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lid wrote:

"Christina Websell" wrote:

My German friend has a Mac and wanted me to get one. I think not, they
aren't compatable (sp?) with much, are they?

What do you need it to be compatible with? They can read windows files if
need be. They're very well made, the downside is they're much more
expensive that a similar spec windows machine.

They might be able to read Windows files, but the main problem is that
most of the software being developed out there is for Windows and doesn't
run on a Mac. Some programs have versions for both, but there are a lot
of things you can't get for the Mac. At the same time, most of the *really
cool* software is developed for the Mac. And one thing you don't get much
of on the Mac is viruses. So I want one. I want both kinds, tbh.

--
Joyce

"Yes, but humans are more important than animals," said Brutha.
"This is a point of view often expressed by humans," said Om. (Small Gods)

Christina Websell wrote:

I would need it to be compatible with the wildlife streaming webcams I like
to watch for a start. It almost always says not compatible with a Mac.
They are good machines, but probably for the serious computer user who wants
them to do other things apart from e-mailing and websurfing which is all I
want mine for. And like you say, they are very expensive.
There is another upside to Macs, they rarely get viruses.

And it has GarageBand. Want! I have it on my iPod, but it's a
pared-down version of the s/w, plus the interface is horrible. I keep
doing stuff I don't intend to do because my fingers aren't coordinated
enough. Or maybe they're just too big to touch the tiny icon that makes
the program do something I want it to do, without it touching something
else that makes it do something I don't want. A friend of mine brought
her Apple laptop over and we fooled around with GarageBand - it was a
blast. And fairly easy to use with a normal keyboard and mouse interface.

--
Joyce

"Yes, but humans are more important than animals," said Brutha.
"This is a point of view often expressed by humans," said Om. (Small Gods)

On 2013-10-19 3:45 AM, Bastette wrote:
lid wrote:

"Christina Websell" wrote:

My German friend has a Mac and wanted me to get one. I think not, they
aren't compatable (sp?) with much, are they?

What do you need it to be compatible with? They can read windows files if
need be. They're very well made, the downside is they're much more
expensive that a similar spec windows machine.

They might be able to read Windows files, but the main problem is that
most of the software being developed out there is for Windows and doesn't
run on a Mac. Some programs have versions for both, but there are a lot
of things you can't get for the Mac. At the same time, most of the *really
cool* software is developed for the Mac. And one thing you don't get much
of on the Mac is viruses. So I want one. I want both kinds, tbh.


People who are used to Macs swear by them. I wouldn't switch - I'm so
used to PCs that I find Macs (and their cousins, the I-this and that)
very counter-intuitive and hate trying to use them. But of course,
people used to Macs are the other way round and find PCs unpleasant to
use. Macs have fewer virus problems, but less software (or used to); PCs
are (or can be) much cheaper, but are maybe not as well made. People use
whatever suits them best.

--
Cheryl

Cheryl wrote:

On 2013-10-19 3:45 AM, Bastette wrote:
lid wrote:

"Christina Websell" wrote:

My German friend has a Mac and wanted me to get one. I think not, they
aren't compatable (sp?) with much, are they?

What do you need it to be compatible with? They can read windows files if
need be. They're very well made, the downside is they're much more
expensive that a similar spec windows machine.

They might be able to read Windows files, but the main problem is that
most of the software being developed out there is for Windows and doesn't
run on a Mac. Some programs have versions for both, but there are a lot
of things you can't get for the Mac. At the same time, most of the *really
cool* software is developed for the Mac. And one thing you don't get much
of on the Mac is viruses. So I want one. I want both kinds, tbh.


People who are used to Macs swear by them. I wouldn't switch - I'm so
used to PCs that I find Macs (and their cousins, the I-this and that)
very counter-intuitive and hate trying to use them. But of course,
people used to Macs are the other way round and find PCs unpleasant to
use. Macs have fewer virus problems, but less software (or used to); PCs
are (or can be) much cheaper, but are maybe not as well made. People use
whatever suits them best.

I had a couple of Macs in the 90s, when I worked at Apple. Later, I had
a job at another company. At first we used Macs, but after we were bought
by Compaq, we all had to switch to PCs. I had never used Windows before,
so that was a learning curve for me. But now I've used PCs for about 15
years and I'm used to that. In the meantime, Macs have changed a lot. The
current operating system on the Mac is as foreign to me as it would be to
someone who has never used a Mac.

--
Joyce

The problem with cats is that they get the exact same look on their
face whether they see a moth or an axe-murderer.
-- Paula Poundstone

Bobble wrote:

Bastette wrote:

So, to find a computer with Windows 7, do you have to buy a used one, or
is your son saying that you can find a NEW one with 7? Whatever you find out,
could you pass it on to me? I'm in the market now myself.


Try Acer, they were still selling new ones with Windows 7. I love mine.

When you say "they" do you mean Acer itself? I've gone to both bestbuy.com
and tigerdirect.com, and they aren't selling any Win7 machines that cheap.
Did you buy a laptop or desktop?

I've been looking at both. I've also been looking at W8 computers. I heard
that Microsoft has made W8.1 available as a free upgrade, because (I assume)
so many people complained about W8. I don't have any loyalty to W7 because
I've never used it - I've just heard that W8 is terrible. Apparently W8.1 is
a return to the W7 user interface.. I've used XP for several years, and befoer
that, Windows 2000. I'm really old-school.

What did you pay, if you don't mind saying, for your Acer?

Thanks!

--
Joyce

When you finish, you have a complete (you hope) set of characters. So you call it a "character set". And because you're in a funny mood, instead of calling the numeric identifiers "numeric identifiers", you call them "code points".
-- Steve Ferg, "Unicode Beginners Introduction for Dummies Made Simple"

Bobble wrote:

Bastette wrote:

So, to find a computer with Windows 7, do you have to buy a used one, or
is your son saying that you can find a NEW one with 7?

Try Acer, they were still selling new ones with Windows 7. I love mine.

When you say "they" do you mean Acer itself? I've gone to both bestbuy.com
and tigerdirect.com, and the W8 PCs are cheaper than the W7's. What does
that tell you? BTW, did you buy a laptop or desktop?

I've been looking at both. I've also been looking at W8 computers. I heard
that Microsoft has made W8.1 available as a free upgrade, because (I assume)
so many people complained about W8. I don't have any loyalty to W7 because
I've never used it - I've just heard that W8 is terrible. Apparently W8.1 is
a return to the W7 user interface.. I've used XP for several years, and befoer
that, Windows 2000. I'm really old-school.

What did you pay, if you don't mind saying, for your Acer?

Thanks!


--
Joyce

When you finish, you have a complete (you hope) set of characters. So you call it a "character set". And because you're in a funny mood, instead of calling the numeric identifiers "numeric identifiers", you call them "code points".
-- Steve Ferg, "Unicode Beginners Introduction for Dummies Made Simple"

On Sat, 26 Oct 2013 03:45:52 +0000 (UTC), Bastette
wrote:

Bobble wrote:

Bastette wrote:

So, to find a computer with Windows 7, do you have to buy a used one, or
is your son saying that you can find a NEW one with 7? Whatever you find out,
could you pass it on to me? I'm in the market now myself.


Try Acer, they were still selling new ones with Windows 7. I love mine.

When you say "they" do you mean Acer itself? I've gone to both bestbuy.com
and tigerdirect.com, and they aren't selling any Win7 machines that cheap.
Did you buy a laptop or desktop?

I've been looking at both. I've also been looking at W8 computers. I heard
that Microsoft has made W8.1 available as a free upgrade, because (I assume)
so many people complained about W8. I don't have any loyalty to W7 because
I've never used it - I've just heard that W8 is terrible. Apparently W8.1 is
a return to the W7 user interface.. I've used XP for several years, and befoer
that, Windows 2000. I'm really old-school.

What did you pay, if you don't mind saying, for your Acer?

Thanks!


If you have to buy win8, you can get it to start from desktop mode.
But it's still horrible.
And no, 8.1 is not a reversion to Win 7
Get Ubuntu instead. Free. Get Win 7. Get a Mac. Anything but Win 8

On 10/26/2013 12:17 AM, The Other Guy wrote:
On Sat, 26 Oct 2013 03:49:16 +0000 (UTC), Bastette
wrote:

Bobble wrote:

Bastette wrote:

So, to find a computer with Windows 7, do you have to buy a used one, or
is your son saying that you can find a NEW one with 7?

Try Acer, they were still selling new ones with Windows 7. I love mine.

When you say "they" do you mean Acer itself? I've gone to both bestbuy.com
and tigerdirect.com, and the W8 PCs are cheaper than the W7's. What does
that tell you? BTW, did you buy a laptop or desktop?

I've heard that if you buy a system with W8 on it,
you CAN downgrade to W7 using the same serial number.

And the majority of people claiming that W8.1 is better
than W8 are usually reviewer who seem to have a vested
interest, not regular users.

MS will always let you downgrade but they won't provide the media. So
if you can get your hands on an ISO or installation package, yes, you
can downgrade.


--
CAPSLOCK–Preventing Login Since 1980.

On 10/25/2013 9:17 PM, The Other Guy wrote:

And the majority of people claiming that W8.1 is better
than W8 are usually reviewer who seem to have a vested
interest, not regular users.


Well, here's one person who absolutely detests Windows 8. Those
flashing, moving tiles on the god-awful Metro interface are enough to
give one epilepsy.

But 8.1 has been a vast improvement. I have it as a dual-boot setup on
one laptop with 7, and previously had it as the 8 / 7 dual boot. I only
went to the 8 partition when I wanted to marvel how bad it was.

Now I have the default boot to 8.1, setup to avoid the Metro interface
and go right to the desktop. I like it, and the speed improvement over
7 is remarkable. This 6 or 7 year old IBM laptop (I keep it because it
has a 4:3 screen) will hibernate in 3-4 seconds.

There are a few oddities that are somewhat vexing, but 8.1 seems to be a
keeper. I might gradually move my other computers to it.

Art

Cheryl wrote:

On 10/26/2013 12:17 AM, The Other Guy wrote:
On Sat, 26 Oct 2013 03:49:16 +0000 (UTC), Bastette
wrote:

Bobble wrote:

Bastette wrote:

So, to find a computer with Windows 7, do you have to buy a used one, or
is your son saying that you can find a NEW one with 7?

Try Acer, they were still selling new ones with Windows 7. I love mine.

When you say "they" do you mean Acer itself? I've gone to both bestbuy.com
and tigerdirect.com, and the W8 PCs are cheaper than the W7's. What does
that tell you? BTW, did you buy a laptop or desktop?

I've heard that if you buy a system with W8 on it,
you CAN downgrade to W7 using the same serial number.

And the majority of people claiming that W8.1 is better
than W8 are usually reviewer who seem to have a vested
interest, not regular users.

MS will always let you downgrade but they won't provide the media. So
if you can get your hands on an ISO or installation package, yes, you
can downgrade.

Media?

--
Joyce

The problem with cats is that they get the exact same look on their
face whether they see a moth or an axe-murderer.
-- Paula Poundstone