It'd be nice if Apple would release a cheap version with a bigger screen. I know it isn't really Apple's way, but it'd be nice to have the option. There are a lot of us out there that wouldn't mind having a slightly slower processor, a smaller HD, and no bluetooth, but would still appreciate the larger monitor for movies, etc.
The fact that the G4-based laptops weren't competitive on performance was largely due to the lag in technology. The 1.25 GHz (or whatever) G4 chip in your brother's iBook G4 probably was competitive with the PC laptops that came out at the same time, but realistically it had been three years since the G4 chips had been significantly refreshed (yes, I'm not counting moving from 1.25GHz to 1.33). Apple's portables were very, very long in the tooth looking just at the chips.
MIT's courseware ranges quite a bit from the very complete to the just-an-outline, but the variety of subjects online, and number of levels within each, is pretty impressive. I've found it a good resource just for a quick reference, or for a self-taught subject. Definitely a good thing for the school to do.
Exactly, which is why they should have a higher-end, lighter model for people that carry around their computers all the time. If your notebook is on your back for 8-9 hours a day, the extra $600 bucks for 30% less weight will be a GREAT deal. That's why Dell (and others) sell cheap heavy notebooks and more expensive, lighter ones.
These things are way too heavy. 5.2 lbs is just too much for a laptop of such a small size, especially when the 15" Macbook Pro is just 0.4 lbs heavier. The whole reason it's small is to make it more portable. Sony has a very similar machine (13.3", Core Duo, Camera, etc) that's a full pound and a half lighter. I know it's more expensive and all that, but that's not the whole difference. I don't know why Apple always makes only heavy notebooks, but they should stop.
It's only the Mac version of firefox that's terrible. It's much slower and more resource hungry than other Mac browsers, eg Camino. The Windows firefox is fast and responsive, though it still can use a fair bit of resources, depending on how you set it up.
I've found that it depends on the keyboard and the computer, either way you go. I've used PC keyboards with Macs, and Mac keyboards with PCs; sometimes it works almost 100%, sometimes not at all. I imagine you'll have better luck with mostly newer stuff. As for the specific keys, I know eject is often F12, but I can't say about volume controls. You can certainly map keys to these things, in the OS or with third-party software, which might be your best bet.
Slashdot Mirror
It'd be nice if Apple would release a cheap version with a bigger screen. I know it isn't really Apple's way, but it'd be nice to have the option. There are a lot of us out there that wouldn't mind having a slightly slower processor, a smaller HD, and no bluetooth, but would still appreciate the larger monitor for movies, etc.
The fact that the G4-based laptops weren't competitive on performance was largely due to the lag in technology. The 1.25 GHz (or whatever) G4 chip in your brother's iBook G4 probably was competitive with the PC laptops that came out at the same time, but realistically it had been three years since the G4 chips had been significantly refreshed (yes, I'm not counting moving from 1.25GHz to 1.33). Apple's portables were very, very long in the tooth looking just at the chips.
MIT's courseware ranges quite a bit from the very complete to the just-an-outline, but the variety of subjects online, and number of levels within each, is pretty impressive. I've found it a good resource just for a quick reference, or for a self-taught subject. Definitely a good thing for the school to do.
When you built your own PC, did you forget to include the apostrophe key?
Exactly, which is why they should have a higher-end, lighter model for people that carry around their computers all the time. If your notebook is on your back for 8-9 hours a day, the extra $600 bucks for 30% less weight will be a GREAT deal. That's why Dell (and others) sell cheap heavy notebooks and more expensive, lighter ones.
These things are way too heavy. 5.2 lbs is just too much for a laptop of such a small size, especially when the 15" Macbook Pro is just 0.4 lbs heavier. The whole reason it's small is to make it more portable. Sony has a very similar machine (13.3", Core Duo, Camera, etc) that's a full pound and a half lighter. I know it's more expensive and all that, but that's not the whole difference. I don't know why Apple always makes only heavy notebooks, but they should stop.
It's only the Mac version of firefox that's terrible. It's much slower and more resource hungry than other Mac browsers, eg Camino. The Windows firefox is fast and responsive, though it still can use a fair bit of resources, depending on how you set it up.
smalldog.com and powermax.com are both decent, speaking from other people's experiences.
I've found that it depends on the keyboard and the computer, either way you go. I've used PC keyboards with Macs, and Mac keyboards with PCs; sometimes it works almost 100%, sometimes not at all. I imagine you'll have better luck with mostly newer stuff. As for the specific keys, I know eject is often F12, but I can't say about volume controls. You can certainly map keys to these things, in the OS or with third-party software, which might be your best bet.
It is iWork that's another $79; iLife is included by default.