[Richelieu]

I want to buy my first Mac.
I'm a database and web developper. I need a portable computer to connect to a UNIX server (via SSH and X11), create presentations (Powerpoint or Keynote), write documents for my boss (Word) and create web graphics (Photoshop or Photoshop Elements).
I want to be able to use iTunes 3, iPhoto 2 and iMovie 3.

Since I'm on a tight budget (<C$2500), I have 2 possibilities: the iBook 800MHz or the new PowerBook 867MHz.

Buy now:

iBook G3 800MHz 12.1" 128MB PC100 (C$1919)
AirPort card (C$75)
512MB SDRAM PC133 (C$150)
Linksys Etherfast Wireless 4PT Switch (C$145)
TOTAL = C$2289


or wait untill the new AlBook arrive here (March):

PowerBook G4 867MHz 12.1" 256MB PC2100 (C$2419)

and buy the AirPort Extreme card and base station later.

What should I do?

YM

[Raidiant]

the ultimate grudge I think will be : do you want to use idvd apart from that you won't need anymore then an ibook. ibook does 2d work with decent speed and cost less.

However an ibook update may be near. ibooks can never have a superdrive or use idvd is the cut off.

note the 800mhz ibook supports monitor spanning as well, and mirroring to external VGA or S-video.

If you go for fashion i'd say powerbook, i'd go for the powerbook cause its just cool, also the sound is 10x better.

[BigCanoe]

You could do what I did, and buy a refurbished Ti 800

[hibbacross]

The iBook does not have monitor spanning unless you do the hack.

[Richelieu]

BigCanoe: The only store near me that still have a Ti 800 (a store demo) ask C$3400 for it!!!

hibbacross: I know about the hack that enable spanning and, if I buy an iBook, it will be the first thing I would do...

Raidiant: since I don't have the money to buy an AlBook 12" with SuperDrive, iDVD is useless (and, if I'm not mistaken, iDVD won't run on a Mac that don't have an internal SD).

About the iBook vs AlBook:
- the video cards are equal (I personaly prefer ATI over NVIDIA),
- the max memory is the same (640MB),
- I don't think I really need AirPort Extreme (beside, I've read that the range of APX is less than AP and I think I can get a deal on a AP card)
- the only thing that really make I difference to me is the G3 vs the G4 cpu, but do I need a G4 (with 256K L2 and no L3 cache) or is the G3 (with 512K L2 cache) should keep me happy for the next 12-18 months while I wait for a PowerBooks PPC 970...

Since I'm new to the Mac world, to what would you compare the performance of an iBook running Jaguar.

I'm currently using an AMD Duron 650MHz with 384MB SDRAM PC133 running Windows XP Pro at home and a Intel P4 1.6GHz with 512MB DDR running Windows 2000 Pro at work.

YM