[SKM]

Hello, I'm brand new to Macs (just learned how to turn one off), but I'm ready for the big switch. I'm not a computer person, so bear with me on the questions...

I will be buying an iBook and am looking for some advice. I plan on using the iBook for the Internet, word files (sorry to displease true Mac-lovers, I will be installing Microsoft Office), giant excel files, and loads of powerpoint presentations and posters. I plan on adding the 512 MB memory in addition to the standard 256. If I decide to put GIS on my laptop, will that be sufficient RAM?

I don't know whether to get the bigger 60GB harddrive. I don't plan on the iBook being my main computer, but that will probably eventually happen as my desktop PC is 3 years old. I'm not a fan of computer games or loading big movies on the computer, but I do expect to have a lot of files. What kind of difference will I get with the bigger harddrive? Just more space for stuff, right?

Thanks for your ideas.

[Voch]

Originally Posted by SKM

I will be buying an iBook and am looking for some advice. I plan on using the iBook for the Internet, word files (sorry to displease true Mac-lovers, I will be installing Microsoft Office), giant excel files, and loads of powerpoint presentations and posters. I plan on adding the 512 MB memory in addition to the standard 256. If I decide to put GIS on my laptop, will that be sufficient RAM?

GIS? To me that means "Google Image Search."

I think you'll be cool with 768MB of RAM, but if you need more in the future you'll have to ditch the 512MB module.

Office for the Mac is actually a nice program. Fairly Mac-like (drag-and-drop installation, for example).

I don't know whether to get the bigger 60GB harddrive. I don't plan on the iBook being my main computer, but that will probably eventually happen as my desktop PC is 3 years old. I'm not a fan of computer games or loading big movies on the computer, but I do expect to have a lot of files. What kind of difference will I get with the bigger harddrive? Just more space for stuff, right?

It's just extra space. But it's fairly inexpensive to double your hard drive space (it's USD$50 at the Apple Store). My debate if I was buying right now is whether to spend the additional $75 for the 60->80GB upgrade. Since the hard drive is not upgradable without some serious work I'd get the bigger drive initially.

Voch

[SKM]

[QUOTE=Voch]GIS? To me that means "Google Image Search."

Sorry. "Geographic Information Systems". ArcGIS.

[pat++]

You might want to wait until monday as Steve Jobs might announce some new iBooks at WWDC. It's likely that they will get 512mb standard and/or larger harddrive...

[SKM]

What's WWDC?

[pat++]

Apple's World Wide Developer Conference