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newcomer · Aug 11, 2003, 06:08 AM

i am starting a new postgrad course soon. have been told i need a network card to use the connection in my room - an rj45 is reccommended - what the heck is one of these? i have ethernet on my iBook right? so why do i need to by a card? i just need a cable yes?

Cipher13 · Aug 11, 2003, 06:53 AM

Originally posted by newcomer:
i am starting a new postgrad course soon. have been told i need a network card to use the connection in my room - an rj45 is reccommended - what the heck is one of these? i have ethernet on my iBook right? so why do i need to by a card? i just need a cable yes?

Yep, all you need is "one of those oversized, blue phone cords".

vvedge · Aug 11, 2003, 08:09 AM

Originally posted by newcomer:
i am starting a new postgrad course soon. have been told i need a network card to use the connection in my room - an rj45 is reccommended - what the heck is one of these? i have ethernet on my iBook right? so why do i need to by a card? i just need a cable yes?

They say you "have to buy the card" because they assume you're a PC Laptop user who doesnt have a computer with Ethernet in it (even tho Apple has had them on all their machines since at least 99, surprising it can still be an optional accessory these days on the PC side)

And to clarify if you didnt get the big phone cord remark, rj45 = ethernet. Nuff said.

newcomer · Aug 11, 2003, 09:07 AM

cheers dudes, thanks for the info.

don't suppose any of you use .Mac - I'm thinking of signing up, and was wondering whether you thought it was worth the money. Also - can you check .Mac mail using OS X's Mail application, or do you have to check it on the web, using an Internet Browser?

-Q- · Aug 11, 2003, 12:49 PM

Originally posted by newcomer:
cheers dudes, thanks for the info.

don't suppose any of you use .Mac - I'm thinking of signing up, and was wondering whether you thought it was worth the money. Also - can you check .Mac mail using OS X's Mail application, or do you have to check it on the web, using an Internet Browser?

As the ethernet questions were handled so easily, I'll jump in for the .Mac ones.

Worth the money? It is when it's $49 a year. I've really enjoyed being able to sync my address book between my iBook and my desktop. I really don't use the other features too much but I did use the webmail the past weekend and I did like that interface (and yes, you can use Mail or any other e-mail client to check your .Mac account--it acts as a standard POP3 if you want it to).

But is it worth $100? Not sure. Painless syncing of contacts is nice, as is the bookmarks syncing. I don't use the web space (and I have my own server space elsewhere anyway). I downloaded the games and rarely play 'em. I never use Virex. I never use the iCal stuff. So I'll probably lean towards not renewing. I don't think syncing is worth $100 to me. YMMV.

vvedge · Aug 11, 2003, 03:19 PM

Originally posted by -Q-:
So I'll probably lean towards not renewing. I don't think syncing is worth $100 to me. YMMV.

Pop3 and webspace is provided by your school most likely. However, Apple pretty much got me hooked into using my .Mac email address, its going to be hard to let it go. I'm someone who's only changed my e-mail 2 times in 7 years.

One thing people have been complaining about since .Mac's intro is that they outgha have an option to have just their mac.com email address, since many of them signed up for the old iTools just for that and could go without webspace. Apple probably wont do it seeing as they're promoting .Mac as a whole package of internet services.

But if you do the math, $100 is less than $10 a month. If your ISP is cheap enough, its a good addition.

sniffer · Aug 11, 2003, 05:05 PM

.Mac is easy to get addicted to. I use the iPhoto -> Homepage feature a lot and I am very satisfied. The Safari bookmark and address book sync is very nice. If you know you can afford .Mac the next years ahead I'll say go for it. If you have economically considerations and other options like i.e. good ISP solutions available I suggest you to stick with them, or else you get hooked.

(I worry a bit to the renewal of my dot mac account. Not sure if I can afford it.)

radarbob · Aug 12, 2003, 08:52 AM

they assume you're a PC Laptop user who doesnt have a computer with Ethernet in it (even tho Apple has had them on all their machines since at least 99, ...

Ethernet has been standard equipment on Macintosh since 1994 with the introducion of the Macintosh PowerPC (PowerPC 601 - 4 chipset). Talk about being ready for the internet explosion!! Apple leading the pack, as usual

P.S. Please, don't anyone say "hay, not on (some of the) the Quadras!" You'll spoil the moment.

El Mago · Aug 12, 2003, 11:24 AM

"hay, not on (some of the) the Quadras!"

Cipher13 · Aug 12, 2003, 10:36 PM

Originally posted by radarbob:
Ethernet has been standard equipment on Macintosh since 1994 with the introducion of the Macintosh PowerPC (PowerPC 601 - 4 chipset). Talk about being ready for the internet explosion!! Apple leading the pack, as usual

P.S. Please, don't anyone say "hay, not on (some of the) the Quadras!" You'll spoil the moment.

It was not standard as late as 1997, actually.

newcomer · Aug 20, 2003, 03:57 AM

Picking up the thread again and returning to .Mac....

Is it possible to send/receive .Mac mail using Sony ericsson t610 and GPRS? Right now I can send/receive mail on my ISP e-mail address, but which will soon become defunct as I move to college and cease using the address.

The phone provider says the e-mail must be POP to work on the t610.

Having just subscribed to the .Mac trial, is there any way of setting up .Mac in mail.app so that it uses POP and not the default IMAP? Then what would be the names of the incoming/outgoing mail servers to give to my mobile phone provider in setting up email on the phone?

radarbob · Aug 20, 2003, 10:30 AM

cipher;
All I can tell you is that I bought a brand new PowerPC 6100 in 1994 and ethernet was built in - not optional in all three PPC models. My understanding is that a primary difference between the PowerPC and Quadra was that ethernet was not built into the low end Qudra, but was available in other quadra models.

The connector was not industry standard however. At the time RJ45 jack was not so dominant and there were (still are?) 3 different plug types. So the jack on the Mac was "proprietary" then you had to buy a dongle with the particular standard ethernet plug you needed.

Now-a-days RJ45 is just assumed. I've not seen consumer grade PCs (in the generic sense) where one had to choose between ethernet jack types.