> Maybe you can build a system for less that is just as good
There are ready made systems that have been mentioned in this very thread that are more suitable for the tasks you described. This includes the silly overpriced "Amiga" that started it all.
You don't have to build anything. There have been custom builders around for as long as PCs have been around.
If you know enough about the product to understand what you are buying, then you can have a box built to whatever requirements you want.
I always get a chuckle out of fanboys gushing over the current Mini because I was contemplating the mini-itx equivalent 6 months before the Mini came out.
You don't have to make something fit in the profile of an ATV1. That's just the usual "spec fixation" nonsense that Fanboys like to engage in but disavow any time anyone else does it.
It's fine for HTPC use. It's all about what you intend to use it for.
Beyond HTPC use, the whole "size" advantage of a Mini is of dubious value. With a lot of the smaller quieter PCs, it represents a lot of marginal cost for limited marginal value.
Yes. What's usually missing in alternatives on other operating systems is a pager. That's a simple straightforward way of managing windows and workspaces without needing to memorize any new key codes or break your working rhythm with a visual context switch.
No. It's just the latest version of a proprietary OS released in 1984.
It's only Unix when it's time to engage in marketing. Otherwise, that aspect of the system is completely ignored. Unixisms are certainly not present in any part of the system that Apple enthusiasts would be prone to brag about.
The "charity" principle flatly contradicts the facts. There are shows in various genres that were clear failures at the same point in their production as Firefly. Firefly was simply never given a chance and was likely killed by internal politics that have nothing to do with the "charity principle".
No. It's the connoisseurs that think Macs are overpriced.
The people that are excited about Macs are just conspicuous consumers that are distracted by the logo and the most superficial "shiny shiny" aspects of the product.
Fanboys are just deluded plebians than don't know their place.
Dell sells a very respectable Alienware rig that is the same size as an Xbox or PS3. Sure it's not "tiny" but it doesn't really need to be. It's not up to Apple to set the engineering requirements for the rest of us.
Stuff doesn't need to be cute or microscopic or any other artificial requirement that a fanboy might dream up. It just needs to be suitable and get the job done.
> I like how Linux users say read the HCL but when they upgrade Windows they never do that
Why should we have to be bothered? It's the monopoly OS. What's the point otherwise?
On the one hand you have a minority player that doesn't even try to have a stable kernel level driver interface. On the other hand, you have the multi-decades old monopoly that every 3rd party vendor supports by default.
The idea that Microsoft is creating artificial driver churn is just mind boggling as is the fact that older devices aren't being handled better by the 800lb gorilla and all it's minions.
Depends on the GPU. Desktop GPUs have some very nice dedicated hardware for this sort of thing that blows all of the ARM appliances clean out of the water. Supports more codecs. Supports more codec features.
This allows a laughable desktop CPU coupled with a trailing edge GPU to run circles around "mobile" hardware.
And the laughable desktop CPU will still run circles around the ARM when it comes time to decode something in software.
> There's a vast wealth of software available at no cost on Windows.
Yes and it will be provided on sites that look like adware and malware minefields compared to the Linux alternative. Seeing what Windows users have to go through to get to their gratis softtware gives me much more appreciation for the approach Apple has been taking lately.
I have games on Windows that break with new versions.
Apps a a little easier because they don't ask much of the system. I have some really ancient Linux apps that have been migrated from machine to machine over the years quite successfully.
I even have games that I've been able to do that with.
Slashdot Mirror
All steam games on MacOS huh?
Sounds like a sad little Fanboy with no clue at all.
> Maybe you can build a system for less that is just as good
There are ready made systems that have been mentioned in this very thread that are more suitable for the tasks you described. This includes the silly overpriced "Amiga" that started it all.
You don't have to build anything. There have been custom builders around for as long as PCs have been around.
If you know enough about the product to understand what you are buying, then you can have a box built to whatever requirements you want.
I always get a chuckle out of fanboys gushing over the current Mini because I was contemplating the mini-itx equivalent 6 months before the Mini came out.
I have a Dell made for office use that's pretty close to the size of an S1 Tivo and very respectable in terms of noise.
So all of fixation on the criteria set by Apple fanboys is pretty much nonsense.
I don't need to be limited to the lack of imagination of Apple or it's users.
You don't have to make something fit in the profile of an ATV1. That's just the usual "spec fixation" nonsense that Fanboys like to engage in but disavow any time anyone else does it.
> An ION computer is a joke
It's fine for HTPC use. It's all about what you intend to use it for.
Beyond HTPC use, the whole "size" advantage of a Mini is of dubious value. With a lot of the smaller quieter PCs, it represents a lot of marginal cost for limited marginal value.
What an idiot.
This Amiga is nothing more than a Mini ITX case and motherboard. It's all standard parts that you can get at Newegg or Amazon.
No whirring fans either means you are severely limiting the performance of your machine or COOKING it.
Neither of those options are really anything to brag about.
Fans are annoying but they keep the hardware from cooking itself.
That's the "server version" of the Mini and it's still running an inferior processor.
So the "running circles" remark is still perfectly accurate.
Yes. What's usually missing in alternatives on other operating systems is a pager. That's a simple straightforward way of managing windows and workspaces without needing to memorize any new key codes or break your working rhythm with a visual context switch.
No. It's just the latest version of a proprietary OS released in 1984.
It's only Unix when it's time to engage in marketing. Otherwise, that aspect of the system is completely ignored. Unixisms are certainly not present in any part of the system that Apple enthusiasts would be prone to brag about.
They (Macs) still don't have a very good implementation either.
The "charity" principle flatly contradicts the facts. There are shows in various genres that were clear failures at the same point in their production as Firefly. Firefly was simply never given a chance and was likely killed by internal politics that have nothing to do with the "charity principle".
It's almost like we're the 1%. '-)
Don't worry. We are "geeks". We can find something to completely swamp that CPU with.
Plebians?
No. It's the connoisseurs that think Macs are overpriced.
The people that are excited about Macs are just conspicuous consumers that are distracted by the logo and the most superficial "shiny shiny" aspects of the product.
Fanboys are just deluded plebians than don't know their place.
> And a Mac is expensive compared to an 386 I picked up at a yard sale
A Mac is expensive compared to a similarly priced PC available from a wide array of vendors that can run circles around the Mac.
This silly Amiga is a good demonstration of why.
Dell sells a very respectable Alienware rig that is the same size as an Xbox or PS3. Sure it's not "tiny" but it doesn't really need to be. It's not up to Apple to set the engineering requirements for the rest of us.
Stuff doesn't need to be cute or microscopic or any other artificial requirement that a fanboy might dream up. It just needs to be suitable and get the job done.
In that respect, you can dump the Minis for IONs.
> Find me a PC as small as a Mac Mini with comparable specs for $599.
Any Sandy Bridge Mini ITX system. The parts in the new Mini could not be any more generic if you stamped them with the Walmart private label.
> Actually nobody that has a clue calls mac's expensive.
Nonsense.
Macs represent a bogus set of engineering tradeoffs. That escalates prices for dubious benefit. It also makes the hardware LESS RELIABLE.
Been bit by that myself.
> Know what else has a Core i7 processor? a Mac Mini.
No it doesn't. This box outclasses a Mac Mini in every respect.
Still got a good excuse for that price tag though.
OTOH, these are all standard parts and you can build your own Mini stomping machine for a lot less.
> Do you realize that the average OEM windows machine comes with less bloat in it than the average Linux install from DVD contains?
This is just sad.
Troll harder next time.
> I like how Linux users say read the HCL but when they upgrade Windows they never do that
Why should we have to be bothered? It's the monopoly OS. What's the point otherwise?
On the one hand you have a minority player that doesn't even try to have a stable kernel level driver interface. On the other hand, you have the multi-decades old monopoly that every 3rd party vendor supports by default.
The idea that Microsoft is creating artificial driver churn is just mind boggling as is the fact that older devices aren't being handled better by the 800lb gorilla and all it's minions.
Depends on the GPU. Desktop GPUs have some very nice dedicated hardware for this sort of thing that blows all of the ARM appliances clean out of the water. Supports more codecs. Supports more codec features.
This allows a laughable desktop CPU coupled with a trailing edge GPU to run circles around "mobile" hardware.
And the laughable desktop CPU will still run circles around the ARM when it comes time to decode something in software.
> There's a vast wealth of software available at no cost on Windows.
Yes and it will be provided on sites that look like adware and malware minefields compared to the Linux alternative. Seeing what Windows users have to go through to get to their gratis softtware gives me much more appreciation for the approach Apple has been taking lately.
"Shark007"
I have games on Windows that break with new versions.
Apps a a little easier because they don't ask much of the system. I have some really ancient Linux apps that have been migrated from machine to machine over the years quite successfully.
I even have games that I've been able to do that with.
> You're asking users to sacrifice something known, stable, and familiar
No. You are sacrificing something known and familiar.
"Stable" can not be taken as a given.