13" MacBook Pro satisfies your requirements for $1200.
[1] Drive bay replaced with built-in 7 hour battery life and SD card reader. If you want more than a 160GB hard drive, either upgrade to $250 or use a FireWire/USB drive (better to have an external anyway for backups in case you lose your laptop).
[2] Mac OS X integration with wireless network and Bluetooth keyboard is seamless. These days I plug in display, USB hub, and power, and it takes me less than 15 seconds to do especially because the power and display connectors are so small and easy to plug in. If you really need a docking station, there are third party ones.
[3] Runs Mac, Linux, and Windows XP/Vista. You'll need your older machine for Windows 98, but that's the case for practically any new laptop anyway. Mac OS X is great for development and comes with all the core tools and libraries pre-installed.
Only thing I'd suggest is to add RAM to the MacBook Pro's base 2GB. And I hope you aren't still using floppy drives.
By dual screens, do you mean two external displays or just a secondary display? The MacBook Pro does have dual-link DVI output and can drive quite a few displays, but you'll need an adapter.
We really haven't had much trouble with our app either.
We anticipated Facebook making lots of changes and built our app to respond accordingly. If something breaks, our app saves as much information about the event as possible so that we can fix it ASAP. Isn't that a pretty standard way of doing things? We keep a close eye on what happens and are able to make minor tweaks to keep the app running smoothly. We haven't seen major breakage; everything has been fixable in 20 minutes max.
Our app ( http://apps.facebook.com/graffiti/ for the curious) was recently approved into the directory. We had a significant number of users already through the viral aspect of it all, but we're seeing a rather significant spike now that we're reaching out to even more networks through the directory. We had some hiccups getting in (partly our fault, partly Facebook), but now all it takes it to make sure everything is filled out completely. In my experience, they're really trying to seek out the trouble spots. Do we need the directory? No, but we're grateful for it!
I agree that the documentation is lacking, but there's an IRC channel, discussion board, mailing list, and developer email support that make up for it. And yes, the Facebook guys do respond through all those channels!
One thing I haven't been able to find after a cursory look at Checkout is an option for subscriptions and recurring payments, something that Paypal does offer. I can't think of an easy way to charge users monthly, for instance, as with a magazine subscription. Sure, they can prepay for a year, but does Checkout offer something to auto-renew such subscriptions? Paypal also offers a neat 'trial period' option where there are no payments within the first xx days and the user can cancel at any time during that period.
You have to print it with something. Ink: one of the most expensive ways to put stuff on paper. Heck, they say it costs seven times more than champagne per drop! That, plus the costs of cartridges and printer maintenance and, and... oh the horror!;)
Me? I obsessively reinstall my operating system and reimport old mailboxes into my mail client, so I have a dozen copies of 5-year old email, ten copies of 4-year old email, 8 copies of 3-year old email, etc. No need for backups... plus when I search my computer for old email, I get a dozen copies of what I'm looking for!
"If Apple would lower their prices, they'd sell a lot more macs and get more marketshare."
I thought that's what Mac mini was meant to do: have a lower initial price tag. Although just so you know, I got this 4-year-old original TiBook I'm typing on at the moment for $250 for Christmas last year. For twice that price, I could have a Mac mini, but this here laptop runs sooo smoothly. Sure, it's not your dual G5, but I'm not playing Halo; I listen to/write music, code, work with graphics, etc., and it handles what I need it to do. In other words, I'm sure you realize that there are alternatives to brand new computers.
"one-button mouse"
As always, all you need to do is plug in a two-button mouse. I've been a Mac user my whole life (I must be young, eh?), but I found a nice $15 two-button + scroll wheel USB mouse, plugged it in, and used it. Not much more difficult than that. And if you buy a Mac mini, you won't feel like you're wasting that one-button mouse because it doesn't come with it.;)
"dancing title bar"
Huh? Do you mean the way the menu bar changes when you switch applications? Personally, I like that better than having to hunt down a new title bar every time I click a new differently-sized window. At least it remains constant within the same Mac application, and honestly I'm surprised that having it change might bother someone. I see it as analagous to the Windows taskbar... you click another window or open something, and the taskbar changes to reflect the current state.
The only thing I can think of that "dances" in the title bar of windows is the three close, minimize, and zoom button gems. If it's the color that bothers you, you can use the Graphite theme. If it's the fact that x, -, and + symbols appear when you move the mouse over them, I don't know how you can survive the toolbars in Windows.;)
"I don't really want to appreciate it. I just wanna test stuff on it."
You know, I think I understand completely. Virtual PC lets me test my own sites for IE6. I don't want to appreciate Windows (it's even more painful when emulated on my old Mac), I just use it so more people are happy when my site looks right and functions correctly.
I certainly don't believe that it's disgusting for Mac OS X to be running on x86, because hey, I use Windows on PowerPC. However, there's no way to appreciate either OS when they are being emulated. I know Windows can be usable, user-freindly(ish), and powerful when used on the hardware it was intended for, but it sure is none of these through Virtual PC. I imagine it would be the same for Mac OS X through CherryOS.
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13" MacBook Pro satisfies your requirements for $1200.
[1] Drive bay replaced with built-in 7 hour battery life and SD card reader. If you want more than a 160GB hard drive, either upgrade to $250 or use a FireWire/USB drive (better to have an external anyway for backups in case you lose your laptop).
[2] Mac OS X integration with wireless network and Bluetooth keyboard is seamless. These days I plug in display, USB hub, and power, and it takes me less than 15 seconds to do especially because the power and display connectors are so small and easy to plug in. If you really need a docking station, there are third party ones.
[3] Runs Mac, Linux, and Windows XP/Vista. You'll need your older machine for Windows 98, but that's the case for practically any new laptop anyway. Mac OS X is great for development and comes with all the core tools and libraries pre-installed.
Only thing I'd suggest is to add RAM to the MacBook Pro's base 2GB. And I hope you aren't still using floppy drives.
By dual screens, do you mean two external displays or just a secondary display? The MacBook Pro does have dual-link DVI output and can drive quite a few displays, but you'll need an adapter.
If you're a student, figure out whether your vote matters more in your home state or your college state:
http://apps.facebook.com/becounted/
(They've made it easy.)
We really haven't had much trouble with our app either. We anticipated Facebook making lots of changes and built our app to respond accordingly. If something breaks, our app saves as much information about the event as possible so that we can fix it ASAP. Isn't that a pretty standard way of doing things? We keep a close eye on what happens and are able to make minor tweaks to keep the app running smoothly. We haven't seen major breakage; everything has been fixable in 20 minutes max. Our app ( http://apps.facebook.com/graffiti/ for the curious) was recently approved into the directory. We had a significant number of users already through the viral aspect of it all, but we're seeing a rather significant spike now that we're reaching out to even more networks through the directory. We had some hiccups getting in (partly our fault, partly Facebook), but now all it takes it to make sure everything is filled out completely. In my experience, they're really trying to seek out the trouble spots. Do we need the directory? No, but we're grateful for it! I agree that the documentation is lacking, but there's an IRC channel, discussion board, mailing list, and developer email support that make up for it. And yes, the Facebook guys do respond through all those channels!
One thing I haven't been able to find after a cursory look at Checkout is an option for subscriptions and recurring payments, something that Paypal does offer. I can't think of an easy way to charge users monthly, for instance, as with a magazine subscription. Sure, they can prepay for a year, but does Checkout offer something to auto-renew such subscriptions? Paypal also offers a neat 'trial period' option where there are no payments within the first xx days and the user can cancel at any time during that period.
Meh, offtopic? Have you looked at the Oddities Gallery page on TFA?
the motion of the scanner was meshing with the motion of the recorded scene, creating unexpected, yet predictable, results -- TFA
That's what these images are all about, though the scanner is used without modification. He just emphasizes movement more than the author of TFA.
This guy has made some interesting images with a flatbed scanner turned on its side.
He moves as it scans, creating six-fingered hands, spiraling bodies, and other intriguing distortions.
http://corz.org/imaging/charged_coupled_device/
iPod has become a synonym for MP3 player where I went to high school. It happens in the teen world.
You have to print it with something. Ink: one of the most expensive ways to put stuff on paper. Heck, they say it costs seven times more than champagne per drop! That, plus the costs of cartridges and printer maintenance and, and... oh the horror! ;)
Me? I obsessively reinstall my operating system and reimport old mailboxes into my mail client, so I have a dozen copies of 5-year old email, ten copies of 4-year old email, 8 copies of 3-year old email, etc. No need for backups... plus when I search my computer for old email, I get a dozen copies of what I'm looking for!
"If Apple would lower their prices, they'd sell a lot more macs and get more marketshare."
;)
;)
I thought that's what Mac mini was meant to do: have a lower initial price tag. Although just so you know, I got this 4-year-old original TiBook I'm typing on at the moment for $250 for Christmas last year. For twice that price, I could have a Mac mini, but this here laptop runs sooo smoothly. Sure, it's not your dual G5, but I'm not playing Halo; I listen to/write music, code, work with graphics, etc., and it handles what I need it to do. In other words, I'm sure you realize that there are alternatives to brand new computers.
"one-button mouse"
As always, all you need to do is plug in a two-button mouse. I've been a Mac user my whole life (I must be young, eh?), but I found a nice $15 two-button + scroll wheel USB mouse, plugged it in, and used it. Not much more difficult than that. And if you buy a Mac mini, you won't feel like you're wasting that one-button mouse because it doesn't come with it.
"dancing title bar"
Huh? Do you mean the way the menu bar changes when you switch applications? Personally, I like that better than having to hunt down a new title bar every time I click a new differently-sized window. At least it remains constant within the same Mac application, and honestly I'm surprised that having it change might bother someone. I see it as analagous to the Windows taskbar... you click another window or open something, and the taskbar changes to reflect the current state.
The only thing I can think of that "dances" in the title bar of windows is the three close, minimize, and zoom button gems. If it's the color that bothers you, you can use the Graphite theme. If it's the fact that x, -, and + symbols appear when you move the mouse over them, I don't know how you can survive the toolbars in Windows.
"I don't really want to appreciate it. I just wanna test stuff on it."
You know, I think I understand completely. Virtual PC lets me test my own sites for IE6. I don't want to appreciate Windows (it's even more painful when emulated on my old Mac), I just use it so more people are happy when my site looks right and functions correctly.
I certainly don't believe that it's disgusting for Mac OS X to be running on x86, because hey, I use Windows on PowerPC. However, there's no way to appreciate either OS when they are being emulated. I know Windows can be usable, user-freindly(ish), and powerful when used on the hardware it was intended for, but it sure is none of these through Virtual PC. I imagine it would be the same for Mac OS X through CherryOS.