Well, I suppose they need somewhere to put all those G4s that Motorola keeps farting out. I wonder if that means they'll also put out a (relatively) less expensive 17in monitor to go with it?

I think it's funny that Mac fans keep blaming Microsoft for spyware and viruses. They don't have many for the Mac simply because there aren't enough users to make it worthwhile to create them. It's not like it would be any more difficult.

And there are plenty of us Intel users who'd gladly try it out if the OS would run on the hardware which I have already spent so much money on. The cost difference to switch to Mac is too great for me to even consider.

Sharpie? da ya read the post?

StevenL - that doesn't change reality.

Good Luck to them. If nothing else it may drive down prices elsewhere in the market. It will be interesting to see how long they can maintain that price point. In general margins on computers are very very small, so I am curious if they are using "inferior" parts, stripped down boards or what?

Oops, isn't this what started a huge debate awhile ago.

"In terms of software, Apple will include a special iLife suite (minus iDVD) as well as AppleWorks, sources believe."

In other words everything won't just work.

Chad thats an overstatement:

All you can't do is BURN DVD MOVIES everything else works. FYI

OK. Guess I will just have to keep my PC around instead of having to go thru all the trouble of downloading another piece of software so I can burn DVD movies.

Nice try Chad- It would be more effective however if you learned to read. LOL

(GO back and read it, I'll wait here while you get the egg off your face;-)

Finally an appropriately priced mac : )

I assume you are talking about the combo drive vs. superdrive statement. It also says that I can use my existing peripherals. I assume that means my external DVD burner.

As I was saying Chad... Before we were interrupted by one of your whacker cohorts....

I was referring to the post where I spoke about watching a DVD on Windows.

I comes with all the same software a "regular" Mac comes with except iDVD which you can purchase separately... Now one would assume that it DOES NOT come with a suprerdive so you would have to add that as well...

But lets be realistic. This is a low-end machine for the other 99.5% of people who don't edit DV video in the world.

Anyone editing video (real video) will be spending more money than this on either platform.

P

yikes typo-rama in last post sorry.

As an IT guy, I get sick and tired of people blaming spyware on Windows. Spyware does not get on a computer because of some great programming flaw. It gets on a computer because the moron running it is too stupid to realize that the reason he gets 500,000 fonts for free is because he is agreeing to turn his PC into an advertising machine.

I run the exact same types of operating systems as everyone else and I have only had one bout with spyware, and, get ready for this, IT WAS MY FAULT. I saw a BSOD and didn't bother to read it. I automatically hit the Enter key to clear the error as I had done before. Unfortunately, it was a fake screen and by hitting Enter (which, of course they knew I would do) I agreed to let them put crap on my computer.

I keep reading articles where they warn people to avoid Internet Explorer if you want to avoid spyware. Again, this is a load of junk. As I have already stated, spyware is self-inflicted.

As to the PC vs. Mac debate, who really knows the answer? Each has strong points and weak points. In many cases, it depends on what industry you grew up in. People in advertising, publishing and graphic design tend toward Macs because, early on, they had a decided advantage over PCs. Now, PCs can hold their own, so it comes down to an individual preference.

Steve most of what you say is true.. but sadly not 100%.

Load win98 / XP / 2000 pro off CD, pop it on the internet and see how long it takes to get infested.

I rebuilt a machine the other day and before I could get to windowsupates it was infected -- twice.

(even though I spelled it right ;-)

Also, not trying to be too picky, the BSOD Gates suffered was during an X-Box presentation, not a PC presentation.

He did suffer a lock-up when trying to connect a digital camera to a Media Center PC (which is not a mainstream version of the operating system.) In fact, recent sales have shown this particular version to be a loser.

Actually, you are referring to viruses and not spyware, Paul. My response was only as it relates to spyware. And, yes, you can get infected by viruses very quickly. That's why I always have the most current major patches available on CD when I set up a machine. That way, I can have the machine patched as much as possible before connecting to try and get any final patches.

Ok Mr. "Pickier than my wife" (hope she's not reading ;)

Malware

Thought the thought occurs to me that some spyware is implanted with virus code....

Not getting involved in these debates, just letting Paul go against the techie-geeks to see who wins.

I do agree that now it just boils down to personal preference.

"Also, not trying to be too picky, the BSOD Gates suffered was during an X-Box presentation, not a PC presentation."

That's supposed to make people feel better? A console should be fricking crash-proof.

My question is hhow exactly is Apple going to make any money on this buisiness model. They make up the lack of software sales volume by overcharging on their propiratary hardware.

Cyberludite--huh?

First, I question your comment regarding "lack of software sales volume;" what are you talking about?

Second, I challenge you to compare Macs to Dells or anything else, FEATURE FOR FEATURE, and tell me there is any significant price disparity. It really doesn't exist.

Third, you question Apple's ability to make money? Have you followed their stock for the past 7 or 8 years since Jobs returned? I'd say their business model is working quite well.

You know, 10 years ago, I would have jumped on that like a jackal on a gazelle. I had multiple machine of different types and was trying to swing getting a Sun at home. I picked up and learned how to use several different languages and OSs. I modified the system software.

Now, I guess I'm just an old fart. My computer is only 950 MHz, runs 98SE (yes!), only has 40 GB of storage, and I don't see any need to replace it. Perhaps I'm saving all the money for Depends, but I just can't see spending anything for another computer. Maybe it's because I spend 50 hours a week doing software at work?

Good for Apple, but even better would be if they ported OsX to PC hardware. You windows people would love it.

As for the new hardware, I will keep my 17" Powerbook. :-)

"I rebuilt a machine the other day and before I could get to windowsupates it was infected -- twice."

How? Seems virtually impossible, since the very first thing one should do after that last reboot is open Windows Update. I have built systems, or re-installed a fresh Windows OS, at least three dozen times in recent memory. This has never happened to me, not one single time.

I'd like to hear some specific details on how exactly this double infection occured. What software were you running? What sites did you visit? What dialog boxes did you approve or ignore?

Mark, pre-iPod, did Apple take a bail-out from MS or not? the iPod, being the absolute best in class that it is, saved that company and you know it. Not to mention stock performance is not necessarily indicative of corporate health. Apple *is* healthy now, I don't dispute it, but a blanket statement like "Have you followed their stock?" is meaningless. One word: Enron.

And this is why people react so strongly to Apple zealotry. Apple zealots tend to leave off the ends of sentences when discussing their religion.

Dell is about that price and of today, so is Gateway and HP.

For those of us who have trouble with windows (I have an HP) maybe an apple would be easier to understand.
Cindy

Well... it's a moot point. REgardless of the hardware, Intel, Mac, etc... I'm going to be running the real best operating system if possible--Linux! :-P

Mark A,

Re: my first point, developing an operating system costs money. Programmers have bills to pay, after all. Given the attention to detail that Apple is known for (Insanely Great & all that), it's got to cost at least as much as the latest iteration of Windows to make a new version of Mac OS. Having a much larger base of users, Microsoft is able to make a larger margin on each copy they sell, even at a lower price. Let the R&D cost for the next MS & Apple OSs be assumed to be equal and labled X. X divided by scores of millions of Windows users is smaller than X divided by several hunderd thousand Maac users. Apple has been pricing their OS compeativly with Windows, and making up the difference by charging through the nose for the propritary hardware.

Second point, less of an issue now, but for the longest time Moto wasn't improving the chips for Macs. It got to the point where to go Mac, you'd have to pay half again as much for 2/3rds the processor speed.

Point the third, Enron stock looked pretty good once upon a time...