Computer's housing CNC'd from solid aluminum

[speed bump]

Take a look at VectorWorks - blows AutoCAD out of the water...

So does Solidworks and half a dozen other programs. However Autocad is the basis for Survcadd and landesk (now called autodesk Civil iirc) so it gets to to anyone who wants to be a drafter, deal with land, survey or build buildings. If you went to work for a mine or a civil firm and suggested using something other than Autocad and Excel for doing computer calculations and drafting they would ask how do you do that.

I would say Autocad isn't to bad though, its kind of like Linux in that it has a steep learning curve and will constantly piss you off until one day you become comfortable with it coexisting with you.

 

[PAToyota]

So does Solidworks and half a dozen other programs.

Agreed. I was using SOM's AEC program twenty years ago and it was doing things then that AutoCAD still hasn't mastered.

 

[Jononon]

And if part of your rationale for me being a Microsoft fanboy is my Win2K3 network, that O/S was already here and wasn't my choice.

No, my rationale for that assertion starts and ends with your assertion that

"The "Vista problems" are the same problems people had with Windows 1, 3, 95, and XP: major changes which were for the better once you adjusted."

A relative niche issue, but an important one if it affects the user, is that colour management in Vista is completely broken. It can arbitrarily wreck your profiles, all in an effort to introduce WCS - a system nobody needs or wants.

A more widespread problem is that the 'ancient' legacy hardware that would no longer work turned out to include very recent devices, and buggy installation arose even on those notionally Vista compliant.

While I broadly agree with on some of the issues, which are undoubtedly "I don't like change, change bad" 'problems', I fail to see how either of the above are changes for the better.

By the way, XP's EOL date is Jan. 31, 2009.

It's now June 30, 2010, thanks to the popularity of UMPCs, and there's a 4 year service life beyond that, so not a huge concern.

 

[a390st]

I do understand your "build-my-own-box mentality." Sink a couple hundred into it, shell out a couple hundred more to Microsoft, and give it to Goodwill next year-- oh wait, they won't be accepting computers anymore since they're considered hazardous waste-- then build a new one. You know what it's worth.

That is a pretty ridiculous statement. You can do so much more building yourself than buying a prefab. I built computers for a very good independent shop for years back in college, and still keep up with things to a degree. Most well designed machines built with good components will run much faster and better than a cheaped out mass produced box. If you compare the price of a well built custom machine from a reputable source (or yourself) to the most closely equipped Dell, HP, or whatever, it will be cheaper and will have better features.

 

[KenS]

That is a pretty ridiculous statement. You can do so much more building yourself than buying a prefab.

The OP of the comments that generated my observation was referring to some newspapers switching from Macs to PCs. My comments were targeted at those cost-cutting measures although I see where I obscured that message.

I agree with you that a serious user can build a much better box than what can be purchased over the counter. I build them myself. I also find that the usable life of a homebrew unit is shorter, and the resale value lower. It's probably because builders always want the newest and latest.

Anyway, some day soon they'll figure out optical buses and everything we have will be obsoleted overnight.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

I get windows equipment free or cheap
can't do that with apple

 

[IDASHO]

Uh, it is a computer.... there IS NO RESALE VALUE

As for the lovely PC vs MAC debate that always seems to erupt...

I built the PC Im on right now more than 6 years ago. The only thing I have changed/replaced have been cooling fan, RAM, and power supply. I had processor and a case fan die. I updated the RAM. The power supply (used when installed) simply died. Running a juiced up Athon XP2100 with 8 fans will do that.

Since day one I have been running Windows 2k PRO.

And I just checked my up-time monitor....

This machine has been running without a re-boot for more than 18 months. It hibernates, but hardly ever gets shut down or rebooted. The last time it was down was to replace the burned up case fan.

Stable? I think so.

 

[billymade]

Actually, Apple products have some of the, if not the highest resale value of any computer out there; see how much your dell is worth in a couple of years....

 

[a390st]

The OP of the comments that generated my observation was referring to some newspapers switching from Macs to PCs. My comments were targeted at those cost-cutting measures although I see where I obscured that message.

I agree with you that a serious user can build a much better box than what can be purchased over the counter. I build them myself. I also find that the usable life of a homebrew unit is shorter, and the resale value lower. It's probably because builders always want the newest and latest.

Anyway, some day soon they'll figure out optical buses and everything we have will be obsoleted overnight.

I sort of figured that was what you were trying to say. I couldn't hardly let it go though, because I just don't want everyone to get the wrong idea about the independent local computer shop.

I think the reason home builds have a shorter life is that they are targeted at a different use than the everyday station. If I told you how much some folks would spend on gamers...We did a lot of dual processors and overclocked units with crazy cooling schemes. You're also right about the lower resale value, but if you really count on selling it for anything more than pennies...

Laptops have put a crimp in anything you build anymore.

 

[IDASHO]

Actually, Apple products have some of the, if not the highest resale value of any computer out there; see how much your dell is worth in a couple of years....

I hope they have higher resale value.... they cost WAY MORE

 

[billymade]

Its not just that; they actually hold their value, way longer then normal computers and many become collectable... Other brands just don't hold their value; even specially made brands like alienware...

 

[wilbilt]

I've been trying to stay out of this. A moth to a flame, etc...

Long time Mac user. Time was, they were ultra-solid and required little maintenance. I supported 500 of them on 4 hours/day.

With the switch to Intel, 10.5 Leopard, et al, they are buggy as Hell. Hardware failures abound and the OS is unfinished, thanks to moving development resources to the stupid iPhone.

I still use Macs, but have lost a lot of respect for Apple over the past few years.

 

[billymade]

I''m still using a 1.5 Ghz PowerPC at the moment but hope to ungrade to Intel soon; I have heard your sentiments from people but the increase in speed/current intel technology seems to be the price you pay, I guess we are experiencing what the pc world always has... speed with flakey hardware? No computer or os is perfect but I do enjoy mac os x....

 

[bmwpower]

http://www.apple.com/macbook/design.html

These new MacBooks are sweet.

What does this have to do with tools?

It's made using a CNC machine; remember?

I like the design. I'm wondering how easy it's going to be to work on. Apple laptops have always been a PITA to crack open and work on IMHO.

And that glass screen has to go! I can't stand glass screens - they capture too many background reflections.

I'll wait for the next generation without the glass screen....

 

[eschoendorff]

Can any Mac person explain to me why one can not cut and paste text from a Word document into a text box in a web page?

FYI, I'm not a Mac user. I was just floored why something as simple as this did not work on my GF's Mac.

This is a simple task that I do daily on my Macs. Shouldn't be a problem.

Problem isn't the computer - check the user.

 

[eschoendorff]

All I know is that, again, when I have work that has to be done NOW! I bring it home and do it on a Mac. No waiting for a Windows machine to decide that it is ready to work. No crashes. Nothing. Just productivity.

 

[wilbilt]

This is a simple task that I do daily on my Macs. Shouldn't be a problem.

Problem isn't the computer - check the user.

No kidding. Command-C, Command V. What's the problem? Or just select it and drag it in if you prefer.

 

[PAToyota]

I have found certain websites where cut and paste into a dialog box does not seem to work - when using either Mac or PC.

But typically I just highlight and drag and drop on the Mac. That doesn't always work cleanly on the PC, so I do the copy and paste route there.

 

[PAToyota]

I don't really have an explanation for why it doesn't work. Just have happened to notice it. Like your GF, if I have something lengthy to type I'll do it in a word processor and then cut and paste. But I've even had some instances where shorter items were a problem - like cutting and pasting the lines from an address into a web order form.

Another thing I've noticed a few times is cutting and pasting and nothing shows up. But then type it in and it shows up twice - like the cut and paste was invisible but understood and then I ended up with it entered twice...

But considering the encounters that I've had dealing with people in actual brick and mortar companies, I think I'll take the inconsistencies of computer and web issues...

 

[Vicegrip]

My version of Safari has "spel chek" built in so I don't have to cut and paste to look semi literate, just type and fix.

 

[PAToyota]

Spell check is built into the OS on a Mac, so every program has spell check.

I just use the word processor rather than typing in the little box...

 

[hamburglar]

It seems to me that:

. 90% of users actually just need a web terminal, some speakers, and a printer.
. You should choose your software and then choose a platform to run it on.
. Most of the brand loyalty seems to revolve around subtleties in UI behavior.
. The Mac people are more vehement about brand choice.
. The loudest people usually have no clue how this stuff works under the covers.
. For some reason, sysadmins that work for school districts always pipe up in these arguments and make me crazy.