[searkibia]

I would actually get a MAC if they didn't cost so damn much.

And have limited configuration options.
If it can be built, windows and linux can run on it. Not so with Apple.

[njfeedd3w]

From boot to checking e-mail it's easily twice as fast as when I had XP on it.

Shouldn't some of the credit go to the applications? For instance, on XP, I can check my email faster if I use Opera rather than outlook. If I disable services and start-up items it 'boots' faster. I can use VLC or quicktime alternative to view a movie file rather than windows media player or quicktime.

It's hard to compare. If you run gimp or 7zip or something that can be run on both I guess you could do a direct comparison.

about quicktime, why do you think Apple writes such terrible software for windows? Intentional to frustrate users or are they just not very good at it? Quicktime and itunes are awful and so bloated.

[DialOne]

Shouldn't some of the credit go to the applications? For instance, on XP, I can check my email faster if I use Opera rather than outlook. If I disable services and start-up items it 'boots' faster. I can use VLC or quicktime alternative to view a movie file rather than windows media player or quicktime.

It's hard to compare. If you run gimp or 7zip or something that can be run on both I guess you could do a direct comparison.

about quicktime, why do you think Apple writes such terrible software for windows? Intentional to frustrate users or are they just not very good at it? Quicktime and itunes are awful and so bloated.

A bit of both I would guess.

[hoconnor6605]

That is because it is a linux/unix based OS that was built exceptionally well.

People forget that I think.
It's what Ubuntu & other Linux Distro's could become with serious financial funding.

I know. I actually studied up a lot on it before I got my first Mac.

I would actually get a MAC if they didn't cost so damn much. If you want to get one to just test out and get used to using a Mac...I'd suggest getting one of the Mac Mini's.

They start at $599. That's what my first one was. My son still uses it up in his room.

[casinobonbiner]

Shouldn't some of the credit go to the applications? For instance, on XP, I can check my email faster if I use Opera rather than outlook. If I disable services and start-up items it 'boots' faster. I can use VLC or quicktime alternative to view a movie file rather than windows media player or quicktime.

It's hard to compare. If you run gimp or 7zip or something that can be run on both I guess you could do a direct comparison.

about quicktime, why do you think Apple writes such terrible software for windows? Intentional to frustrate users or are they just not very good at it? Quicktime and itunes are awful and so bloated.

I'm talking about just getting XP up to a point where I can launch firefox.

I don't use IE or windows media player. Not when there are opensouce apps I feel are much better.

But, even with a lot of the services I don't need disabled XP still takes longer to get to a fully booted state than the linux distro i'm currently running on the PC.

http://www.slitaz.org/en/

Now, this is not a fullblown ubuntu install, but rather a distro that comes on a 34mb download.

It has almost every app I could need in it's respositories.

KDE desktop I admit would chug on my laptop just like windows.

Xforce desktop works just nicely though.

I can strip XP to the core but on my laptop i'm still going to experiance more latency than my install of linux.
It's like every time I click with the mouse the darn hardrive light flashes for half a minute before something happens on the screen.

It got too anoying.

XP always ran fine for me on my P4 class or better PC's with 2 GB of ram so I really don't have performance complaints there.

But I like being difficult & enjoy doing as much as possible with as little as possible hence I like using linux a lot.

[retyopj]

I know. I actually studied up a lot on it before I got my first Mac.



If you want to get one to just test out and get used to using a Mac...I'd suggest getting one of the Mac Mini's.

They start at $599. That's what my first one was. My son still uses it up in his room.

A lot of PC People use mac mini's as PVR's for their living rooms.

[Aafimoq]

A lot of PC People use mac mini's as PVR's for their living rooms.

Yup the Mac magazines show how to do that. Maybe when the boy decides he wants a laptop to replace the Mini I got him...I'll do that for myself.

[KJnbceja]