Laptop Computers

[Cataboo]

My netbook has 3 USB ports & an ethernet port built in. I do have an external dvd drive, but mostly I just share my desktop dvd drive over the network for it.

However, I need a desktop and always keep one.

[Irulan]

New egg has some great buys on Windows lap tops right now. I am seriously looking for one to just mess around on ( not a desktop substitute) for very reasonable prices.

I'm not sold on macs. I am a windows user, and I have to help my mom with one every now and then. I don't see what the big deal is as windows has gotten so much nicer over the years. Also, if you don't do stupid stuff on your computer, it's pretty easy to NOT get bugs.

[ultraviolet]

I'm not sold on macs. I am a windows user, and I have to help my mom with one every now and then. I don't see what the big deal is as windows has gotten so much nicer over the years. Also, if you don't do stupid stuff on your computer, it's pretty easy to NOT get bugs.

That's pretty much always been my position as well.

I finally gave in and purchased a Mac because a lot of my clients are advertising and creative agencies who are all Mac in-house, so having one myself makes my professional life a little easier.

[smilingcat]

Go with apple, you'll be happier in the long run.

Windows 7 is okay... But its not Ubuntu or some other Linux software. And god forbid to use internet explore. Who use it anyway. Most people I know use Firefox/Mozilla or gone with Chrome from Google.

Right now, I'm dealing with my partner's desktop computer where it thinks its running out of disk space and internet is going brain dead. Internet explorer is not happy. Oh she does have Norton anti-virus stuff but its not good enough.

Then my sister's laptop also XP based is having internet problem. I'm going to try to install Firefox in both to get around the problems. If you have MAC (BSD unix based OS) or Linux then you wouldn't have this problem.

Linux and MAC have all the software you ever want to have. I also can run Adobe photoshop elements 7 on my Linux machine, open, read, modify any word (microsoft) documents, excel spreadsheet...

There is really no excuse in using windows 7, or XP.

I also have a friend with a Hackintosh (Running Tiger was it??) and I have a Dell with Mandriva linux, and my Acer net book also has Mandriva Linux with external 300G portable hard drive.

You have to pay me to use windows 7. Oh that's right I do get paid to work and at work they use Windows 7.

This is just my biased 2 cent opinion.

[roadie gal]

LOVE my Mac! I had Dell for years. I bought a laptop that had problems and got totally danced around by Dell trying to get my money back. The Mac folks have been great about answering any questions and helping me out. (If customer service is a concern to you.)

I also find the Mac easier to use than a Windows based system. To me it's just more intuitive.

[emily_in_nc]

Both my husband and I have HP laptops (dv6t) running Windows 7. We're very happy and see no reason to switch to Apple b/c of the greater costs, and we've been using PCs for years and are just comfortable with them. Windows 7 is secure and robust. No complaints here, but I don't get into religious wars with Apple users. My philosophy is live and let live...in computers and life.

[shootingstar]

I have a new computer that is Windows based. Still Internet Explorer.

He uses Mac laptop, has a Windows based desktop. His next desktop with be Mac.

I choose Windows based primarily because alot of jobs required I used software that is Windows based. This is the main reason why I choose this operating system. I realize that one can run Windows via a Mac.

[Owlie]

Go with apple, you'll be happier in the long run.

Windows 7 is okay... But its not Ubuntu or some other Linux software. And god forbid to use internet explore. Who use it anyway. Most people I know use Firefox/Mozilla or gone with Chrome from Google.

My parents use IE. My dad still uses AOL. Short of doing what DBF did to his parents (uninstalled AOL, made AOL mail the Firefox homepage), there's no getting him off it.

[moonfroggy]

i used to have a dell and when it wore out i replaced it with a 13 inch mac and it was the best thing i ever did as far as laptops go. this laptop just feels so much nicer the case is so much stronger it is so much sturdier and the os is so much slicker than windows.

[shootingstar]

Who else does not use Internet Explorer?

Frankly I haven't taken time to look into all this but I know some of the big employers have IE enterprise-wide as the base and then layer their web-based, licensed tools on top.

[OakLeaf]

My DH doesn't use IE. Too many security holes and too few security add-ons.

The Mac-side equivalent is Safari. I will use that occasionally, but for the same reasons, I pretty much keep it to Firefox and allow a minimum of scripts and cookies; limiting them to temporary script permissions and session cookies as much as possible.

[emily_in_nc]

Who else does not use Internet Explorer?

I haven't used it for years, save for at work, where they still have a few dinosaur sites that need IE 6 (yes, IE 6, riddled with security holes!) to run properly.

I've been using Firefox for several years. I initially switched b/c of all the security holes in IE. Recently tried to make the switch to Google Chrome b/c I'd heard such good things about it, and Firefox has had more and more security patches lately, but had to go back to FF. Why? I could never get pdf files to display in Chrome, and that's a deal-breaker. I sell on ebay and have to print my shipping labels using pdf files. Read all sorts of online support tips for it, but nothing worked for me. Other than that, I really liked the simplicity and speed of Chrome. My DH uses it and loves it.

All that said, I read a couple of PC geeky newsletters, and it sounds like the latest versions of IE are much, much improved from IE 6 and 7. One testing lab did a head-to-head test between the latest IE (9, I think), FF, and Chrome, and each one did better in some areas, but overall, it was pretty much a draw, as I recall.

Go with what you like and feel comfortable with.

[OakLeaf]

Google by definition is spyware... the whole way they make their money is from data mining and selling the demographics.

Yeah, I have an Android phone. There's really no privacy with phones anyway, but it did give me pause to put my calendar onto Google. If I were working or getting any kind of serious medical treatment, I'd either have gone with a Blackberry, or just kept my calendar on a separate, non-networked device. And yeah, I use Facebook. There too, I weigh the benefit against the risk, keep my privacy settings fairly tight, use a minimum of FB apps.

Spyware - i.e. "legitimate" software - is a much greater threat in this day and age than non-corporate-sanctioned viruses and Trojans.

[Crankin]

I use Safari; never had a problem with it. Every time I try to switch to Firefox, something bad happens to my computer. I don't like change, anyway.
The clinic where I work uses Explorer. It's so old, you guys would laugh.

[badgercat]

The clinic where I work uses Explorer. It's so old, you guys would laugh.

I've done clinical rotations at two different hospitals that are still using Internet Explorer 6. It's shocking, considering that IE6 got a reputation back in the day as being about as secure as a piece of swiss cheese.

As far as the original topic goes, I have an almost-3-year-old MacBook. Before that I had a Dell laptop (Windows XP) that I got in early 2005 and still runs fine. That was back when Dell was still essentially direct-order. My mom has a Dell laptop that she bought at Best Buy last year and it just doesn't seem as "solid" as the old ones. I also have an Asus EEE Windows 7 netbook that I bought this past spring--I got in the habit of taking lecture notes on my computer last year, and I was getting nervous about schlepping my Mac (which is my primary computer) back and forth to campus every day. I call my netbook my MacBook insurance policy.

I guess what I'm getting at is I'm not a die-hard supporter of anything... I like all of my machines. Go with what feels good. If you're thinking about trying a Mac, now's as good a time as any. I'm glad I got mine and "expanded my horizons," so to speak, and if my MacBook dies I'll probably replace it with another Apple product (if I can afford to), but I'm not bonded for life.

ETA: if you do go with Mac, I also recommend the AppleCare... I took advantage of mine recently when my wi-fi card failed. I brought it in to my local Apple Store and they replaced it while I waited, no charge. It doesn't cover any kind of accidental damage, but it is a little extra peace of mind since it extends your warranty from one year to three.