logo Sign In

Getting My First Mac this Weekend

Author
Time
Well, I've decided to make the jump and get a mac for the family. Looking at the 2.4ghz iMac with the 20" screen.

Any thoughts/experiences with them that might help? Any problems when first hooking it up? etc...

Also, is Parallels something I buy from Apple or is it downloadable elsewhere?

Thanks for any info.
Nemo me impune lacessit

http://ttrim.blogspot.com
Author
Time
When getting your first Mac, this ought to be the very first program you install,

http://www.ambrosiasw.com/games/evn/

Go to the button labeled "Mac Download" and grab the demo, Escape Velocity is one of the greates games every made. And it is a game that is not too time comsuming (unless you let it be) and you can shut it off at any time without loosing progress. No waiting for a stoping point, just say "Alright dear, I'm coming!" and close the window, you'll pick back up from the last planet you landed on. The TV series Firefly reminds me a lot of this game. Ambrosia software makes a lot of other fun programs and games for Mac as well.

As for probelms hooking up a Mac, not likely. Plug all the cords in the right spots and you should be good to go.

As for Parallels,

http://www.parallels.com/en/products/desktop/

It isn't an Apple product, it is made by Parallel Inc. above is the link to their website.

Though I heard that since the new Macs have Intel processors that you can simply install Windows right along side Mac OS, and when you boot up the computer you can just choose which one you want. If you have an extra copy of Windows XP or Vista lying around, this shouldn't cost you anything.

"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape

Author
Time
Thanks for the reply, C3.

This game looks similar to Master Of Orion, which was a DOS based game I played on my 486 back in the day. Great, GREAT game. So simple by today's standards, but absolutely addictive when I played it.
Nemo me impune lacessit

http://ttrim.blogspot.com
Author
Time
SETTING UP A NEW MAC IS BLOODY EASY. THERE'S NOTHING TO INSTALL. YOU SIMPLY HOOK EVERYTHING UP TO IT AND TURN ON THE POWER. IT WILL ASK YOU FOR YOUR DEFAULT LANGUAGE, AND YOU THEN PUT IN YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION IN ORDER TO REGISTER YOUR MAC. IT WILL GUIDE YOU STEP BY STEP. THE WHOLE THING IS DONE IN LESS THAN TEN MINUTES. I OWN TWO MACS, AND I WILL BE BUYING TWO MORE IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY. MY BEST FRIEND HAS SIX MAC COMPUTERS. ARE YOU READY FOR THE MAC EXPERIENCE ??? 'CAUSE ONCE YOU GO MAC YOU DON'T GO BACK.

"I'VE GROWN TIRED OF ASKING, SO THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME..."
The Mangler Bros. Psycho Dayv Armchaireviews Notes on Suicide

Author
Time
I recently started using Ubuntu Linux which automatically makes me cool since I love open source software.
Author
Time
Macs are damn fine computers. I use one as part of my journalism program. It works wonders.
Author
Time
I use a DLink wireless router. A problem? It's 802.11g

I see it has a built in airport card I'm just wondering if the set up is smooth.
Nemo me impune lacessit

http://ttrim.blogspot.com
Author
Time
I'm damn sure thinking about getting a Mac Mini to be used in my living room for a media center. I figure I'd attach a wireless keyboard and mouse and have a cool big screen internet surfing experience.
Author
Time
I am a firm believer that the smaller of a screen the internet appears on, the prettier it is. I don't need to see banners about Psoriasis treatment or advertisements for online dating on a big screen or in high def.

But yeah, I think those Mac minis would make great units for an entertianment center. You could have all your music on it, and you could even load a great deal of DVDs onto the thing and have then at quick and easy access via TV remote and wireless mouse. You could even load Windows on it and use it as a game console for PC games thanks to the intel processors.

"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape

Author
Time
I HAVE A FIRST GENERATION G4 MAC MINI, AND IT'S GREAT. THE IDEA WAS THAT I WOULD USE MY G4 iMAC AS AN EXTERNAL HD, BUT THE MOTHER BOARD WAS TOO FAR GONE AS IT HAD BEEN THROUGH 5 MOVES AND 1 FIRE. I'M BUYING THE NEW G5 iMAC TO REPLACE MY MINI AS I'VE COMPLETELY OUTGROWN IT. EVEN WITH A 250 EXTERNAL HD I FIND THAT I RUN OUT OF ROOM TOO QUICKLY. I WILL BE SENDING IT TO MY PARENTS, BUT FIRST I WILL PUT A 1GB RAM CHIP IN IT FOR THEM ALONG WITH OS X LEOPARD.

"I'VE GROWN TIRED OF ASKING, SO THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME..."
The Mangler Bros. Psycho Dayv Armchaireviews Notes on Suicide

Author
Time
If I was to buy one by paying it off in installments would this be good? Do you recommend this I mean. Could I buy it now and not pay till after X-mas?
Author
Time
It said I could do it for 72$ a month. Do I care about Leopard?
Author
Time
So if you buy it you have to pay for it all up front?
Author
Time
Originally posted by: sean wookie
If I was to buy one by paying it off in installments would this be good? Do you recommend this I mean. Could I buy it now and not pay till after X-mas?


Actually, it is a terrible idea Sean. I am a firm believe in NEVER spending money you do not have. School loans and a house would be the only exception to this in my life. It just isn't worth being in debt over a silly computer. If you miss a payment or don't manage to pay it off during the "no interest until... such and such a date" then you are going to end up paying interest on the thing and putting more money into it than it is worth. Instead I would recommend setting the money aside for it each month, and get it when you can pay upfront. Or if you were to go with the $72 a month thing, make sure you are going to have $72 a month that you can pay into it. Debt isn't cool, avoid it while you're young.

"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape

Author
Time
I don't even know if I'll have a job after Christmas. I guess I'll just save up the $3k for the computer I want or I could get the regular Mac Book.
What do you think about these specs? I should be able to make this in a 2 months or 3.
# 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
# 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
# 160GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
# Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
# Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
# AirPort Extreme Card & Bluetooth\
about $1399
The only game I might play will be WoW my PC is good for most games.
Who wants to see my check stubs?
Author
Time
Originally posted by: C3PX


As for Parallels,

http://www.parallels.com/en/products/desktop/

It isn't an Apple product, it is made by Parallel Inc. above is the link to their website.

Though I heard that since the new Macs have Intel processors that you can simply install Windows right along side Mac OS, and when you boot up the computer you can just choose which one you want. If you have an extra copy of Windows XP or Vista lying around, this shouldn't cost you anything.


Parallels lets you run Mac OS and Windows simultaneously. I use it on a Mac Pro at work, and there are options for how it displays the two systems.

If you've got two monitors, then you can put each OS on a separate screen and go back and forth by clicking in the one you want to use, or use Coherence view. Coherence runs the OS across both monitors, with the Mac OS bar across the top of the left and the Windows taskbar spanning the bottom of both. It maintains the Mac desktop appearance and icons, but you can bring up the PC desktop by right-clicking on the taskbar. As long as the Mac bar says "Parallels Desktop," you're working in Windows.

If you've only got one monitor, you can set a key command to switch between the systems.

Working with that machine has made me decide that, in the slim chance I buy a pre-manufactured computer anytime soon, I want a bad-ass Mac Pro.
Author
Time
Originally posted by: sean wookie
I don't even know if I'll have a job after Christmas. I guess I'll just save up the $3k for the computer I want or I could get the regular Mac Book.
What do you think about these specs? I should be able to make this in a 2 months or 3.
# 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
# 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
# 160GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
# Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
# Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
# AirPort Extreme Card & Bluetooth\
about $1399
The only game I might play will be WoW my PC is good for most games.
Who wants to see my check stubs?


WHY WOULD YOU NOT WANT THE SUPER DRIVE INSTEAD OF THE COMBO DRIVE ???

"I'VE GROWN TIRED OF ASKING, SO THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME..."
The Mangler Bros. Psycho Dayv Armchaireviews Notes on Suicide

Author
Time
Originally posted by: PSYCHO_DAYV
Originally posted by: sean wookie
I don't even know if I'll have a job after Christmas. I guess I'll just save up the $3k for the computer I want or I could get the regular Mac Book.
What do you think about these specs? I should be able to make this in a 2 months or 3.
# 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
# 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
# 160GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
# Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
# Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
# AirPort Extreme Card & Bluetooth\
about $1399
The only game I might play will be WoW my PC is good for most games.
Who wants to see my check stubs?


WHY WOULD YOU NOT WANT THE SUPER DRIVE INSTEAD OF THE COMBO DRIVE ???


Whats the difference?