[KJT]

(anybody good and configuring a 17" notebook for grad school in architecture?)


Hi-
I hope this is a forum for people who speak English. I am a bit confused because of some of the icons headings and other areas where another language is used. I will give it a shot.

I have a 5 year-old MacBook Pro and I am configuring. a new MBP now with Snow Leopard. I id not have much luck with the other MacBook Pro and I think that was because I have always used PCs and Microsoft OS's but I really like the last MBP (even know I never ha the guts to make it out of Tiger).

I would love a new IMac but I was accepted to a grad architecture and planning program that is very intense, so I have decide to get a 17", MBP. Yes a 17" to carry around. It is not that bad with the bag I have. I also need an external drive to back stuff up on but I cannot seem to get a recommendation on a super heavy duty case and a good hard drive in hopes that it will not burn-up.

Is there anything any Experts can recommend to me since I am going from Tiger to Snow Leopard, in understanding the computer better, the 2 graphics (and I will need CAD), is the external hard drive the best way these days to back stuff up? I was reading David Pogue's Snow Leopard mac OS X: The Missing Manual and he goes over backing up but said that CDs, DVDs are great for backing up. These are what I use to use when I first started using computers about 20 years ago, but I keep hearing nobody uses CDs or DVD to back stuff up anymore. I was think not to use CDS/DVDs for backing up my whole system, but to start with a back up of my whole system (using a hard drive) and as I add more to the system that will get backed up using the clonal way thus allowing me an exact replica of my notebook looks like in case the hard drive fails.

I have zero understanding of Bot Camp and how that who partition thing works, but I was going to try and use my VM Ware Fusion I have had for 4 years but never opened (since they have free version upgrades.

I do need a good recommendation on notebook speakers and Bose are not for me. I think they are a rip-off. Also, I need some recommendations on a good head set for the MBP and possibly if they work well for the iPod Touch. However, the notebook for school and listening to lectures on my way to and from school on BART would be ideal. I also do not know the external hard drive names except I have not had good luck with Lacie and I need an external case that can take some abuse since it is the external case that gets all the abuse with my systems.

I really appreciate any help o recommendations you can give me. Just saying; "dude you have a lot to learn will not help me, because I know that is true, but I have lasted this far, I think I will make it another 2-3 years.


Muchas Gracias

[EndlessMac]

Originally Posted by KJT 

I hope this is a forum for people who speak English.

Yes, people speak english on this forum.

Originally Posted by KJT 

I am going from Tiger to Snow Leopard, in understanding the computer better, the 2 graphics (and I will need CAD), is the external hard drive the best way these days to back stuff up? I was reading David Pogue's Snow Leopard mac OS X: The Missing Manual and he goes over backing up but said that CDs, DVDs are great for backing up. These are what I use to use when I first started using computers about 20 years ago, but I keep hearing nobody uses CDs or DVD to back stuff up anymore. I was think not to use CDS/DVDs for backing up my whole system, but to start with a back up of my whole system (using a hard drive) and as I add more to the system that will get backed up using the clonal way thus allowing me an exact replica of my notebook looks like in case the hard drive fails.

Well first of all when you go from one generation of OS like to Tiger to Snow Leopard you have to make sure to get the latest software drivers and see if your applications have a version made for Snow Leopard. Going from Tiger to Snow Leopard is more of a jump but a lot of my Leopard applications work in Snow Leopard so if you can't find a Snow Leopard version of your application and drivers then try the Leopard version. Most software updates and drivers can be found on each companies' website or by using their update feature in their softwares. That usually solves people's complaints about their stuff not working in Snow Leopard.

If you are trying to run CAD you will need a good dedicated graphics card so the discrete 9600 card will be better for you than the 9400. The 17" comes with it anyway so you don't really need to make a decision there. You should probably max out your RAM since CAD is a pretty intense 3D application but you can do that yourself afterwards for less money.

As for backing up your data you can use DVDs as a secondary backup but each discs are really too small to do so conveniently. Blu-Ray would be better but that's a different topic... I backup my important data a second time with DVDs though. The benefit of DVDs is that they have no moving parts so they don't break like hard drives if you drop them, etc. They are not foolproof so that's why they are not my only source of backups. An external hard drive is still my main and preferred choice. If you are paranoid you can have two hard drives and have them both be your backup. I like Seagate hard drives but there are other good brand names. If you are looking for a good external enclosure then go to Newegg.com and read up on the reviews of each one to find the one that works for you. There are too many of them to list and you will get more reviews there anyway then you will get on this forum.

Originally Posted by KJT 

I have zero understanding of Bot Camp and how that who partition thing works, but I was going to try and use my VM Ware Fusion I have had for 4 years but never opened (since they have free version upgrades.

To summarize it quickly Boot Camp allows you to install Windows so that you boot into Windows at start up. You can only use one OS at a time doing it this way. Programs like Fusion will allow you to run Windows in Mac OS at the same time. This is great for the one or two programs that are only available for Windows and you don't want to restart your computer every time just to use that one program. I believe Fusion is coming out with a new version that will run better in Snow Leopard so you might want get that version once it's out.