Joseph Chadwick: I can't believe you are able to make good decisions when you are uninformed about Macs. Safari _will_ go full-screen. It also doesn't take forever to load, even on my ancient 500 MHz iBook. It takes about 5 seconds there. Besides, I never quit from Safari. Why bother? I regularly command-tab to safari in 0 seconds. Don't tell me that's too slow for you.

It's too bad the one time you used a Mac for 2 seconds of your life that you came away with two completely mistaken impressions. What OS version were you looking at? What model machine? How much memory installed? What hard drive? With a PC, you'd probably rattle those off.

-

And Michael P.: I was going to get on your case too. The iPod, you implied, was a POS because people have to listen to compressed music on it. Ever heard of Apple Lossless?

** Edited to be less sassy. Sorry.
Doug

I am always willing to learn. What is the IPOD's compression scheme. Is it something like FLAC or SHN so the music is compressed in storage and then uncompressed when played?

But how could you have used Windows for 20 years?

Also, I don't think the IPOD is POS but I don't why it is so popular. The minidisc player has so much to offer compared to a HD storage scheme (either on an IPOD or an MP3 player).

I have used Windows at least since 2.0. I used 1.0 once (which was enough). Lessee, Windows 2.0 was released at the end of 87, wasn't it? So, I was using it then. 1987 - 2005 is 18 years. I said "close to 20 years." Hard to believe it's been that long. Yes, I still use it ocassionally because I'm fascinated by emulators. I use VirtualPC, run Win XP Pro, and quickly lose interest. But my G5 will actually run it at a usable speed. It's fun to think about how I am going to protect my virtual PC. I refuse to spend any money on security or spyware programs. So, I use the free ZoneAlarm, Spybot, and the free AdAware. That and I don't usually allow Windows a connection to the Internet. Can you imagine spending money on software for a virtual machine? I suppose if I depended on it for my job or something . . .

Apple Lossless is a lossless compression scheme similar to FLAC. Apple hasn't, to my knowledge, released much info about it. It's supported by iTunes and iPod and iPod mini models. PC Mag, I think, checked it out and decided that it was good. Also, you can, of course, get better earbuds for your iPod if you wish.

I love my green iPod mini. 4 gigs, $200, very cool

I know people have different tastes and ideas of what is ideal--and that's good. But people should make sure they have reliable information before forming summary opinions about products.

Doug

Hi Douglas Trickey,

In your opinion, do you actually *think* that a dual G5 is lots faster than Intel and AMD, since this thread entitle "Apple Cooks the Number, Again?” Please don't take offense.

A dual Xeon 3.6GHz is consistently outperformed the dual Opteron 2.6GHz. A lots of reviewing site i.e. anandtech, has shown over wide range of benchmark and concluded that is not really the case. More interestingly a Pentium 4 3.6 outperformed an Athlon64 4000+. This make me recalled the was one article published in hardwareanalysis where it has concluded that a Pentium 4 running at 5.2GHz is need to really outperformed a AMD 2.6GHz.

The fight between AMD and Intel has never stopped, in some benchmark, Intel has the advantage and while in others benchmark, AMD outperformed Intel. The performance is so close that we never saw a benchmark showing a 100% win situation, at least not for Intel and AMD.

Do your ever question whether a G5 is really 100% than current x86 CPU? I am sure that the amount of resources spent by AMD and Intel will not be lesser than IBM.

P/S: I must admit that it is difficult to draw any meaningful conclusion, without actually tests it by third party reviewing site. So, just want to know what is your opinion?

Edited:
On second thought, it may be the software optimization used by apple that really speed up it application. Just like the game optimization in PC, which clearly edge over Mac.

I am intrigued by the lossless compression format. Can you play the files back in the compressed format or are they somehow uncompressed by the player (e.g., the IPOD).

For those of you who are pseudo-audiophiles, you might want to read the following review:

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue8/ipod.htm

Note that the review is from 2003. Again, I am amazed that the mini-disc was not successful in the U.S. I think it is very popular in Japan. I plan to purchase another portable player in case they totally disappear from the U.S. market. No matter what you listen to, one should buy hight quality earphones or earbuds. The Etymotic 4P is a great set of earbuds (sounding almost as good as audiophile quality speakers in my opinion). Anyway, I will try listening to an IPOD. They are giving them away on my campus to get folks interested in "Tiger."

Ignorant in the east!

Some benchmarks of the G5 (single processor?) versus AMD and INTEL (be sure to take a look at the second page):

http://www.barefeats.com/macvpc.html

Thanks for the link. It seemed barefeats give entire different picture.

I think the link I posted was to an older version of the G5. It will be interesting to see a good set of benchmarks. MAX PC usually does an excellent job.

I neither like or really dislike apples it is the attitude of the community around them that reaaly anoys me. In th early days a great product and then they went after the corporate/publishing/education markets all with no sense and very deep pockets when they released the original lisa followed by the mac.

The incident that really highlighted the devious spruicking that has been highlighted here is very similar to the early days of Pentiums in the early 90s. I do not know about the rest of the world but here in Oz there was a 2 page ad that had the implication that the Apple was very inexpensive compared to an IBM pentium the only one readily available. Apples started at $1700 and the implication was that that could outperform a pemtium with early CD drive mery all the goodies. Apple apple hater wrote in and complained to the magazine that Apple had misrepresnted their product since to get equivalent functionality and performance one need to by a Mac Quattro XYZ with top line processors and the cost a mere $11000 $4000 more than the pentium.

Apple seems to have a reasonable product why they persist in taking a negative line really leaves me bemused. To me they are just another proprietary box looks cute but at the end of the day it is just anothe glass typewriter. I know it does a bit more but it is still just a beast. They maintainvery tight control over their hardware so they should be stable etc. They have helped develop some great interfaces eg USB, a lot of [pioneering work with wireless. yet they persist in trying to bag intel/amd. Bill G. had to buy 20% of Apple to keep it afloat to avoid the atni trust charges.


My experience with the local mac user group compared to the local pc user group left a very bitter taste. The pcug had help number where the member provide free help I had expected the same for macs but i put somebody onto them and she literally got shafted. Came round to help no warning charges were involved at $80per hour and then could not help with application so on to someone else who effectively conned her into buy a bigger faster machine. She only needed to use a simple spreadsheet. I ended up giving her one of mine for free to do the job from windows and she was happy.

As I said the attitude if they became more positive and less tunnel visioned maybe they could sell more now they are having to use ipods given away with the weeties to encourage people to take another look at their product but I believe they have lost the plot

To be specific I should have said that Apple was giving away a single IPOD (a door price) to people who showed up at the display for their new OS. If everyone who attended received an IPOD, I would have gone.

"I can make SVCDs just fine on my Mac. I use three applications for .avi, .mov, .mp4, mpeg2, VCD, and DVD. Quicktime Pro ($30), Roxio Toast $70, iLife (included w/Macs). I just bought Popcorn to back up DVDs. I was doing this using free utilities, but I got a good deal on it ($20).

For those of us who care about user interfaces and efficient work flow, we'll happily keep our Macs. You keep running your virus checker. But, I'm a Mac user. What do I know about viruses? Oops. I left my firewall turned off again. For the last four years. Course we all know, any day now. There will be a Mac virus. Any day now. Think about how much spyware I must have on my machine. Hmm. . . none. Yeah. Well . . . "

I use a single program to capture edit compress and burn vcds svcds dvds, etc. NOT three. Oh, and it's free.
My interface is CLEAN. My workflow is 100% efficient. 9/10 of my setup work is automated. 99.99% of the time it takes to do what I need to do is limited by the CPU, and not the user interface.

I have no virus scanner.
I have no firewall.
Spybot, and Microsoft AntiSpyware haven't found so much as a tracking cookie in months. AdAware has NEVER found anything.
I run on the internet naked.
I have a public IP address. If you want it, just ask.

The Mac user interface is crap. Shiny buttons and effects and little distractions.
That's not what a user interface is supposed to be.
A UI is supposed to let a human interact with a computer in efficient ways. Windows 98 had one of the best UIs ever. Simple, clean, and efficient. Which is why I've turned my XP UI into the 98 UI (just disable all the visual effects). It's faster, it's cleaner, it doesn't look like candy land, and it let's me do whatever I want.

And it is a simple FACT that an $XXXX pc will outperform a $XXXX Mac.

In my mind, there is absolutely NO reason to own a Mac. Everything you do on a mac can be done on a pc cheaper, faster, and just as well (in most casess better).

But the "pros" who love the mac just can't see past apple's lies, bulls**t, and crap.

Yeah, Brian. Post your IP address.

You've convinced me. I'm going to sell my three Macs and buy 6 PCs. I won't have to worry about a firewall, virus checker, or Internet security program. I'll just get Spybot and Microsoft's scanner (so that I can find nothing).

Then I'll be JUST LIKE BRIAN!

-Doug

C64
6510 @ 1 mHz
64k
composite output
groundbreaking SID 6581 / 28 pin DIP sound chip with 3 BIG voices

Well, I wrote the first reply and this thread is degenerating. I think we should wait until someone posts some independent benchmarks and not resort to insults.

However, I don’t think there is anything inherently safer about running a MAC than a PC. There are simply not enough MACS around to make it worthwhile writing viruses. MAC has what about 3% of the PC market. It is like a virus that infects only folks with B- blood type, it wouldn’t spread very far.

I have been using MS Windows for years, starting from Windows 2000, then Windows XP. I certainly aware of the inherit security flaw in MS Windows. However, I did not enable antivirus autoprotect or anti-spyware at my home PC. I did not used any software firewall, because I am using a hardware firewall. I only use email virus scanning. I turn off abandon services. Once in a while, I will scan the entire HDD. I did not feel any unsafe with my current machine. I feel that the users should resposible with their surfing habbit (Mac users will say the OS should protect the user).

Chen has made some valid points particularly if you got to those site with a doubtful reputation. Just One comment re hardware firewalls. I had the same view however I recently read an article that highlighted animprotant feature of software firewalls. While you can really gain control of the port access with hardware it does not stop trickery and the software can alert you when software is attempting to access the internet at large.

I am now reviewing my attitude and the best way to coordinate the features of both perhaps the hardware port lockdown and then a software monitor of access to the net.

Working with windows for near 20 years doesn't really make you into an expert.

I have been ran an Amiga from 1988 to 1996 and found less than ten viruses and since '96 I have run IBMs and I have found less than 30 viruses probably lerss than 20 over the last ten years. Now they have caught a few in my email scanner but I have noticed that Yahoo and maybe Hotmail? have virus scanners built in to there servers. I have received an email with a warning message attached to them that a virus was attached but the watchimacalit scanner found it and removed it do I need to knotify mr xyz@xyx.com about the virsuses he is sending. I don't ever remember seeing viruses on the Macs that I have used. I think people just like a operating system that they don't have to figure out a little better which is why there are Mac maniacs.
I still want to get a nice power MAC that is all tweaked out for the simple reason that a lot of the industry supports a Macintosh interface. I also love graphics. I wish Macs where good at CAD. That says something when a major program like AutoCAD doesn't do its forfront on a Apple machine.

Jonathan: I agree that simply using a computer for 20 years would not necessarily make someone an expert. Some people prefer to learn the bare minimum they need to do what they want to do.

I am not one of those people.

** Edited for less sass ***

Doug

No, I wouldn't admit I'm an expert to every computers but at least I'm not arrogant enough to give advice to any random pedestrian.

I find your arrogance quite annoying and particularly your self centered statements.

Your obsession in Mac is your problem and I don't give a toss if you hump pc or mac either way at the floppy disk slot. But if you have used PC for past 20 years (I sincerely hope that you didn't because people like you give people like us a bad name) and still find it troublesome, then you are the root of the trouble.

But you won't care and I hope you don't care so I can see more irritating words from you and so I can hate you even more.

Whoa! We're . . . all friends . . here (backs away slowly). Heh. You can put down the butcher knife.

I have no unkind words for you, Man. I need to lay off the sarcasm.

Still, conventiional wisdom is not always well informed. It'd be nice if people made sure their facts were factual. And stuff.

I'm using a machine that's been called too slow, designed for novice users, inadequate for expert users, too pricey, no software, irrelevant, nothing new to see. I suppose perception is everything.

doug