New MacBook.

[POB]

I have been umming and ahhing about getting a laptop small and light enough to take on my travels but big enough to store all my pictures and music. I finally settled on a MacBook Black...

Picked it up two days ago, and it's fantastic! I have not slept much since and am getting used to using it.

Any other Mac users out there, and any advice or tips for a new user? My main worry at the moment is virus protection...Do I need a firewall or is the famous Mac good enough on its own?

 

[dantura]

You're braver than me.
I have been toying with the Mac Book pro for quite a while (I could have got a 15% student discount), but bottled the jump from PC and plumbed for the new Sony FZ31Z, should be arriving in a few weeks.
Main reason, that all my software (Office etc) wouldn't be compatible, and I couldn't see the point in running Windows on a MAC.
I do really like them though and may plumb for 1 next time.
Good and brave (unless you're already a MAC vet) choice.

D

 

[busby1971]

Mac the life

Mac the life

Had a Mac Book for just under a couple of years now, a nice little white one, it does most of what I require from a portable computer, web, email, store file and listen/watch my CDs and now-a-days video.

Not had any kind of virus checker or such like on the machine, my modem has a firewall, I have anti-spam and email checker stuff from my ISP and I don't really download a lot of stuff I don't trust so I feel kinda safe without extra software to slow the thing down and make life more complicated.

I have apple works installed which cost about £65 and that deals with letters and spreadsheets. I find drivers for additional stuff dont exist or a bit buggy, although my new tom tom works fine on the Mac driver but gets completely fried when I use my home PC.

The machine has stalled a few times during this period, quitting the application or a quick (and I mean quick compared to my PC) restart normally sorts itself out. On the whole the machine just works and just about everything is easy to use, I was contemplating buying a new one but now the Linux based EEE PC has come along I'm tempted to go here instead, It will do what I want but in such a small package and for next to nothing it seems to be a no brainer.

 

[SirSaltyHelmet]

You can get a full working version of Office for the Mac. It is on that home user thing where you get it for £17

 

[POB]

You can get a full working version of Office for the Mac. It is on that home user thing where you get it for £17

I have just been offered a copy of that for $20, in its original packaging, including licence...Looks legal too...It includes powerpoint and all the other goodies, BUT...It's in Spanish...I can cope but would rather not have to.

 

[monobrow]

I been doing some research (of sorts) since you told me you got it. And knowing the square root of naff all about Mac's I said use google. With google as my guide, it tells me that the Mac OSX is a unix based operating system. Has it's advantages and shares a few things with the Linux operating system...

Virus scanners, two schools of thought here. 1) all viruses out there are for Windows/microsoft PC's and to that end, you will never need a virus scanner. 2) There are very VERY few viruses for this type of operating system, however your PC may transfer an infected email (for instance) on to a friend on windows where it will do harm. Have a look here -> http://www.clamxav.com/ the second school of thought is alot expanded in their intro.

Firewall, there is one built into OSX. heres the gen from apple -> http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.4/en/mh1042.html Wise to switch on if your on wireless, if your wired to a router then it is less needed as most have in built firewall in their options.

Office, there is a fantastic free one that I use. Saves as and opens word documents, excel docs, powerpoint docs, the whole office suite and 100% free. Go here and have a look -> http://www.openoffice.org/

Hope this helps.

 

[POB]

Mono, and all the others, thank you. Everyone that I know who uses a Mac, has sworn to never return to MS...I am not that confident about the Mac yet, but I can see why no one wants to go back!

I will certainly have a look at the openoffice thing...

Thanks again for your help and advice.