[mark9939]

Hello All! I've been a PC user for 10 years and it is getting a bit boring. I am on the move a lot and need a notebook. I'm looking at spending about $1300. This is the configuration I am looking @ and what I'd be using the computer for:

*iBook- 500mHz, 128 RAM, CD-ROM

MAIN USES:
*.mp3 playing & downloading
*Productivity Software (Office or Appleworks?)
*Internet Surfing
*Playing of small games that you can download off the internet
*AIM

I would also look @ buying an external CD-RW drive. Is this a good Mac setup? Thanks for the advise!!

-Mark

Added 4/15:
I had another question: Can you link a PC and Mac via a firewire or USB cable? I want to transfer my .mp3's between computers. Is this possible?? Thanks so much!
-M

[ 04-15-2002: Message edited by: mark9939 ]

[seanyepez]

G3's are on their way out. A 500-megahertz G3 notebook might run today's OS X, but I think you will be disappointed in your purchase if you don't go for at least a 600-megahertz iBook if not a 550-megahertz G4 PowerBook.

128 megabytes of RAM is not enough RAM. Especially if you're going to run an older processor like a G3, more RAM will make a huge difference. I would recommend at least 320 megabytes of memory (64 megabytes of RAM from the factory upgraded with a 256-megabyte SO-DIMM).

The PowerBooks are slated to be updated in July. I would recommend the low-end, 550-megahertz PowerBook when new ones come out. Right now, the 550-megahertz PowerBook G4 performs faster than the 600-megahertz iBook already.

Either way, your transition to the Mac will be pleasurable. Macs are better, more reliable machines. If you're planning on sticking with OS 9, you won't need anything faster until you do decide to switch.

On a different note, AIM is terrible; Adium or hypNet are your only real choices for accessing the AOL IM network from the Mac in OS X; AOL's IM application for OS X hogs tons of CPU time.

[anna katzner]

for what you describe an iBook/600 seems like a good choice. (there are no 500s around anymore, unless you mean the 500 TiBook which is something very different (G4-processor).

i suggest you get yourself a 600-iBook with the CD/CD-RW/DVD-combo (no need for an external CD-burner) and lots of additional RAM (at least another 256 Meg).

try how far you gan get with AppleWorks6 (free, included with yr iBook) before you fork over $$$ to microsoft.

you'll get a beautiful, rugged, portable, reliable computer.

i love mine!
anna

p.s.: G3s may be "on the way out", but it's still a damn good & fast processor. fast enough to even do a litlte video-editing, let alone fast enough for anything the internet can currently throw at you.

[SupahCoolX]

There are millions of G3-based Macs out there, so Apple would be REALLY stupid to suddenly make an OS that doesn't support them at all.
Regardless, it'll be fine for mp3s, internet, etc. Oh, and avoid Microsoft apps unless you absolutely have to. I've been Microsoft free for a few months now, and my Mac is happier and healthier

[JeffZPgh]

Man, it stinks in here.

For what you specified your usage to be, an iBook 500 with 256MB of RAM sounds just fine. The stock 128MB is a little low for running anything other than OS X itself (you'll use virtual memory if you wind up runing Office v.X and it'll slow things down). I doubt you need more than 256MB. I doubt you need a faster CPU than a 500, so my advice would be to save the money. Since you mentioned a $1300 budget, you should be able to get the slightly out-of-date iBook 500/CDRW for that price (if you can still find one). Now you've solved the problem of having a burner.

Check the Special Deals section on Apple's website or smalldog.com for good deals on 500's.

The people telling you that you need to spend $1000 more than you specified for a G4 are full of crap. Ignore them and enjoy your new iBook - they're great machines.

Jeff

[seanyepez]

The G3 is sluggish under OS X, but I find that even the original, 233-megahertz iMacs handle Internet browsing and DV editing under OS 9 adequate. The OS is snappy on a G3. However, they're not "good" processors when you look at real-world performance of other CPU's.

Quite frankly, the G3 is outdated and it's an antiquated chip that can't quite handle what's to come in the future. It's fast for OS 9 and adequate for OS X now, though.

[anna katzner]

JeffZPgh,

Man, it stinks in here.

- i don't get it ???

anna

[Red Wolf]

iBook 500 is fine for your needs. I also agree you run with the software already installed (ie AppleWorks) before buying more expensive third party apps. However let me address an issue that's only be hinted upon. Your $1300 budget and needs puts you toward the iBook 500 w/CD-ROM which sells new for $1200. An external CD-RW will cost you from $100 to $300 (closer to $300) depending on speed.

So let me propose this. Go for the iBook 600 w/combo drive which sells for $1500. Yes, its $100-200 over budget but hear me out. With the bottom line iBook w/an external CD-RW you are paying $1300-1500 for an iBook with a 500MHz processor, 66MHz bus speed, and a 15GB hard drive. With the higher end iBook w/combo drive you are paying $1500 for an iBook with a 600MHz processor, 100MHz bus speed, and a 20GB hard drive. So for an extra $100-200 you are getting a faster system (which is still bottom line but good for a while longer), 5GB more hard drive space, the ability to play DVDs (you never know, you may want to do that on the go at some point) and a PORTABLE CD-RW.

If the extra $100-200 is really that big of a deal then the low end iBook will fit your needs with an additonal purchase of a CD-RW. But I personally believe that the extra money is a good investment to keep your iBook 100% portable (which you said was an important point) and keep it as a modern/useable Mac for a little bit longer. I sell these things for a living and so between that and the fact that I'm not going to get any money from you my advice is go for the better iBook since the gains outweight the extra cost.

[brtb517]

AS FOR YOUR LATER POST SCRIPT:

I do not know of any firewire or USB solutions for networking a Mac with a PC, but there are several software solutions for you via the built in ethernet adapter. The only thing you would have to purchase would be the software, the ethernet cable and a small hub. The most popular software solutions ( and the ones that I have used successfuly ) are: AppleTalk, Timbuktu, and Dave. The easiest one to use ( because it requires the least amount of setup on both the PC and Mac ends ) is Dave. You can do a search for "Dave 3.0" on any search engine and come up the the site very easily.

I hope this helped.

Cheers,
brtb517

[sniffer]

seanyepez: You don't like the G3 do you?
Can't say that I agree with you. Especially thinking about mark9939 needs; He needs a portable=Is there any better consumer cpus for portables out there? The G3 strongest cards are low power usage and high performance..
The iBook will fit his "main uses" perfectly to..

I am quite happy with the performance with OS X on my 600Mhz. I think the speed issue is more related to lack of optimicing in X. Those times I have tried X on newer pro macs, a wouldn't say it rocked the world there either. I think the speed issue is more related to how fast the gui responds to us than the actual underpinning speed. I for one finds X just has fast in running single tasks (except for the gui that is) as os 9. It's just that the multitasking is so much much better. I have never runned with so many apps and windows open trough a day as in X on my computer compared to any PC I have used. The iBook might not be the fastest mac out there to day for X, but it gets the job done. I don't see any problems with the current CPU, but the video card is another story. A faster bus/ram would have been prefered. But OTOH it's extremely elegant as a full featured sub-notebook. And lets not forget about the design. Ohh yeah! (=> Thinking about the 12.1" afcourse.)

[ 04-16-2002: Message edited by: sniffer ]

[Macfreak7]

one of the main reasons i would NOT get a the 500mhz ibook, is because its system bus run at a minimal 66mhz.

but at 200 bucks over your budget the 12.1" 600mhz ibook aint a bad deal at all.

[bleee]

I think a better question would be what kind of PC are you coming from. Can you list the hardware specs. Alot of the P3 and celeron's are faster than the G3 I just made the transition and I noticed it. It can be very frustraiting going from something your used to, to something slower. Also what apps do you run on your PC?

[scottiB]

RE: Transferring files

Use an ethernet crossover cable (unless you have a hub already) to connect the two machines. On your future Mac, in OS X, you can allow it to be an FTP server. On your PC (using WS_FTP, Cute FTP, or whatever), you can log in to the Mac using your user name and password from the initial Mac set-up.

Feel free to email me if you need any help or post in the networking forum.

Congrats on your new Mac.
[edit= I'm assuming your PC has an ethernet port]

[ 04-16-2002: Message edited by: scottiB ]

[mark9939]

Originally posted by bleee:
<STRONG>I think a better question would be what kind of PC are you coming from. Can you list the hardware specs. Alot of the P3 and celeron's are faster than the G3 I just made the transition and I noticed it. It can be very frustraiting going from something your used to, to something slower. Also what apps do you run on your PC?</STRONG>

I currently run a P2 400 desktop, 192 RAM, DVD, CD-RW

As an alternative to the iBook, I'd be looking @ a Celeron-M 1GHz, 128 RAM, DVD (notebook).

Right now I run XP, mainly using:
* Office Apps
* Kazaa
* Musicmatch
* Nero
* OpenMG (for Sony Minidisc)

I will keep my P2, though when I get a new notebook.

Thanks for all the help! -M

[CheesePuff]

Go to ExperCom (www.expercom.com) and look at their refurbished deals. I bought my iBook from there.

For only $1,099 they have an iBook 600 MHz with 128 MB of RAM, and a DVD player. Looks like just what you need.

[aloner]

I own a iBook 500 CD with 384Mb de RAM and 15Gb hard drive. For what you describe, this machine is perfectly OK.
OSX runs OK. If you have a limited budget, go for it, you won�t regret it.

[reverbca]

To transfer files, I do the following:
- Get a standard, cheapo NON-CROSSOVER piece of network cable (cat5).
- Plug one end into iBook
- Plug other end into something you want it to talk to
- Set them both to be on the same network subnet, etc.
- Transfer files!!! (I use samba on the iBook usually, or scp if other end is also a unix box).

All new macs (well, at least my iBook) have an auto-sensing network port which will AUTOMATICALLY cross-over if it can't establish a normal connection. ie. just pick up any piece of cable and the mac will work it out for you.

Has saved me countless hours at work and at clients houses looking for crossover cables.

reverb.

[Superchicken]

the G3 is NOT to slow for AIM or Apple works.

A lot of the people telling you it is dosn't seem to get that, yes it would be nice to have a filter load almost instantaniously in photoshop or something. But the rest of us can wait a few seconds becasue we don't have money to throw around.

I would suggest you try and get the fastest proccessor you can, from what I understand the 600 they're recommending would be a good choise.

AIM is kinda sucky for OS X, the OS 9 version was better.
If you wanna run in OS X then you might wanna look for an AIM client instead, since the mac OS X version dosn't offer things like image connecting.

However, if you're willing to run in OS 9, since all the apps you want are in that too. you'll find your proccessor is very very snappy, and can run everyine extreamly fast for you.
And AIM for OS 9 in my opinion works better than on a PC

Anyway, good luck with your purchase of an iBook. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

[Tristrami]

the ibook is great...slower than the G4 for burning CDs or Video editing, but otherwise a perfect portable.

[Captain Obvious]

I say get any 600 MHz model. The extra bump in BUS speed is worth it, alone. I do have the 500 MHz model but I bought it when it first came out.. It does X alright and all the things you said you want to do will work just fine on it. But as a longer term investment get the faster 600 MHz machine.. it will last you longer.

[rampant]

Originally posted by SupahCoolX:
<STRONG>There are millions of G3-based Macs out there, so Apple would be REALLY stupid to suddenly make an OS that doesn't support them at all.
Regardless, it'll be fine for mp3s, internet, etc. Oh, and avoid Microsoft apps unless you absolutely have to. I've been Microsoft free for a few months now, and my Mac is happier and healthier </STRONG>

You'd think so, and yet... .

[CreamKoRn]

My Ibook 500 g3 500 mhz processors runnings mac os x fairly well. You might want to think about upgrading the ram a little. The internal cd-rw for the ibook is only 8*8*24 i think which is pretty slow but you can burn a cd within 8 minutes. An external one would be more expansive but it would much faster than the stander cd-rw for the ibook.