in the news industry and academia still use them. We used them at the Cox papers I interned for, the photojournalism dept. at WKU, and in my old lab at WKU. I know a lot of Gannet papers, and other labs here at Tech are still using Mac servers as well. They're only as dominant as Macs are in general in the workplace.

That said, I don't mind Windows Server 2008 (other than making bootable backups - and if you know how to this on a schedule, please share). It's our crap Dell servers that I can't stand.

[element6]

False. You need pretty specific hardware to get OS X to run reliably. You can't just go trying to install Snow Leopard on any old PC. True, you might be able to do some kind of hack something to a virtual machine software and run it in a virtual environment. But as I stated... with Mac, you can ALWAYS run Windows (reliably and legally), but on a PC, you cannot ALWAYS (as in 'necessarily') run OS X. I did not (and this was intentional) state that it CANNOT work both ways. It CAN work both ways, but again not always, and not always reliably if it does.

Don't worry bro, I was just clarifying the point. Saying it won't work is a pretty quick, skip to the point sentence for most people reading that.

If you aren't familiar with the OSx86 project, check it out; http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

It has been around since Leopard and at this point, there isn't too much undocumented hardware out there that hasn't been able to be made compatible with booting and running OSX. It's not a virtual machine or anything like that; it allows you to boot directly in to OSX.

I'm also not going to try and say that it is an easy undertaking to get any recent PC to run it.. it definitely isn't the walk in the park that bootcamp is.

Anyways, I'm out.. need to stop threadjackin

[Moxie]

Don't worry bro, I was just clarifying the point. Saying it won't work is a pretty quick, skip to the point sentence for most people reading that.

If you aren't familiar with the OSx86 project, check it out; http://wiki.osx86project.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

It has been around since Leopard and at this point, there isn't too much undocumented hardware out there that hasn't been able to be made compatible with booting and running OSX. It's not a virtual machine or anything like that; it allows you to boot directly in to OSX.

I'm also not going to try and say that it is an easy undertaking to get any recent PC to run it.. it definitely isn't the walk in the park that bootcamp is.

Anyways, I'm out.. need to stop threadjackin

Understandable. Thanks for the link, too. That will likely come in handy!

[Heysüß]

i use apple for many reasons, amazing customer service experiences have played a big part. walking into the store a week after my extended warranty was up expecting and willing to shell out money for a new graphics board and walking out with a brand new emac with out shelling out a dime was something they didnt have to do but, they went the extra mile and now have a lifelong happy customer.

+1, the customer service is second to none and they do go the extra mile for you.

[selturk]

how does steve jobs's dick taste?

I'm not a Mac fan.. just comparing PC to a Mac and giving this guy an advice.
I fix computers and almost 90% of them are Windows problems.
Looks like you're a fan of Bill Gate's dick lol..

I use Linux by the way.

[5spoke]

Here's what I did: built a pretty baller desktop instead. I had a hand-me-down 4yr old laptop that I used when needed, but as an engineering student, the times I truly needed a laptop are exactly none. I had no problems using the computers in the labs (they are all PCs fwiw).

I got much better value for my money going with the desktop and not carting around a laptop. You really don't need a portable computer in college as much as you think you do. Get a nice desktop for doing work on and if you really want, get a $300 netbook or a used laptop to supplement.

Dude hows he going to surf teh interwebs in class if he doesn't bring a laptop?

In all seriousness, you don't absolutely have to have a laptop for college you could get by with a desktop and on campus computer labs, but it is very nice to be able to unplug the computer and take it anywhere you want. Want to go write your paper on the balcony? fuck it do it. want to type your class notes and then be able to edit them later into a sweet ass study guide or cheat sheet? again if you have a laptop you can easily do it.

[mbonder]

Dude hows he going to surf teh interwebs in class if he doesn't bring a laptop?

Understatement. Class can be a pesky thing when there is an important sports match going on at the same time...why not do both?

[87e30]

I personally love having a laptop. Everyone I know has at least some form of laptop as well - some a desktop too.

[drumad]

Don't know if it's been answered yet, but I think an important question here is.... wtf are you going to study in college?

[delatlanta1281]

how do you like carrying around your 9+ pound desktop replacement?

i think a lot of people miss how important WEIGHT is in a laptop. weight is what makes things easily PORTABLE. which is one of the main criteria of a good laptop. the other is battery life. those 2 are probably a laptops most important criteria. because if you really start caring too much about the cpu and hard drive speeds you should just get a desktop. i'll take my 5 and a half pound laptop over your 9+ dead weight any day, i dont care if have a faster cpu or a 7200rpm hard drive.

to make matters worse (for your argument) its a macbook pro imitation.

Funny you should ask. I don't carry it around. I have a d620 that I carry around. With all the programs and space I need to work. My HP is merely a fun computer that was a great deal with the right processor, window OS, hard drive capacity, and screen for the money. I also have a desktop, I have a 20" mac dual screened with a 24 inch IBM. So I'm loving my setup(s). Are they excessive, yeah, but I wanted the HP, so I bought it.
What do you carry Kershaw? How much did you pay for all of it? Including the ipad2 we have I think we are peeking at @1500 bucks for our 2 hp laptops, my dell, and my mac... not too shabby if you are willing to shop around and fix "broken" macs. What's a macbook pro with the same power as my g72 cost? I wonder?
Excessive? naaaa.

[87e30]

Am I the only young guy that doesn't play video games? Last system I had was a ps1 and last computer game I had was counter strike CZ. 5 years ago.

I'm with you on that. 21 and I own a ps2 but rarely played back in the day.

Funny you should ask. I don't carry it around. I have a d620 that I carry around. With all the programs and space I need to work. My HP is merely a fun computer that was a great deal with the right processor, window OS, hard drive capacity, and screen for the money. I also have a desktop, I have a 20" mack dual screened with a 24 inch IBM. So I'm loving my setup(s). Are they excessive, yeah, but I wanted the HP, so I bought it.

You're missing the point. Us college kids actually use our laptop all of the time (or on the go if you have a desktop) and carry it in your backpack. There have been times I wouldn't have been able to fit all my books in my bag or felt like bringing my laptop if it was bigger than it is. The 15 inch pro isn't the lightest out of the apple lineup but it's the best all around imo. Squeezing it into any backpack I have isn't too hard.

[Kershaw]

+1, the customer service is second to none and they do go the extra mile for you.

i've had my macbook pro fixed about 2 years outside of warranty.

my keyboard+trackpad were short circuiting. they'd stop working all of sudden. first they said it would be $600 to fix, which included a new top cover. the area where my left palm sits had a belt dropped on it. (what can i say, i was in a hurry. ) then they said it would only be $181 to fix, just the labor. they wouldnt even charge me for the replaced cover. because they took longer than a week to fix it. im like, yaaay.

THEN when i went to pick up my laptop, all i had to do was sign and i left. i asked, "i dont owe anything?" "nope, you're all good to go."

[delatlanta1281]

HOLY SHIT. The 17" STARTS at 2500 bucks? Wow. Thats an e30 if you're keeping score. I get the reason light laptops are important to students, I told the OP to check the open box deals at Office Depot. Like I said. I got a laptop for ME at the price I wanted. Do I fly with it? Do I travel by foot or train with it? No, but it's pretty damn bad ass. And for a fifth of the price of the macbook pro, it seems like a pretty good deal.

[87e30]

HOLY SHIT. The 17" STARTS at 2500 bucks? Wow. Thats an e30 if you're keeping score. I get the reason light laptops are important to students, I told the OP to check the open box deals at Office Depot. Like I said. I got a laptop for ME at the price I wanted. Do I fly with it? Do I travel by foot or train with it? No, but it's pretty damn bad ass. And for a fifth of the price of the macbook pro, it seems like a pretty good deal.

I know my laptop is worth more than my car. I'm not sure which is worse, an expensive laptop or a shitty car?

[delatlanta1281]

I know my laptop is worth more than my car. I'm not sure which is worse, an expensive laptop or a shitty car?

Tough call. I can say from experience that Apple will pretty much force you into a new system eventually when you cannot run the newest OS on your laptop. Or you will be stuck with the e30 of laptops... It is a tough question to say the least. Do you realize how much beer, weed and ramen noodles you can go through with 2k? Shiiiit that's pretty much a 24v swap these days.