Comments on: Techno bleg http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:44:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: sam http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2913 sam Thu, 01 May 2008 23:52:41 +0000 http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2913 I love my macbook air, but it's not for everyone. As I mentioned above, I have both a desktop (iMac) and a laptop, so the laptop really only functions as a satellite for when I need to travel (which has been quite often for my job in the last few years). If you're looking to make it your primary machine, it probably doesn't have a big enough hard drive (max=80 gigs). If you're only going to get a laptop, I'd say splurge and get the MacBook Pro. I love my macbook air, but it’s not for everyone. As I mentioned above, I have both a desktop (iMac) and a laptop, so the laptop really only functions as a satellite for when I need to travel (which has been quite often for my job in the last few years). If you’re looking to make it your primary machine, it probably doesn’t have a big enough hard drive (max=80 gigs).

If you’re only going to get a laptop, I’d say splurge and get the MacBook Pro.

]]> By: Zuzu http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2910 Zuzu Thu, 01 May 2008 22:00:49 +0000 http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2910 No. My computer was a piece of crap, and anything important was stored online. The only thing I'll really lose are my photos and one or two older writing samples. But the ones I use more frequently are attachments to emails I sent via gmail, so I can find them again. No. My computer was a piece of crap, and anything important was stored online. The only thing I’ll really lose are my photos and one or two older writing samples. But the ones I use more frequently are attachments to emails I sent via gmail, so I can find them again.

]]> By: MsFeasance http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2909 MsFeasance Thu, 01 May 2008 20:23:33 +0000 http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2909 By the way, did you have your hard drive contents backed up elsewhere? I had a De[vi]ll Inspiron (not a typo) in my undergrad days that I spilled a Diet Coke in; it ended up costing me $600 and voiding my warranty, but with a new motherboard, I still got two more years of use out of it. By the way, did you have your hard drive contents backed up elsewhere? I had a De[vi]ll Inspiron (not a typo) in my undergrad days that I spilled a Diet Coke in; it ended up costing me $600 and voiding my warranty, but with a new motherboard, I still got two more years of use out of it.

]]> By: Zuzu http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2907 Zuzu Thu, 01 May 2008 14:55:51 +0000 http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2907 Hm. Maybe an iMac would be a better idea. Too bad I don't actually have a desk. Hm. Maybe an iMac would be a better idea.

Too bad I don’t actually have a desk.

]]> By: Karen http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2906 Karen Thu, 01 May 2008 01:52:10 +0000 http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2906 Regarding "Which version of the laptop?" In a completely un-Apple-like move, the MacBook uses a magnetic closure that sits just above the... wait for it... harddrive. Which, of course, makes harddrive failure more likely. Once I knew this, I couldn't get a MacBook in good conscience. I got a MacBook Pro, which uses a latch closure, and I completely love it. *SO* much better than my old PC. If you feel compelled to get the MacBook (it's much cheaper), I'd put some felt or lead based paint over the magnetic closure on the side with the harddrive... the Apple store people can tell you which one it is. Also, if you back up your data regularly to an external drive, none of the above matters too much. Regarding “Which version of the laptop?”

In a completely un-Apple-like move, the MacBook uses a magnetic closure that sits just above the… wait for it… harddrive. Which, of course, makes harddrive failure more likely. Once I knew this, I couldn’t get a MacBook in good conscience. I got a MacBook Pro, which uses a latch closure, and I completely love it. *SO* much better than my old PC.

If you feel compelled to get the MacBook (it’s much cheaper), I’d put some felt or lead based paint over the magnetic closure on the side with the harddrive… the Apple store people can tell you which one it is. Also, if you back up your data regularly to an external drive, none of the above matters too much.

]]> By: Tricia http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2905 Tricia Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:36:28 +0000 http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2905 I can't address the merge issues MP mentions, but buying or upgrading to Office 2008 for Mac should take care of the document version problems (.docx versus the old .doc format). My company has a PC-based network (while my department runs all Macs) and we have a few server issues every now and then. One that you should be aware of if you work with video at all -- you can't store iMovie projects on a PC server at all. Finished movie files are fine, but the server can't recognize a part of the code in the files and will corrupt them. I can’t address the merge issues MP mentions, but buying or upgrading to Office 2008 for Mac should take care of the document version problems (.docx versus the old .doc format).

My company has a PC-based network (while my department runs all Macs) and we have a few server issues every now and then. One that you should be aware of if you work with video at all — you can’t store iMovie projects on a PC server at all. Finished movie files are fine, but the server can’t recognize a part of the code in the files and will corrupt them.

]]> By: Zuzu http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2904 Zuzu Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:29:04 +0000 http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2904 Okay, so now the question becomes: Which version of the laptop? Okay, so now the question becomes: Which version of the laptop?

]]> By: MsFeasance http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2903 MsFeasance Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:23:56 +0000 http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2903 If you're going to go to a Mac, do remember that you'll have to buy a full legal copy of Windows XP as well in order for Bootcamp to work--we use Examsoft at my law school, and at first, Mac users were told their computers would be fine to take their exams on; but we weren't so happy when we ended up having to buy almost $400 worth of software to do it. If you’re going to go to a Mac, do remember that you’ll have to buy a full legal copy of Windows XP as well in order for Bootcamp to work–we use Examsoft at my law school, and at first, Mac users were told their computers would be fine to take their exams on; but we weren’t so happy when we ended up having to buy almost $400 worth of software to do it.

]]> By: Mighty Ponygirl http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2902 Mighty Ponygirl Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:55:54 +0000 http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2902 Jay: The dual-boot environment is called "Boot Camp" Jay: The dual-boot environment is called “Boot Camp”

]]> By: Mighty Ponygirl http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2901 Mighty Ponygirl Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:55:04 +0000 http://kindlypogmothoin.com/2008/04/30/techno-bleg/#comment-2901 You might want to check your peripherals... they're either compatible or they aren't. I went through a LOT of wireless USB mice trying to get something compatible with OS X. But most peripherals will work right away. Do be careful with Word for Mac... If your lawfirm is a cross-platform environment and you rely heavily on merges (like, you keep all of your stuff in a database and then it will auto-populate the header of a discovery or something), see if anyone else in the office has a mac and if they've noticed anything peculiar when they go to merge. I have seen a LOT of weirdness between Mac and Windows versions of Word in my day. Honestly, the Macs usually come out better for it, but you don't want the partner screaming at you if there's a failure to communicate between them. Check the version that the PCs are running: if they're running Office 2007, then they're saving in a new format and you might have trouble opening documents made on the PC platform. Also, I feel your pain. I had an awesome workhorse of a printer that didn't work so great after I sort of accidentally dumped a Dr Pepper down its paper port. Nothing we've gotten since has been as reliable. :D You might want to check your peripherals… they’re either compatible or they aren’t. I went through a LOT of wireless USB mice trying to get something compatible with OS X. But most peripherals will work right away.

Do be careful with Word for Mac… If your lawfirm is a cross-platform environment and you rely heavily on merges (like, you keep all of your stuff in a database and then it will auto-populate the header of a discovery or something), see if anyone else in the office has a mac and if they’ve noticed anything peculiar when they go to merge. I have seen a LOT of weirdness between Mac and Windows versions of Word in my day. Honestly, the Macs usually come out better for it, but you don’t want the partner screaming at you if there’s a failure to communicate between them. Check the version that the PCs are running: if they’re running Office 2007, then they’re saving in a new format and you might have trouble opening documents made on the PC platform.

Also, I feel your pain. I had an awesome workhorse of a printer that didn’t work so great after I sort of accidentally dumped a Dr Pepper down its paper port. Nothing we’ve gotten since has been as reliable. :D

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